Rival unions gaining ground

Cosatu and its affiliate unions are losing disgruntled members to rival unions .

This is revealed in a draft discussion document, styled an "organisational report", to be discussed at the national congress of trade union federation Cosatu, which began yesterday at Gallager Estate, Midrand.

Another report, the "state of affiliates report", which was distributed to delegates yesterday, revealed that 20736 members left Cosatu-affiliated unions between 2011 and 2012.

It identified the worst-affected unions as the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (with 5297 resignations), the National Health and Allied Workers Union (5283), the Democratic Nursing Organisation (5160), the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (3625) and the Finance Union (1371).

The National Union of Mineworkers raised its concerns about losing members to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) - without mentioning it by name - at a conference in May.

Cosatu, which, together with its affiliated unions has 2.2million members, had aimed to have 4million members by 2009.

The loss of members has also been the result of retirements and retrenchments.

The document stated that, according to some members, Cosatu-affiliated unions were "not servicing members adequately".

It was also stated: "The Cosatu provincial staff, as well as the organising unit at head office, are often confronted by workers who have been left stranded in disciplinary cases, whose grievances have not been processed, who have been unfairly retrenched, or have been led into unprotected strike action and have been abandoned at the point of dismissal."

In the past month, rivalry between the NUM and Amcu - which was formed after the expulsion of disgruntled NUM shop steward Joseph Mathunjwa - is said to have contributed to the Marikana mine tragedy, which claimed the lives of 45 people.

However, in his opening address yesterday, Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini joined the long list of alliance leaders who have shot down allegations that rivalry between the two unions led to the massacre.

He said the massacre was caused by the failure to address the working and living conditions of mineworkers.

According to Department of Labour statistics, there were 193 registered unions as of July, 117 of them independent of Cosatu.

Though only eight of 20 unions affiliated to Cosatu have gained more than 15000 members since 2009, the Communications Workers' Union, the SA National Defence Union and the SA State and Allied Workers' Union failed to register growth.

"Broadly speaking, from the data that were provided, membership gains are twice as big as membership losses. However, worryingly, most losses were due to resignation from the union - resignation from the union indicates a voluntary act driven by dissatisfaction with service."

The document identified unions such as Solidarity and UASA (formerly the United Association of South Africa) as hitting Cosatu's recruitment drive in low-paying sectors such as hospitality, cleaning, security and transport.

Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis said his union had a net growth of 5% over the past five years and would reach a membership of 200 000 by December.