Time for unity, says Cosatu's Vavi
2013-02-07 16:44
Johannesburg - It is time for workers to unite and leave
behind the differences in leadership preferences that marred Cosatu last year,
the union federation said on Thursday.
"There were clashes of opinions and cliques... 2012 was
a difficult year, but now it is over. We need unity in 2013 to fight challenges
at hand," Congress of SA Trade Unions secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi
said.
He was addressing the Cosatu provincial shop stewards'
council at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus.
Cosatu and its various affiliates, including the ANC,
elected new leaders last year.
Vavi said it was time to say goodbye to the divisions and
cliques and return to basics.
"The federation is not a political party or the ANC...
it is not the vanguard or the SACP, it is a union federation. A union
federation that does not do its work is something else and not a workers'
organisation.
"Can we go back to the basics as a union federation and
fight for workers' rights and that of the poor? That is all we are asking for
this year."
Vavi said 2013 would become another difficult year if there
was no unity for a common purpose among workers.
- SAPA
