Cosatu leader, Zwelinzima Vavi, has lashed out at the Democratic Alliance following a march on Cosatu house on Tuesday.
Two DA supporters and a journalist were reportedly injured when rocks were thrown at marchers.
Addressing hundreds of Cosatu supporters who blocked the DA's path to Cosatu House, Vavi outlined the trade union federation's opposition to a Youth Wage Subsidy, which the DA says will lead to jobs.
Vavi said DA leader Helen Zille had "mistaken" Cosatu's opposition to corruption, tenderpreneurs and the Protection of State Information Bill as tacit support for the opposition agenda against the working class.
He accused the DA leader of "being a shop steward" of the employers.
In a statement the trade union federation says Cosatu "recognises the constitutional right of the Democratic Alliance to march to COSATU House. We are confident however that COSATU members assembled outside their head quarters, and workers around the country, will resoundingly reject the arguments of these shop stewards of the employers and spokespersons for big business."
"No workers will be deceived by its programme which is pro-big business and anti-workers, pro-rich and anti-poor. The workers' struggles to build a new and better South Africa cannot be led by those who benefited, and continue to profit from inequalities, poverty and our oppression, and want to continue pursuing policies to entrench these injustices," it said.
"If ever the DA were to come to power, they would introduce policies which will cut workers' wages and strip workers' rights. Let us never forget Helen Zille's warning to the government that they will never emulate the levels of growth shown by countries like China unless they stand up to COSATU."
