Sechaba ka’Nkosi
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) wants to target certain companies for a pilot project where union officials would sit on the board to allow co- determination and decision-making.
The suggestion is made in the report by the September Commission, appointed to consider new strategies for the union movement.
Cosatu says company directors tend to make broad policy decisions, but become very remote in their implementation. For unions to have access to information and influence at the highest level, there is a need for a structure where senior shop stewards can meet and engage with company executives.
“The unions have no strategy for implementation at present. Few if any officials have experience of struggles for workplace democracy.
“Where unions do have a policy, they simply expect organisers and shop stewards to implement these. The imperative is to develop the experience and expertise within the unions to engage in workplace democratisation,” says Cosatu.
However, the proposal has already met stiff opposition from some influential affiliates, who think it will be in direct conflict with what unions are supposed to represent.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) for example, argues that co- determination with the private sector will make workers’ interests and agenda similar to that of employers’. Numsa says this will make unions co-participants in sensitive decisions such as retrenchments.
Gerrie Bezuidenhout of the South African Chamber of Business says unless the proposal is tabled formally, business will not adopt an official position.
But Bezuidenhout says it will make company decision-making difficult because of directors’ interests in the process.