Damned Unions

As a black person, I must say outright that I know the value of trade unions in our country. Many industries are still stuck in the past, and without trade unions black people would have absolutely no chance to progress nor be treated justly. This assertion from me validates the fact that trade unions are necessary, but to what extend is the question.

Trade unions in South Afrika have failed badly to transform and cater for the needs of the new age. They see themselves as champions of the poor, who are generally unskilled workers. Trade unions are becoming increasingly irrelevant with the new age knowledge workers. Skilled workers are marginalised by trade unions and their needs are largely unserved by them.

Having been a union member myself in my first job, and a shopsteward, I feel betrayed and let down. When I started working, I was making an average salary of a black South Afrikan. This put me in line with what the union stands for with regards to worker issues. But the moment I progressed to a supervisory level the union started becoming increasingly irrelevant in my job. As a knowledge worker whose promotions are governed by performance contracts, trade unions could no longer represent me as an employee. Their interest lies with workers falling within the bargaining units.

It is grossly unfair that I must be held to a performance contract for my remuneration, while the rest of the workers get increases simply based on agreement with unions. Union workers usually get more salary increases than the rest of us, despite our individual performances.

Having progressed to supervisory and management levels, I find it hard to accept the same unions we supported are hard bent on refusing us rewards based on our performances. Since now I qualify for profit shares, why should I be held hostage by unions that vehemently refuse for their members to be held to the same standard of performance as I am held? As a skilled worker, my job demands so much from me that these unions don't care. I must be educated to do my job. My job requires that I have a car, which I must buy out of my pocket. I must have a computer at home. I must have an internet connection. I must own a mobile phone where I can be reachable 24 hours a day. I must keep my skills current at all times. All these things I must pay for out of my pocket to keep my job. Why then should unions complain when once in a while I get compensated in the form of a profit share?

Of course I still understand the challenges facing the workers in corporate South Africa. But does this mean black people must remain unskilled workers? How many unions today represent the interests of workers in the skilled sectors? How many unions today have programmes geared at developing their members to become better employees? At last count of the companies I have worked for, training budgets remain unused in most of these companies. I am yet to come across a union that encourages its members to grow themselves.

There is a danger looming in corporate SA. The growing number of workers are knowledge workders, mostly professional workers who earn between R200k and R500k a year. This layer of workers are largely un-unionised and continue to be allienated by unions. They aren't poor workers by definition and yet aren't rich either. This is the crop of South Afrikas young workers. They increasingly do not belong on either side of the equation. Yet they suffer mostly on labour policies and taxation.

Being an IT professional myself, I would have expected unions such as the CWU to be highly biased towards skilled and professional workers, simply based on the industry in which they operate. Unfortunately, they represent at most of the skills ladder, the artisans.

Many of us who have experienced racism and discrimination first hand have even opted to become independent consultants. As a consultant I have no right nor expectation of an employed worker. But at the very least I am not held to the stressful demands of an employee and I can come and go as per my professional interests. My contract as a consultant vary between three and twelve months with any given company. The downside of course is that I must provide all the required infrastructure out of my pocket, for which I am not compensated, not even by SARS. Many of us use consulting as a stepping stone into entrepreneurship. Once enough contacts and reputation has been build, then one can afford to go it alone as an entreprenuer.

The consulting business is supposed to be one of the most unionised areas in this country. So many of us are being taken for a ride, but it seems no union takes an interest in the affairs of knowledge workers. We are among the highest taxed individuals in the country, despite the fact that we not the highest paid workers. The average tax rate in this segment is between 25% and 30% for PAYE. No one seem to care that this is one of the reasons why people are inclined to make as much money as they can to compensate for taxation. Add to that the fact that we do not qualify for leave days, any kind of leave. We do not even qualify to claim back our costs of being a consultant such as computers.

Is this the battle of the classes? From my experiences with unions, my take is that unions have deliberately chosen this route to divide the workers. Workers who suddenly brake into this mould of a classless worker are made to look like they earn too much. Are given labels such as fat cats and middle class. All the while putting a blink eye to the realities of these workers. I also feel that unions are doing this to keep control over what their mandate is. Since the majority of unions represent unskilled and semi-skilled workers, unions generally determine for themselves what their mandate is. This will never persist with skilled workers. Unions would be forced to represent the workers interest or they would loose significant numbers of members.

The question for me then becomes: should workders interests be held hostage by the interests of unions?

Based on my personal experiences of working life, I maintain that a worker must do what is best for them. If a union can better serve your interests, then join one; otherwise you are better off fighting for your rights alone. Your ability to negotiate and your skills will serve you in the long run, despite the hussles you are likely to experience early on in your career.