Cape Town — The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) was beset with internal organisational weaknesses and tensions even while it exercised a powerful influence on the ruling African National Congress and the tripartite alliance, University of Johannesburg sociology professor Sakhela Buhlungu has argued.

Cosatu's future was being contested by forces that prioritised political influence and those that wanted to concentrate on building organisational power, Buhlungu wrote in an article in the 2009 Transformation Audit, which will be launched tonight. The audit is an annual publication of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation which tracks progress against key indicators such as economic growth, poverty alleviation, educational achievement and job creation.

Buhlungu argued that Cosatu trade unions had neglected their membership and internal structures as they centralised and focused on political matters. Powerful and privileged union leaders had become alienated from the rank and file. Education and training of new members had collapsed and a "narrow economism" had taken over from solidarity and collective action as the dominant ethic.

Also, membership figures of Cosatu affiliates had either stagnated or declined since the start of the decade with the huge job losses of the recession worsening the trend. Members did not participate in union activities as much as in the past.

Buhlungu said the model of industrial unionism was unable to address changes brought by globalisation such as the divide between full time and casual workers.

"Since the beginning of the democratic transition unions have been losing organisational power as hundreds of leaders have left for politics and business, thousands of shop-floor activists and leaders have been promoted out of the union and the vibrancy of the movement has been sapped by the effects of class formation and global economic restructuring," Buhlungu said.

"The democratic environment serves to enhance the extension of the political influence of Cosatu; on the other hand the advent of democracy, the growth in the size of unions and the global economic environment including the current downturn serve to exacerbate the loss of organisational focus and power. Union movements have learnt the hard way that political influence is impossible to sustain in the absence of organisational power.

"Sadly, Cosatu does not seem too keen to learn from union movements in other parts of the world."