Transcript Slide 1

ISS is the international Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam
Who Defends Vulnerable Workers
in South Africa?
Aren’t Trade Unions supposed to defend them?
Freek Schiphorst
[email protected]
Institute of Social Studies
The Hague – The Netherlands
www.iss.nl
Crisis in South Africa
Labour Force Surveys 2009: v
 Up till last quarter of 2008: growth in
formal sector employment (but
declining)
 In 2009: Job losses:
200,000 lost in 1st quarter
267,000 lost in 2nd quarter
484,000 lost in 3rd quarter
=6.9% of formal employment
SA Labour Market Indicators ,000
Quarterly Labour force Survey July 2009:v
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Population 15-64
Total not economically active
Labour Force
Total employed
Total unemployed
31,080
12,068
19,012
13,369
5,643
,000 Vulnerable Workers in SA?
Quarterly Labour force Survey July 2009:v
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Vulnerable
Total employed
Formal
Informal
Domestic
Agriculture
Total unemployed
Total
8,946
13,369
9,356
2,109
1,194
710
5,643
7,752
,000 Vulnerable Workers in SA?
Quarterly Labour force Survey July 2009:v
 Vulnerable 8,946
(M=4,084; F=4,861)
(M=46%; F=54%)
 Formal
9,356
(M=5,517; F=3,839)
(M=47%; F=53%)
Trade Union Members
 40% was organised in 2004
 Four main federations and 250 independent
trade unions.
 Since 2008: union membership dropped by
10 %
 Density is now just under 30% of formal
employment
 t/u members earnings: CB results in 8
sectors 2006 Average Monthly Salaries
8,521 ZAR (7,950 Median)
Vulnerable Workers?
Makgetla 2007
in 2007
ZAR 1,900 per month is needed for survival by
a family of five
 Under ZAR 1,000 in domestic and agriculture
 92% of informal workers less than 2,500
 82% of informal workers less than 1,500
 54% of informal workers less than 500
COSATU members - Vulnerable Workers?
Naledi 2006:55
 The COSATU survey found that union members
generally earned 50% more than non-members.
 Union members stood a better chance of receiving
benefits such as medical aid, retirement fund, paid
leave and a written contract of employment.
Should COSATU Defend
Vulnerable Workers?
September Cie 1997
Recognises the existence of vulnerable &
unprotected workers. The question facing
COSATU is
• whether to start organising, or
• developing alliances with, working people in
the informal sector
• Needed is Internal transfer of resources
within COSATU from stronger affiliates
September Cie 1997
COSATU should follow two
scenario’s
1. encourage affiliates to expand their
activities to include workers in
informal sector activities in their
industrial sectors
2. encourage organisations of
informal sector workers to affiliate
to it, or even initiate the formation
of informal-sector affiliates
COSATU
 What happened since 1997?
 Nothing
 Bonner 2004
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Not high on the agenda
Not prioritized
Marginal support
Atypical: football players & musicians
 Affiliates have targeted “atypical” or “non-standard” workers in
waged employment, such as casual and outsourced workers,
workers employed through labour brokers
 2009: Campaign to outlaw labour brokers
 One resolution in 2009 COSATU Congress calls for a campaign
to organise the unemployed (to be paid for by Department of
Labour)
SEWU
• Self Employed Women’s Union, registered as
NGO, 1994 – 2004
• Membership was only open to women
• Survivalist activities
• 1997, offices in three provinces, 2001 in five
• All financed by foreign donors
• Membership reached in peak in 2003: 4930
• Dramatic decline since then. Provincial
Offices closed and in 2004 SEWU was
declared bankrupt
Why?
 Slow progress and internal problems leading
to withdrawal of donors
 Only lip-service support from local sectoral
unions
 For main donor: Cold shoulder from
COSATU
COSATU ?
What seems to be the problem…?
 Organisational rigidities
 Organising IE is “Pat’s Thing”: not
a mainstream concern
 Male domination?
 Wage culture – collective
bargaining as sole logic of c/a?
Sikhula Sonke
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Originates from NGO: Women on Farms
End 2004 registered as trade union
Led by women
Organizes seasonal workers
Social movement trade union focussing on
all livelihood challenges of farm dwellers
Sikhula Sonke
 improve the living and working
conditions of members and their
dependants, including the youth and
elderly
 enhance the status of women and
protect their interests
 bargain collectively on behalf of its
members for improved wages and
other working conditions, including
housing
 improve the economic conditions of
members by developing work and
other economic opportunities
 represent its members in
negotiations with employers, and
local and national authorities.
Sikhula Sonke – COSATU?
 COSATU rep attended
congress in 2006: “You
achieved what not even
our affiliate could do”
 Sikhula Sonke: “We’re
nervous by the politics
in COSATU. We prefer
to remain non-political”
 Affiliation to COSATU?
“At the moment we
want to consolidate …
maybe in the future …”
Sikhula Sonke as
model?
Is the dilemma for
established trade
unions how to
combine
 Representation
AND
 Empowerment