Role of trade union movement to improve regional labor standards within SADC

Abstract

In the era of globalization and regional economic treaties trade unions have not involved in a significant debate about what can be done to react. Most trade unions still follow their own historical approach and strategies. If employers can operate freely across national borders through multi-national companies, the trade unions cannot just function within their own national jurisdictions. A new collective interest would be the starting point for a transnational role of trade unions. Globalization and regionalism have altered the balance of power between capital and labor to the disadvantage of labor. This article explores whether the trade union movements within SADC are actively playing a role in combating the effects of regional globalization on labor.