Cosatu gets real and puts jobs ahead of pay hikes

The announcement yesterday by the country's biggest labour federation, Cosatu, that it would encourage its member unions to balance wage demands with the preservation of jobs is to be welcomed.Over the decades the ANC-aligned federation, whose affiliates represent about 1.9 million workers, has not hesitated to use its considerable muscle - including the threat of strikes - to secure significant gains for its members, who range from teachers and nurses to miners.