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Sex at work is the crucial issue here Eusebius McKaiser, The Star, Johannesburg, 19 August 2013 It was fascinating watching Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi on Friday as he took on his organisation for suspending him. Not once was the labour issue that is the basis of the suspension addressed, the small matter of having sex at work. Even the question-and-answer session was dominated by a focus on the wider South African political context rather than the nexus issue of sex at work. Let's examine what's going on here. In essence, Vavi called a media briefing on Friday to say the correct process hadn't been followed when Cosatu convened an urgent meeting of its central executive committee. He then quickly and with oratorical skill moved on to paint a picture of politically motivated opponents out to get him and other brave South Africans like Numsa's Irvin Jim. Along the way, quotes from, and comparisons with, the likes of one Jesus Christ, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr made cameo appearances too. For a brief moment (as it were) I thought I was watching a parody of US politics. But this is the South African version, and Vavi sure is charismatic, though perhaps Friday had tinges of melodrama. But here's the crux of what was odd. Not once did Vavi address himself to the question of whether having sex at work is against workplace regulations and, if it is, whether he thinks he should be sanctioned by his employers for having sex at work. Does Vavi think such sanctioning would be appropriate as a matter of good labour practice and precedent? I wonder. I think it's odd because he is the head of - wait for it - a labour movement. Yes, it is also a political movement that is in alliance with the governing party. But its reason for existing, ultimately, is to promote the rights of workers, which includes attending itself to workplace conditions. This was an opportunity to address workplace law regarding sex. Instead, Vavi conveniently restricted himself to the political motivations of his opponents who are benefiting from his poor judgment. Why not address both issues? He came close, though. He said to one reporter that his organisation doesn't have a policy against extramarital affairs and, at any rate, he has acknowledged what has happened, and apologised for it. This is a disturbing response from a labour movement boss. The issue now isn't about extramarital affairs, nor about cheating on one's wife - not from a labour law viewpoint at any rate. That is a matter of morality, about which reasonable people can disagree. The crux of the matter is dead simple. He had sex at work. That alone justifies suspension of any employee. We should not confuse a discussion about cheating on a spouse with a discussion about whether sex at work is a legitimate ground for suspension in terms of our labour law framework. Why does a labour boss conflate these issues? Well, I guess it's convenient, especially because, if you make it a moral issue, you can then say, "But I'm not the only one who does immoral things! What about JZ!" It is, to drum home the issue, about where the sex took place. Some of us in the media aren't helping by reporting the issue wrongly. We keep insisting that Vavi has been suspended for having admitted to an extramarital affair. That is inaccurate. It is sex at work that damages Cosatu's reputation. Here's a final attempt to make the point: If Vavi had sex at work with his wife, Cosatu would still be correct to suspend him. In that sense, it is irrelevant that he had an extramarital affair. That is why it's crucial to distinguish the moral qualms we may or may not have about cheating from the issue of sex at work. Last, are the political issues that many obsess about irrelevant? Not at all. There are, to use Vavi lingo, political hyenas waiting to feed off his political carcass. They are out to get him. It's called politics. Many individuals would love to see Vavi's downfall, and this motivates them more than my discussion here about sex at work. Furthermore, many of these political opponents are inconsistent, of course. They don't move quickly to discipline individuals they like or who are allies when these others also commit the same or worse personal or professional sins. Again, such is politics. Consistency isn't a political virtue. But we know that. The bottom line, I'm afraid, doesn't help Vavi. Badly motivated cases can still have merit in law. In this case, the simple matter of sex at work, which he did not address on Friday, anchors the suspension, legally. * McKaiser hosts Power Talk With Eusebius McKaiser on Power FM 98.7 daily from 9am to noon. He is author of best-selling essay collection A Bantu In My Bathroom. ** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers. From: http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/sex-at-work-is-the-crucial-issue-here-1.156425 9#.UhHo7ZIwfmg -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. 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