{"id":63,"date":"2019-05-01T17:00:45","date_gmt":"2019-05-01T17:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marxistworkersparty.org.za\/?p=63"},"modified":"2019-09-06T12:49:22","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T10:49:22","slug":"what-role-can-saftu-play-in-uniting-the-working-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/?p=63","title":{"rendered":"What role can Saftu play in uniting the working class?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For a socialist programme of militant struggle \u2013 time\nfor workers to take the offensive against the bosses\u2019 attacks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

by Shaun Arendse<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workers are\nunder attack by the bosses and the politicians that defend the capitalist\nprofit system. There have been tens of thousands of job losses on top of\nexisting mass unemployment. To boost their profits the bosses will use the new\nR3,500 poverty-level minimum wage as a wage-ceiling and not a wage-floor.  Tax rises, price increases and budget cuts to\nservices are worsening poverty and inequality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The background to\nthis assault is the crisis of the capitalist economy \u2013 here in South Africa and\nworldwide. The economy is stagnant. The bosses\u2019 battle plan is driven by the\nneed to protect their profits by squeezing workers harder and harder. Defending\njobs and fighting for wage rises will meet ever greater resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why the right\nto strike and to picket is being undermined by the ANC government. They want to\nmake it harder for workers to fight back. Now they are threatening to punish\nthe mineworkers for striking by de-registering the AMCU trade union. They want to\nteach the whole working class a lesson. But workers again and again show their willingness\nto fight to defend jobs and wages. Strikes and community protests are at record\nhighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What will it\ntake to turn the tide on the bosses\u2019 attacks? How can the working class move\nfrom the defensive on to the offensive? How do we build a class-independent and\nunited movement of militant, democratic worker-controlled trade unions?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Workers\u2019 Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The potential\npower of the working class is huge \u2013 especially those workers organised in the trade\nunions. Some pessimists complain that \u2018only\u2019 1 in 4 workers are organised. This\nis actually amongst the highest in the world! But a simple head-count is the\nwrong way to view the issue. The key thing is where<\/em><\/strong> those workers are\norganised. They are organised in all of the most decisive sectors<\/em><\/strong> of the\neconomy \u2013 mining, manufacturing, transport and public services. In other words,\nthe working class organised in the trade unions has enormous social weight.\nThis gives them the potential to lead the vast working class majority of the\nunemployed, the poor, the unorganised and the youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the trade\nunions are divided into hostile camps. There are four federations and nearly\n200 trade unions. Too often one united bosses\u2019 organisation sits across the table\nfrom divided union leaders who see each other as the main enemy. The enormous\npotential power of a united working class is not focused on the point of\nattack. Our army is scattered and marching in different directions. There is a\ncrisis of working class leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Saftu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saftu is an\nhistoric attempt to build a new working class leadership. Its creation reflects\na growing mood amongst workers that consciously rejects the poisonous politics\nof class collaboration \u2013 and wants to do something about it. Class\ncollaboration is where \u2018leaders\u2019 claim to represent workers interests but in\npractice defend the right of the bosses to exploit workers.  These wrong politics lock Cosatu in its alliance\nwith the ANC. But Saftu is emerging as a new political reference point for\nstruggle. The importance of this has already been demonstrated. If Saftu had\nnot organised the 25 April 2018 strike, the minimum wage and attack on the\nright to strike would have passed without a whisper of organised protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Saftu is not\nyet a decisive<\/em><\/strong> pole of attraction for the working class. This is\nreflected in the attitude of the Cosatu membership. In 2012-13 there was a mass\nmovement of mineworkers from the Cosatu-affiliated NUM to the un-affiliated AMCU.\nBut there has not yet been a mass movement of workers from Cosatu to\nSaftu. Why? We think it is because things are not yet clear to millions of\nworkers. They want to be certain that Saftu is a genuine alternative<\/em><\/strong> that can show\na clear way forward in struggle. If Saftu is just another rival<\/em><\/strong> to their current union\n\u2013 there are plenty of them! \u2013 then workers will not be motivated to move. But\nthey are watching to see what Saftu does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Saftu to earn\nits leadership of the organised working class it needs to be armed with a bold\nsocialist programme. This is the only answer to the capitalist economic crisis.\nThe capitalist profit system must be exposed. But socialist rhetoric<\/em><\/strong>\nis not enough. Every corrupt sell-out trade union leader postures as a\n\u2018revolutionary\u2019 and a \u2018socialist\u2019. Workers will want to be able to see that Saftu\nis different. A real socialist programme must be able to guide workers in\naction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Socialist programme<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic\nsabotage by the bosses needs to be exposed and an alternative offered. The\ntrade union principles of democratic workers control must be extended into growing\ncontrol of the workplace. Workers will not prioritise the interests of CEO\nsalaries and shareholder dividends over the interests of the working class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • Fight all retrenchments and closures! <\/strong>Demand\nnationalisation of job shedding big businesses under democratic workers\ncontrol. If the bosses\u2019 refuse to keep jobs, workers refuse to let them keep\ntheir businesses! Organise workplace occupations to enforce nationalisation.<\/li>
