‘Workers are still exploited despite legislation’

WORKERS continued to be exploited despite legislation protecting them, Deputy Labour Minister Inkosi Phathekile Holomisa said on Friday. “Farm workers, domestic, wholesale and retail workers turn to be vulnerable… some are intimidated to be members of trade unions. Some do not have money to pay (union) subscription fees,” he said at a meeting with trade union federations in Rustenburg. The meeting was an attempt to give the deputy minister an opportunity to get first hand information about labour issues that were of concern to federations as part of the workers month activities. Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) in North West lamented that although the Labour Relation Act protect the rights of workers, there was a problem in implementing and enforcing the act. “Farm workers, contract cleaning, security, wholesale and retail workers are vulnerable because labour inspectors are not doing their job properly,” said Cosatu North West provincial secretary Job Dliso. He said labour inspectors were seen as conniving with employers, because they were not doing their job properly. Cosatu wanted labour inspectors to be more visible and enforce compliance with the legislation. “If sectoral determinations are not enforced how are we going to implement the national minimum wage?” Dliso asked. He also wanted the working environment to be accessible to workers with disabilities. “If workers with disabilities were here they will not have been able to be in this meeting. The building is not accessible. We need a (work) environment that is accessible and accommodates workers with disabilities.” Cosatu further wanted the registrar of trade union to demand that all registered unions submit their audited financial statement as required and those who do not comply must be de-registered.