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SowetanLive reports that the diagnostic report presented by the SA Federation of Trade Unions’ (Sasftu’s) national executive committee of the organisation’s congress in Boksburg this week painted a bleak picture of how unions appear to be losing grip on labour matters.
This amid the economic crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic and internal infighting among their leaders for power. With only 23% of workers in SA holding union membership, the report revealed that unions were bleeding members, with increasing numbers of workers not represented across the country. Numsa is Saftu’s largest affiliate with 290,000 members. However according to the diagnostic report, the union has suffered losses of membership of more than 50,000 in the past five years. Overall, Saftu has lost 79,000 members since it was formed by 24 unions that broke away from Cosatu in 2017. The perilous loss of membership by Saftu affiliates has been so bad that, while it set a target on achieving a million members five years ago, it has now decided to revise this due to what it described as the “extremely regrettable” demise of SA working class. Saftu said all unions everywhere have suffered in part because of internal weaknesses in addressing conditions faced by unions. Analysts believe the relevance of unions is declining in SA due to factors that include their proximity to political parties, not having clear plans to deal with automation and also being victims of their past successes. Mining and labour analyst Mamokgethi Molopyane pointed out that the marriage between political ideology and union activities had lost appeal, especially with younger workers.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nomazima Nkosi at SowetanLive
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