Unions struggle to pay Cosatu fees

Labour federation Cosatu was owed R45-million in affiliation fees by various unions at the 2017 financial year end.

Unions are battling to pay monthly subscription fees to the federation due to infighting and difficulty in collecting membership fees.

Cosatu affiliates such as the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) and the Liberated Metalworkers Union of SA (Limusa) are not in good standing after failing to pay their fees for many months. In terms of the Cosatu constitution, an affiliate ceases to be in good standing once it is more than three months in arrears.

Cosatu lost a huge financial contribution after expelling its largest affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in 2014. Cosatu has 17 affiliates and president S'dumo Dlamini confirmed yesterday that a number were in arrears.

"The CEC [central executive committee] . has been dealing with the matter for some time. We are persuading them to honour the monthly subscription fees. We have not come to the point of talking expulsion," Dlamini said.

Cosatu is now on a cost-cutting exercise.

Cosatu national spokesman Sizwe Pamla said unions were unable to pay "due to their internal challenges in collection of membership fees . while trying to meet other obligations of their own."

Samwu general secretary Simon Mathe admitted the union was 20 months in arrears. "There were issues of leadership which were resolved by the labour court. We have started paying. We have paid R3-million to Cosatu."

The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has been in turmoil since its leaders faced charges for allegedly stealing R8.2-million from a union trust fund.

"How Satawu's finances were compromised under the union's former leadership is a matter of public record. The situation worsened after general secretary Zenzo Mahlangu was declared an illegal immigrant and deported to Zimbabwe last year," spokeswoman Zanele Sabela said. Sabela said Satawu's task team negotiated for Cosatu to write off outstanding fees. "Presently Satawu is in good standing and has been keeping up with its monthly payments."

Limusa general secretary Cedric Gina said: "I account to the CEC of Cosatu and not Sowetan."