The first day of May is a moment for commemoration of efforts by Trade Unions and the workers to achieve equal employment standards for everyone. It’s also a moment for workers to take a hard look in the mirror, reflect and reorganise. Their history and story bears professional scars, born out of protracted struggles against racial discrimination in pre-independent States, and repression in post-colonial independent States. Therefore, there is need to foster a competitive environment that protects and values workers’ input, rights, thus promoting fair, decent working conditions that also sustains businesses across all relevant sectors.
“There is a common thread of poor salaries and working conditions, all connected to untold endless economic hardships co-related to poor governance policies across the region. It appears there is a regional common chorus that liberation war movements, some in power for over four decades have let workers down, with failed policies, poor or non-existent social safety nets, occasional disruption of workers mobilisation efforts towards equity and justice. This explains why Workers’ regional solidarity messages are repeated calls for social justice”- said Prof. Adriano Nuvunga, the Chairperson of SouthernDefenders.
We recognise that SADC adopted the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights in Tanzania, 2003, which was a key development. We reaffirm that respective governments should strive to promote the spirit behind the Charter, reinforce the need for workers protection, and establish harmonised programmes of social security within the sub-region. We also refer to Charter’s Article 10 which provides that:
“SADC member states shall create an enabling environment that every worker shall have a right to adequate social protection and shall, regardless of status and the type of employment, enjoy adequate social security benefits. Persons who have been unable to either enter or re-enter the labour market and have no means of subsistence shall be able to receive sufficient resources and social assistance.”
In the majority of the SADC States, there is hardly extended social protection support for both the employed and unemployed. There is therefore an urgent need for stronger commitments towards social justice, as the region experiences economic hardships also compounded by climate change motivated droughts and occasional floods affecting agricultural outputs in which beholden rural communities have tens of millions subsistence farmers, and hundreds of thousands farm workers. This provokes an urgent need to also promote the welfare of workers across all sectors.
Notwithstanding, the region also continues to face many economic challenges ranging from high unemployment, high rates of poverty, and poor skills development. As a result, non-standard employment, which includes temporary work, fixed-term work, and part-time work, becomes the norm providing room for desperation and exploitation of workers by employers. Such form of employment resultantly causes a decline in the standards employment eroding labour protection measures. This unavoidably prompts calls for the creation of an enabling environment that provides room and opportunities for both domestic and foreign investment, job creation that sustains workers. Sadly, regional economies lack the capacity to create employment for their citizens.
Workers in desperate economic circumstances are often denied their right to mobilise and affiliate themselves with Trade Unions. This challenge is global, and is not just limited to the SADC region. Therefore, there is need for employers and even States to recognise the rights of workers to organise and have representation at the workplace, thus allowing their voice and challenges to be heard. This is important because in the absence of collective power to bargain with employers, workers’ cannot effectively secure their rights. This often results in employers dictating terms and conditions of employment, with little workers’ resistance. Certainly, this cannot provide a decent working environment in which mutually beneficial interests are recognised. As a result of workplace tensions, productivity is lowered impacting on revenue growth. Thus, the SouthernDefenders remain committed to Workers’ rights across the region and therefore,
Demands that employers recognise the workers’ rights to organise and bargain collectively, as a means of advancing their rights and conditions of service. This to improve and promote a decent work agenda that aims to advance recognition and respect for workers’ rights.
Calls upon SADC governments to build a future where social justice is not just an ideal, but a reality for every worker.
Demand SADC’s renewal of its commitment to social justice, and ensuring that economic growth translates into improved living standards and better working conditions for all within the region.
Demands that SADC create economic policies and legal frameworks that attract both domestic and foreign investment to create jobs, and improved standards of living and guaranteed sources of livelihoods.
~Ends~
For additional information, please contact Washington Katema on wkatema@southerndefenders.africa or +27736202608
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The post PRESS STATEMENT ON THE COMMEMORATION OF WORKERS’ DAY IN THE SADC REGION FROM THE SOUTHERN AFRICA HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS NETWORK appeared first on SouthernDefenders.