  • Workers\u2019 economic planning to end unemployment!<\/strong> Demand the working week is reduced to 30 hours with no cuts in pay.\nShare out the work with the unemployed. Demand democratic control of hiring and\nfiring and the re-design of shift patterns by workers\u2019 representatives.<\/li>
  • Reject the ANC\u2019s poverty-level minimum wage!<\/strong> Fight for a living wage of R12,500 per month for all full-time\nworkers. Demand a rigorous regime of workplace inspections under the democratic\ncontrol of workers\u2019 representatives to enforce compliance. <\/li>
  • Expose the bosses\u2019 lies!<\/strong> Abolish\nso-called \u2018business secrets\u2019. Demand that the financial accounts of big\nbusiness are opened to inspection by workers\u2019 representatives. When the bosses\nsay \u201cwe can\u2019t afford it\u201d workers must say \u201cprove it\u201d! <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    If the bosses\nand their politicians continue giving the working class the bill for the crisis\nof their profit system they must be pushed aside \u2013 nationalise non-complying big business under democratic workers control.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We call on Saftu\nmembers to campaign for the federation and all of its affiliates to adopt a\nclear socialist programme. Every strike and protest should be politicised\naround these demands and talked about by Saftu leaders in every media\ninterview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Mass campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The bosses will\nresist these demands ferociously. A socialist programme challenges the very\nfoundation of their system. Private ownership of the economy \u2018justifies\u2019 their\neconomic dictatorship and allows them to chase profits at the expense of\nworkers and society. Nationalisation and democratic control by workers\u2019\nrepresentatives challenges this. A mass movement is needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We call on Saftu\nto organise its planned two-day strike within the 60 day de-registration\n\u2018notice period\u2019 given to AMCU \u2013 i.e. before the end of June. This can be used\nto appeal to the mineworkers\u2019 to join the strike. In Sudan, protestors are\noccupying the streets outside the HQ of the military dictatorship demanding\nthat they go. Workers in South Africa should follow this bold example and\noccupy the streets outside the Department of Labour in Tshwane to demand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • Hands off the mineworkers!<\/strong> Withdraw the\nthreat to de-register AMCU \u2013 the workers\u2019 movement will clean up its own house!\nOrganise workers to demand and defend democratic workers\u2019 control in all trade\nunions.<\/li>
    • Defend the right to organise and strike!<\/strong>\nScrap the LRA amendments. Move on to the offensive with a workers & trade\nunion freedom bill drafted by workers\u2019 representatives \u2013 end the bosses\u2019 petty\nabuses and restrictions on the rights to workplace organisation. Organise a\nmarch to parliament to demand it is tabled \u2013 and passed! Organised mass defiance\nof unjust labour laws that prevent workers from defending themselves.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      A call must go\nout that guides workers in how to overcome the organisational divisions within\nthe trade union movement. No genuine trade union leader has anything to fear\nfrom workers unity; those that oppose workers\u2019 unity must be exposed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • Build co-ordinated campaigns of rolling mass action on all issues\nfacing the working class. <\/strong>Build industry- and\nsector-wide action-committees that unite the workers of all federations,\nunions, and those not members of unions in campaigns of rolling mass action.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n

        Workers Party<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The elections\nnext week are dominated by parties and candidates that either assisted the\nattacks on the working class over the last five years, or just shrugged their\nshoulders in disinterest. The Zuma-led ANC tabled the LRA amendments; the\nRamaphosa-led ANC voted them through. \nThe DA supported them but wanted the attacks to go even further! Where\nwas the EFF\u2019s campaign to defend the right to strike? Not a word. Workers need\ntheir own party. This cannot be viewed as an optional \u2018side project\u2019. Workers\nchallenge the bosses\u2019 control of the workplaces every day. They must challenge\ntheir political control of society too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        On 8 May WASP is\ncalling for a vote for the Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (SRWP). They at least stand for\nthe overthrow of capitalism and the socialist transformation of society. However,\nwe have serious doubts that the SRWP will be the vehicle for working class unity\nin the struggles ahead, given its track-record until now (see WASP website). From\n9 May we call on the SRWP to support the building of a unifying, democratic and\nopen socialist mass workers party, organised on a federal basis so that the\nSRWP, WASP and other working class and socialist organisations can affiliate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • Build working class unity! Support the Saftu-Working Class Summit\nworkers\u2019 party process.<\/strong> Build a unifying,\ndemocratic and open socialist mass workers party, organised on a federal basis\nto unite the struggles of the workplaces, the communities and the youth, as a\nvital step toward the creation of a mass revolutionary party<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Workers are under attack by the bosses and the politicians that defend the capitalist profit system. There have been tens of thousands of job losses on top of existing mass unemployment. To boost their profits the bosses will use the new R3,500 poverty-level minimum wage as a wage-ceiling and not a wage-floor.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":180,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trade-union"],"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":[],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=63"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":409,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63\/revisions\/409"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=63"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=63"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marxistworkersparty.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=63"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}