Heads of states from the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) group at the summit in March. (AFP)
"There should be more inclusivity within Brics. We as labour cannot afford to find ourselves in the periphery at the next summit in Brazil," said Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini said on Sunday.
"We recognise that without a coordinated approach within Brics, workers' rights will not be taken forward."
Dlamini was speaking at a post-Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) seminar held in Johannesburg. The summit took place in Durban in March.
Sunday's talks were held to establish what South Africa achieved at the Brics summit and to discuss economic development plans.
Trade federations from the Brics countries met on the eve of the summit to discuss the state of labour within the five countries, said Dlamini.
"We stressed inclusive participation … the meeting also noted that trade within the Brics countries relied heavily on commodities. There is a need for industrialisation."
Workers, in South Africa particularly, must realise the fact that there are people "playing them against each other" to the point where they kill one another, he said.
"People are advancing their own personal agenda at the expense of workers … There should be fair labour standards within Brics where workers are not pitted against one another."
Brics development bank
The Brics summit in Durban undertook to establish a Brics development bank.
The bank, said Dlamini, should differ from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
"The bank should be independent and developmental in character, and should solely be owned by the Brics group."
Earlier, economist Azar Jammine said that South Africa lacked skills, and that this led to other Brics members exploiting it.
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies also stressed the need for the continent to become more industrialised.
He said South Africa's priority after joining Brics was to promote the integration of the continent and infrastructure development. – Sapa