The Congress of South African Trade Union (COSATU), in the Free State believes it’s crucial for workers to belong to a trade union.

According to the labour federation’s provincial secretary Monyatso Mahlatsi, unions educate workers about their rights and issues pertaining to their duties.

He says the federation doesn’t only focus on work related issues but also on social issues, including substance abuse and HIV/Aids.

As the country commemorated Workers’ Day on Sunday, Mahlatsi says companies shouldn’t put their focus on making profit, at the expense of the livelihood of the workers.

“There are some workplaces where workers have to have protective clothing, which they don’t have. In this case, if a worker doesn’t belong to any trade union, the chances are huge that they might not be educated about then type of protective clothing that they should have. In other instances, where workers have provident funds and pension funds, we believe it is important that workers should have a say on where their money should be invested.”

Thousands of Cosatu members handed a memorandum of demands at Heroes Park in Batho Location on Sunday.

REFILWE GAESWE