According to the Trade Workers Union, Solidarity, South African trade unions should start uniting and working together.

Solidarity’s General Secretary, Gideon du Plessis, says unions are currently not creating a positive image if they are in competition.

He says this kind of attitude can destabilise the entire industrial environment. Du Plessis believes that trade unions need to dig deep and introspect to make sure they create a stable and safe environment for their members.

He explains that working together will be in the best interest of all the workers and millions of unemployed people in the country.

Du Plessis, however, highlighted that public servants have an advantage of not being retrenched, as government is not in favour of formal retrenchment processes.

“The government is rather in favour of not filling any vacancies, while in the private sector workers are extremely exposed to the current unstable and political environment. As a result of the downgrading of the South African economic status that is looming, workers in the private sector will be even more exposed. It is such issues that necessitate private sector workers to be signed under a union at this day and age.”

REFILWE GAESWE