South Africa Trade Union federation calls for improved labour agreements

Zwelinzima Vavi, COSATU Secretary General

South Africa Trade Union federation calls for improved labour agreements
Collins Atohengbe, Pretoria

The Secretary General of Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Zwelinzima Vavi, has called on African leaders and organized labour to combine efforts to prevent multinational companies operating in the continent from further taking African labour force for granted.

Mr Vavi said this could be done through making them to sign labour agreements that would guarantee the welfare and rights of employees particularly women who form the bulk of those whose rights are most affected.

The COSATU Secretary General told Voice of Nigeria's Southern Africa correspondent; Collins Atohengbe, that a job can only be adjudged to  be decent if it provides opportunity for the employed to exercise his rights, guarantees safety from occupational hazards and recognizes the importance of collective bargaining.

He pointed out that there was need for a decent work agenda that would give the workers right to collectively bargain with the employer, promote social dialogues in every country to give workers movements a better leverage to influence the direction of economic development in the countries where they work.

Click to listen to interview on this story.