Taking COSATU Today Forward, 1 May 2026 #MayDay2026
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY COSATU Call Center Contacts: 010 002 2590 #COSATU wishes workers and their families a joyous #InternationalWorkersDay #ClassSolidarity #ClassWar #Cosatu40 #SACTU70 #ClassStruggle “Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism” #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
Our side of the story
1 May 2026
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Statement by SADTU Students’ Chapter: Response to SACE CEO Ella Mokgalane’s remarks
- South Africa
- COSATU condemns the banning of TUCOSWA May Day Rally by the Eswatini monarchy
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- May Day 2026: Top CEO pay increased 20 times faster than workers’ pay in 2025
- Greece: Major increase in votes for the PAME trade unionists at the 39th GSEE Congress
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics #ClassWar
Statement by SADTU Students’ Chapter: Response to SACE CEO Ella Mokgalane’s remarks.
We, the SADTU Students Chapter, are compelled to express our outrage and indignation regarding the disgraceful remarks made by Ms Ella Mokgalane, the CEO of SACE, during our address at the SADTU Provincial Conference held in Free State from April 22nd to 24th, 2026. Her belittling characterization of our sincere concerns as a “populist stunt” is not only an affront to our integrity but also a blatant dismissal of the genuine struggles faced by unemployed graduates in our nation.
Our address was a clarion call for justice, equity, and accountability in the education sector. We shed light on the unfair and exorbitant subscription fees that SACE imposes on unemployed graduates, fees that act as a significant barrier to entry into the very profession they wish to serve. These fees are not mere numbers; they represent the dreams, aspirations, and potential of a generation eager to contribute to the educational landscape of South Africa. By undermining our address, Ms Mokgalane has insulted not just us, but every young person who dares to aspire to a career in education, only to be met with systemic obstacles engineered by those in power. Ms Mokgalane's flippant remarks mask a deeper issue: a pervasive ignorance within SACE about the realities that new educators face. The challenges of unemployment, financial instability, and the lack of resources are not abstract concepts to be dismissed casually; they are the lived experiences of countless talented individuals who are being thrown into a vicious cycle of despair by an organization that claims to represent their interests. The insensitivity demonstrated by Ms Mokgalane serves to highlight a troubling disconnect from the very individuals SACE purports to support.
In a time when our country requires visionary leadership to uplift and empower the next generation of educators, Ms Mokgalane has chosen to wield her platform as a tool of mockery rather than of progress. We refuse to stand idly while our name, our message, and our struggles are derided as mere theatrics. This is not a game; this is our reality.
Our voices deserve to be heard, respected, and acted upon, not trivialized to fit a
narrative of populism that has no bearing on the valid concerns we raised.
We call for an immediate reassessment of the fee structures imposed on aspiring
educators, coupled with a sincere commitment to engaging in dialogue with the
Students Chapter and other stakeholders. Until SACE can demonstrate an
understanding of the urgency of these issues and an authentic desire to ameliorate the circumstances facing unemployed graduates, we will not be silenced by patronizing statements that obfuscate the truth of our situation.
The SADTU Students Chapter will continue to stand firm in our quest for justice within the education system. We will not be deterred by dismissive comments; rather, we will use them as fuel to amplify our message. Ms Mokgalane’s refusal to engage meaningfully with our concerns will not deter us; instead, it will galvanize us to fight even harder for systemic change and equity in education.
Let this be clear: we demand respect, accountability, and, above all, action. Education is not a privilege for the few; it is a right for all. We refuse to accept a status quo that perpetuates inequality and stifles potential. The time for empty rhetoric is over; it is time for tangible change.
Issued by National Coordinator
Xolani Dube
067 5988 450
South Africa #ClassSolidarity
COSATU condemns the banning of TUCOSWA May Day Rally by the Eswatini monarchy
Bongani Masuku, COSATU International Secretary, 30 April 2026
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) joins the international trade union movement in condemning the banning of a May Day rally scheduled for Hlathikhulu by the Swaziland government, under false disguises.
This happens as the King Mswati was hosting lavish festivities to celebrate his 40 years as monarch in the country.
In protest, public service workers expressed their call for their overdue increments and better conditions that have been ignored for years.
In response, the government unleashed violence reminiscent of the 2021 brutal crackdown by the Swazi regime.
The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) was born out of a merge of progressive trade unions and Mswati has threatened it throughout its existence.
It is no surprise, that this banning of its May Day rally follows close on heels of consistent harassment that the federation and its affiliates have endured.
