The Minister of Labour has comforted the trade unions with Government's intention to examine all worker-related legislation to ensure there will never be another ArcelorMittal travesty.
I want to suggest that workers who are retrenched get back something from their trade unions. It may be a refund of two months' union dues prior to date of retrenchment or, the unions invest in some form of insurance coverage to cover their members for at least six months.
Trade union executives live quite comfortably on the union dues of their members. I think in hard times for retrenched workers, these socialist/capitalist union jefes should demonstrate tangible solidarity for their members' plight, other than the union leader setting up a camp when on strike and bringing two packs of cards from home, some cheap rum and bubbling a pot for the sorry-looking workers.
I want to see enacted into labour laws some sort of financial contribution from the unions and cuts in union officials' salaries when their members are retrenched and down and out. Both the employer and union must reach out to the workers by law.
Patrice Lumumba