Johannesburg - The SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) in North West wants Cosatu's leadership to convene a special national congress or resign, it said on Thursday.
“If this Cosatu leadership does not resign or convene the special national congress on or before the end of April 2014, Samwu will campaign for removal of its national leadership,” said the union's secretary Lekoba Modimoeng.
He said the union would mobilise its members to boycott all Congress of SA Trade Unions activities, collapse its programme, and terminate any engagements with it.
The provincial Samwu was demanding the congress or its leaders resignation because they believed Cosatu had failed the federation's membership.
“When some of these leaders speak, we no longer know or are certain as to which side of the fence/organisation they are representing.”
Modimoeng said Cosatu was no longer as strong as it used to be since the suspension of general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Samwu also accused Cosatu of wasting money on legal fees to deal with Vavi.
“The money that has been utilised to deal with comrade Vavi's matter is coming from workers who are earning miserable and poor salaries and wages every month.”
In January, nine Cosatu affiliates called for Vavi's reinstatement and a special congress.
Vavi was suspended last year after he admitted to having an affair with a junior employee who had initially accused him of rape. The affiliates believed the disciplinary process instituted against Vavi was unjust.
They were the Communication Workers' Union, the Democratic Nurses' Union of SA, the Food and Allied Workers' Union, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, the Public and Allied Workers' Union of SA, the SA Commercial and Catering Workers' Union, the SA Football Players' Union, Samwu, and the SA State and Allied Workers' Union.
They wanted the special congress to be held by the end of March and a new Cosatu leadership elected. - Sapa