COSATU calls for immediate unbanning of trade union activity and right workers to free association and organisation as clearly stated by Conventions 87 and 98 of the ILO.
COSATU further calls on SADC and the AU to stop tolerating the brutal regime led by the monarchy, which has subjected the people of Eswatini to a royal decree since 1973, which bans all forms of political activity, except by the royal family.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
May Day 2026: Top CEO pay increased 20 times faster than workers’ pay in 2025
1 May 2026
Global real worker pay fell 12 percent while real CEO pay surged 54 percent between 2019 and 2025.
At least four CEOs of major corporations each pocketed over $100 million in pay and bonuses last year. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan led the pack at over $205 million.
Billionaires were paid $2,500 per second in dividends in 2025. AFP AHMAD AL-RUBAYE
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Oxfam are calling for urgent action to rein in extreme wealth, including higher, fairer taxes on the richest and binding limits on CEO pay.
Chief executives of the world’s largest corporations enjoyed a 11 percent real-terms pay hike last year, while the average global worker saw real wages increase by just 0.5 percent, reveals new analysis by the ITUC and Oxfam ahead of International Workers’ Day (1 May).
The analysis covers the top-paying 1,500 corporations across 33 countries which have reported CEO pay for 2025. The average CEO pocketed $8.4 million in pay and bonuses last year, up from $7.6 million in 2024. It would take the average global worker 490 years to earn the same amount.
So far, four corporations, including Blackstone, Broadcom and Goldman Sachs, have reported paying their CEO more than $100 million in 2025. The top 10 highest-paid CEOs collectively made over $1 billion.
The gender pay gap for the workforce across these 1,500 corporations averages 16 percent, meaning that these women workers effectively work for free from 4 November each year.
The growing chasm between CEO compensation and average worker pay is part of a long-term trend in which executives and shareholders are capturing an ever-larger slice of the global economic pie.
Global real wages for workers have fallen by 12 percent since 2019. This means they have effectively worked 108 days for free between 2019 and 2025 (31 days for free last year alone). Meanwhile, CEO pay has skyrocketed - from an average of $5.5 million in 2019 to $8.4 million in 2025, a 54 percent increase in real terms.
The ITUC and Oxfam’s analysis of shareholdings reveals that the super-rich are receiving significant payouts from the corporations they control. Nearly 1,000 billionaires whose investment portfolios were identified collectively received $79 billion in dividends in 2025 —equivalent to $2,500 per second. The average billionaire made more in dividends in less than two hours than the average worker earned in pay in an entire year.
Some of the largest payouts in 2025 went to Bernard Arnault, owner of luxury brand LVMH, who pocketed $3.8 billion and Amancio Ortega, owner of Inditex (Zara), who received $3.7 billion.
Payouts from corporations are often funneled into undermining workers’ rights and democracy.
Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, has used his wealth to become a major stakeholder in Paramount, which was purchased by his son’s company and includes major broadcast networks CBS.
In France, far-right billionaire Vincent Bolloré now controls CNews, and has rebranded it as the French equivalent of Fox News.
In 2024, Oxfam filed a formal UN complaint against Amazon and Walmart’s systematic human rights violations. Amazon and Walmart’s outsized wealth and power in the economy have enabled them to clamp down on unionization efforts and collective organizing.
Billionaires are also leveraging their wealth to buy political influence. A global survey found that half of people believe “the rich often buy elections” in their countries. Oxfam estimates that billionaires are 4,000 times more likely to hold political office than ordinary people. Many super-rich politicians have sought to erode workers’ rights, cut public services, and deliver tax cuts to the richest.
“This analysis exposes the billionaire coup against democracy, and its costs for working people. Companies promise us a virtuous cycle, but what we see is a vicious cycle led by mega corporations - they undermine collective bargaining and social dialogue while billionaire CEOs capture the wealth created by productivity gains. The super-rich then use enormous resources to fund anti-democratic political projects,” said ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle.ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle
“These projects shift the blame for growing inequality onto marginalized groups, such as migrants, women and minorities in order to distract from the true culprits: their rich benefactors. They divide working people while dismantling and undermining democratic institutions and promoting policies that allow the super-rich to become even richer, at the expense of workers’ rights, safety and livelihoods. They attack democratic organizations like unions and block any avenues for popular reform, ensuring that the vicious anti-worker cycle continues.”
Billionaire wealth has reached record highs in 2026. In just 12 months, they have gained $4 trillion - bringing their wealth to $1.5 trillion more than that of the poorest 4.1 billion people combined. There are 400 more billionaires compared to last year, and 45 of these new billionaires have made their fortunes in artificial intelligence.
