COSATU ON THE UNITED FRONT

COSATU News, No. 2 November 1986

Every worker wants unity. That is why they join trade unions. That is why our trade unions formed COSATU, so that we can unite the strengths of hundreds of thousands of workers. We know that we are going to need the maximum unity and strength if we are to win what we need. Today - with the bosses and the government attacking our movement so hard under their Emergency - we feel this more than ever.

Other organisations which have the support of workers and youth are feeling this too. This great need for unity and for united mass action against the apartheid system, which is causing us so much poverty and suffering. So the UDF and the NECC approached COSATU and said: 'We need to all stand together. We need national unity against the racist Botha government. We need united mass action to end the Emergency and bury apartheid."

The COSATU CEC discussed this and agreed that national unity of the oppressed is very important. The question was: how do we build this unity? Some unions were saying that what we need is a united front of all organisations supported by workers. These unions said that COSATU must take the lead to build the long-term unity of the oppressed under the leadership of the working class. They said this unity must be organised around common demands. The unity should be organised through the united front, at local, regional and national level.

They said that all organisations must be independent in the united front, but there must be discipline. Nobody should decide on action without consultation. Joint action on common demands should be the basis of unity. Many unions agreed that this was important. But others said that it would take time to discuss exactly how this long-term unity would be build. They said there should immediately be a short, specific campaign around common demands.

In the short term the CEC felt COSATU must build the call for a united mass action and national unity against the Botha regime. And that long-term unity must continued to be discussed in COSATU and with other organisations. COSATU said there must be more demands for national unity and united mass action. The other organisations agreed with this. This is a great step forward for unity. Our organisations have the power in our hands to unite millions who want what we want:-

• An end to the state of emergency
• The release of Mandela and all political prisoners
• The unbanning of the ANC and other banned organisations
• An end to controls over students and a system of people's education
• An end to rent evictions and rent we can afford
• A living wage for all workers
• Freedom of expression and association
• And end to retrenchments and jobs for all
• Decent social security
• The right to strike
• Abolition of the migrant labour system.

COSATU members, these are the demands we have agreed to unite around. These are the thing that we are preparing mass action and unity for.

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