SA unions call for collaboration

Durban - Trade unions were still relevant for workers in the country and they needed to be united to push their interests.

This was the view shared by labour federation leaders during a panel discussion in Durban last night.

The Cosatu president, S’dumo Dlamini, said unions needed to be aligned to the modern demands of South Africa.

“It would be important for workers in South Africa to belong to trade unions,” Dlamini said.

Workers needed to be conscious about issues where they lived, he added, and workers from different unions should not see each other as enemies because monopoly capital was their common enemy.

With only 30% of workers unionised, it was important that workers stood – and worked – together, he said.

Joseph Maqhekeni, president of the National Council of Trade Unions, said compared to the 1980s, unions were now “preoccupied with infighting and divisions”. He said unions should name and shame corrupt leaders, get rid of the investment companies and service their members.

Koos Bezuidenhout, president of the Federation of Unions of SA, said there should be a confederation of unions to ensure worker unity.

Gideon du Plessis, secretary-general of Solidarity, said unions needed a common objective: employment growth.

DAILY NEWS