The Department of Labour has de-registered more than 150 trade unions and employers’ organisations that were either bogus or had failed to adhere to labour law requirements.
Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana described Tuesday as a dark day for South African workers.
”It makes one’s heart bleed when you have to de-register trade unions in key sectors… it is not my wish to de-register any trade union, that is why we have been very cautious about the process,” he told journalists in Parliament.
The Registrar of Labour Relations, Hennie Slabbert, had, with effect from May 12, cancelled the registration of 128 trade unions and 21 employer groups for failing to submit audited financial statements.
Another 13 unions and seven employers’ organisations were found not to be genuine. All these organisations were among those listed in the Government Gazette in January as facing possible de-registration.
Among groups that had not submitted statements were: the South African Workers Trade Union; the SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union; the South African Principals Association; and the Independent Newspapers Staff Association.
Mdladlana said this was the first step to weed out bogus groups that had led to a proliferation of trade unions and employers’ organisations.
”This is a drastic step. However, a very necessary one that will help to ensure that collective bargaining is conducted by those who function within the confines of the LRA (Labour Relations Act).
”It should put the brakes on those that gained access to the various dispute resolution forums of the LRA merely to exploit the workers or circumvent the provisions regulating representation at these disputes.”
It was not known to how much money they garnered through member subscriptions. He added that a further three employers’ groups and one trade union had been given 60 days notice of possible de-registration.
Slabbert said 158 trade unions and 41 employers organisations had been given 60 days notice to submit financial statements before they were listed in the Gazette on January 30.
This meant that those that had finally been de-registered had been allowed 120 days to comply with the labour law provisions. They also had the right to lodge an appeal in the Labour Court. However, there was no short-cut to be re-registered and all the affected groups would have to follow the normal legal procedures to
change their status.
The department was expecting some court challenges, particularly concerning those that had been classified as bogus, he said. The clean-out leaves South Africa with 362 registered trade unions and 240 employers’ organisations. – Sapa