Numsa likely to ignore ceasefire

Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim File photo: Steve Lawrence

Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim File photo: Steve Lawrence

Published Jun 3, 2014

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Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) looks set to defy an order by Cosatu not to pursue action that would feed into divisions in the federation.

Although it could not be confirmed on Monday night, The Star was informed by an insider that Numsa’s national executive committee had decided to go against a Cosatu resolution to hold fire for a month.

All Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese would say was that the union’s national office-bearers were consolidating decisions on the way forward.

Numsa’s national executive committee met for two days to decide whether it should toe the line.

The pow-wow, which insiders described as tense, came after a resolution by Cosatu’s central executive committee that its 19 affiliates, including Numsa, may not pursue action which would further “militate hostilities” in South Africa’s largest trade union federation.

This ceasefire is meant to last for a month while the ANC attempts to broker a peace deal in Cosatu.

Affiliates had until Monday to get buy-in from their members on the Cosatu resolution.

Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said last week that if Numsa, or any of the other affiliates, did not co-operate, the federation would hold an extraordinary meeting where the union would be sanctioned.

Ngobese said Numsa would make its decisions known on Tuesday.

The Star

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