Johannesburg - In a volatile labour market where thousands have lost their jobs, the new president of the country's second-biggest federation, Fedusa, believes the agenda for decent work and a decent life for all is possible.
Godfrey Selematsela, who currently serves as president of public service union Hospersa, was elected unopposed at the federation’s sixth national congress last week.
The congress's theme was “decent work and decent life for all”, a phrase Selematsela planned to carry beyond the congress and on to the bargaining table.
His vision for the country's labour market was to see the national minimum wage being implemented, finding answers to the country's economic growth and eventually job creation.
“We want to see an improved labour market and for the economy to improve so we can be able to see the increase in job creation, and getting young people employed,” said Selematsela, a qualified nurse who has been involved in union work for the past 20 years.
Fedusa has 20 affiliated unions and about 500 000 members mainly organised in skilled sectors such as aviation, doctors, teachers, technicians, and with some in semi-skilled sectors.
Selematsela is not happy with the direction of the country's political leadership and economic performance, but declined to comment on whether he believes President Jacob Zuma should step down.
He is not convinced the government has done enough to appease investor confidence.
“The political instability in the country is one of the reasons that keeps investors away if they are unsure about it,” asserted Selematsela.
“We can do more than what we are doing at the moment in terms of job creation.
“We are seeing people being retrenched in the mines and that tells you that we have done badly.” Another challenge for Selematsela is his ambition to narrow the gap between unionised and non-unionised workers, which sits at 76 percent of non-unionised workers.
He said many workers were fooled after 1994 to believe there was no longer a need to join unions, but that perception was changing.
Selematsela said they plan to attract members to Fedusa’s unions by letting their service record speak for itself.
But he also plans to convince workers that decent work for all was possible, especially if it improves the wages earned by workers and, in turn, has an effect on broader society.
“When we talk about decent work, we are not just talking about salaries, but an employee must be able to get a salary that will enable them to look after those close to them. We [are] looking at this within the context of when you get a better salary you are seen to be living a decent life,” Selematsela explained.
Labour Bureau