“We can’t continue to let a handful of super-rich people siphon off the rewards of work that belong to millions. Governments must cap CEO pay, fairly tax the super-rich and ensure minimum wages at the very least keep pace with inflation and ensure a dignified living. And workers must be able to exercise, without fear or obstruction, their rights to organize, to strike, and to bargain collectively. They are the ones who generate society’s wealth; they should be able to claim, as a matter of justice, what they are due,” said Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar.
"These measures can do far more than redistribute income; they can create economies that reward work, invest in communities, and hold powerful interests accountable. This is how we turn a system rigged for the few into one that works for everyone."
Notes to editors:
Download the ITUC and Oxfam’s media briefing and methodology note for more information, tables and graphs.
In 2024, Oxfam submitted a formal complaint against Amazon and Walmart to the United Nations. Read more about surveillance and suffering at Amazon and Walmart warehouses.
The World Values Survey Wave 7 found that half of people believe “the rich often buy elections” in their countries.
Download the ITUC’s report “Corporate Underminers of Democracy 2025.”
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Greece: Major increase in votes for the PAME trade unionists at the 39th GSEE Congress
by WFTU HQ, 20 Apr 2026
PAME trade unionists together with other vanguard militants recorded a 27% of the delegates vote at the ballot of the 39th Congress of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) that took place on the 16th to 19th of April (see for details the relevant table with the results). It is the highest percentage of the past decades, confirming the important steps being taken in the course of regrouping the labor movement.
This positive result was also aided by trade unionists elected from other factions, who through their vote turned their backs on the blackmailing dilemmas posed by the leading group of the GSEE.
Despite the negative correlation of forces that still remains in the leadership of the GSEE, which to a great extent is the product of fraud, the rise of the class oriented forces is a continuation of the great effort being carried out by thousands of young, militant trade unionists in workplaces, by hundreds of unions that do not compromise with the logic of the lesser evil, with fatalism and passivity. They are at the forefront of the difficult course of organizing the working class in the unions, of organizing the struggle for its interests, far from the poison of social partnership and class collaboration. They are at the forefront of the effort to change the balance of forces and strengthen the current of opposition to the dominant policy, against the system of war and capitalist exploitation.
This action, with this orientation, is leading to a shift in the balance of forces in the country’s largest Regional Unions, in Athens, Thessaloniki, Piraeus, Patras, Larissa, Ioannina, and Evia, as well as in major Federations such as that of Private Employees. It is also resulting in the emergence of dozens of new trade unionists, men and women, who came to the fore through major struggles in workplaces and sectors, and in the founding of dozens of new unions.
This was the new and hopeful element that emerged at the 39th Congress of the GSEE, in contrast to the rot of employer-controlled and government trade unionism, which, as was once again confirmed, is largely based on certain organizations, for example Regional Unions, in provincial areas, which, despite having shown no activity over all these years, record a huge increase in trade union participation and in the reproduction of bogus delegates. This is the same mechanism that recently came to light in connection with the scandal over the embezzlement of European programs, for which the retired president of the GSEE is under investigation. Despite the crude anti-communist poison the president of the GSEE poured into the proceedings of the Congress, he could not cover up what was obvious to everyone in the congress hall and was reflected in the PAME trade unionists result.
The workers of our country have nothing good to expect from this life-tenured leadership of the GSEE. On the contrary, the government and big employers have promissory notes to collect, with interest, from their people, whom they installed through mechanisms now well known to everyone to pose as the leadership of the working class. But they are reckoning without the real labor trade union movement, which is regrouping itself, changing the balance of forces, and finding a common stride with the movement of the farmers, the self-employed, and the youth. A movement that is fighting important and hopeful battles against the government and the employers.
We are throwing all our strength into the success of the May 1 strike, so that all the streets of the country will be flooded with strikers, so that the hopeful message of organization, militant revival, and struggle from the great all-workers assembly in Kaisariani, of the 720 unions and 2,000 trade unionists, the largest ever held in the country, reaches every worker and every workplace.
The real balance of forces is recorded in the streets of struggle. There, the workers will once again isolate the trade union bureaucrats by flooding the unions’ strike rallies. In these rallies there is a place for all unions that are concerned and worried, that do not reconcile themselves with the rot of employer-controlled and government trade unionism. Because that is where everyone is judged: in the workplaces and the sectors, on the road of struggle. That is where ideas are tested. That is where hope is born, and that is where real overturn comes to grow stronger.
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Norman Mampane (Shopsteward Editor)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct line: 010 219-1348