THE country’s biggest trade union federation, Cosatu, was facing financial problems, its secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi said yesterday. The expulsion of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) had impacted negatively on Cosatu’s finances, he said. “Cosatu is currently living off R300 000 a month beyond its income. Cosatu staff could only be paid in February and March by raiding the Political Fund designed for other purposes… this source will dry up soon.” Numsa was expelled from the federation in November. Numsa, with the biggest membership of more than 350 000 members, had been withholding its monthly R11 million payment to Cosatu, he said. “You cannot decide to kick a union out without considering the financial implications,” Vavi said. –
Sapa