Unions from SA, Ghana to join forces

South Africa's biggest trade union movement said it will work with major labour federations from Nigeria and Ghana to have a say in decisions taken by the African Union.

Leaders from the two-million strong Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) held two days of talks with the Nigerian Labour Congress, which represents four million workers, and the Ghana Trade Union Congress.

"The state of trade unions in Africa is weak, fragmented and largely irrelevant," Cosatu secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi said.

He said that joining forces with the other two unions would strengthen the labour movement in Africa's regional powerhouse economies.

In particular, the three unions want to influence the policy directions of the AU and its economic revival plan Nepad, the New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development.

"The objectives of the AU and Nepad, especially its economic programme, cannot be realised without the voice of the workers," said Vavi.

He argued that African leaders were not entirely to blame if the labour movement felt sidelined, because the unions themselves had not been active on that front.

Nigerian union leader Adams Oshiombole said that his movement was under threat after the government presented a bill that would force unions to apply for new registration.

"If this bill goes through, Nigeria could degenerate into a dictatorship," said Oshiombole.

The talks were also attended by Ghanian union leader Kwasi Adu-Amankwah.