Beware of bogus trade unions in the retail motor industry

 

MISA showed phenomenal growth of 115, 7% from 26 968 members in 2013 to more than 58 000 members in 2022 despite the global trend of declining trade union membership.

 

MISA managed this extraordinary achievement because the leadership of the Union upheld its Constitution and ensured strict compliance with its mandate and accountability to members.

 

MISA also ensured the efficient administration of the Union and provided its members with honest labour advice by a highly skilled Legal Department.

 

According to Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations, the Union remained true to its basic principles, addressing the real concerns of its members in the workplace, ensuring that service delivery to members remain key and using trained and knowledgeable recruitment officers.

 

“The sound and honest advice by MISA’s Legal Department and the Union’s track record in the outcome of disputes speak for itself. Over decades, MISA has built a reputable name in the industry. MISA knows that the core responsibility of a trade union is the protection of jobs and engaging in collective bargaining to find solutions to disputes,” says Keyter.

 

MISA is one of two recognised trade unions in MIBCO, the Motor Industry Bargaining Council. Keyter was recently elected to serve as the President of MIBCO.

 

Unfortunately, not all trade unions practice the same ethos.

 

Over the past year, MISA members revealed the names of several bogus trade unions recruiting members in the industry, knowing that they are not backed by representation in MIBCO.

 

“Any employee in the industry must be mindful not to fall in this trap.”

 

Bogus unions form when leadership disputes arise and a group decides to breakaway and start their own union. They are driven to settle scores and neglect the best interest of those who follow them.

 

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi recently emphasized the need for South African trade unions to return to basic trade union principles such as worker power and democracy; mandating and accountability of leaders; efficient and honest service to members.

 

Registered union membership has increased from 3.5 million to over 4 million between 2013/14 and 2020/21, whilst the total number of registered unions increased from 203 to 220.

 

According to Nxesi there appears to be fierce competition for membership. To a point where some trade unions are using collective bargaining as a recruiting turf for membership by portraying their rivals as ‘sell-outs’ and resorting to intransigent tactics such as long and damaging strikes.

 

“In recent years, the Department of Employment and Labour has seen an increase in the number of ‘unprotected’ strikes, indicating a deterioration in respect of collective bargaining institutions,” says Nxesi.

 

Read more about MISA’s success story in the November eData, MISA’s monthly newsletter.

 

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