The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the biggest of the country’s three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions, altogether organising 1.8 million workers.
COSATU was established in 1985 following unity talks between competing unions and federations. At its launch it represented less than half a million workers organised in 33 unions, but saw rapid growth in its early years. Elijah Barayi was the organisation’s first president and served until 1991. Other key leaders included Jay Naidoo and Cyril Ramaphosa. COSATU played a leading role in the struggle against apartheid, organising a range of highly effective wage strikes and also general strikes and mobilising support in factories and towns across the country. The most authoritative account of its early years is a book called Striking Back, written by a former COSATU leader Jeremy Baskin and covering the period from 1985 until the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990.
COSATU is part of an alliance with the ANC and the South African Communist Party, often called the tripartite alliance. COSATU’s role in the alliance has been the subject of debate, since the organisation has been critical of some of the ANC government's policies. While some affiliates have argued for greater independence from the ruling political party, others have argued that the arrangement gives COSATU a political influence beneficial to its members.
Labour and HIV/AIDS
South Africa has one of the largest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the world, with a 2005 estimate of 5.5 million people living with HIV — 12.4% of the population. The trade union movement has taken a role in combating this pandemic. COSATU is a key partner in the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), a registered charity and political force working to educate and promote understanding about HIV/AIDS, and to prevent new infections, as well as push for greater access to antiretrovirals. COSATU passed a resolution in 1998 to campaign for treatment. “It was clear to the labour movement at that time that its lowest paid members were dying because they couldn’t afford medicines,” says Theodora Steel, Campaigns Coordinator at COSATU. “We saw TAC as a natural ally
in a campaign for treatment. We passed a formal resolution at our congress to assist and build TAC.
Notwithstanding the formal alliance of COSATU with the ruling ANC party, it has been at odds with the government, calling for the roll-out of comprehensive public access to antiretroviral drugs.
