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"We need to tame globalisation. Both business and labour stand to gain if we tame it," the minister said at this year's main May Day rally at Tembisa's Mehlareng Stadium on Sunday.
"Organise or die. Even the bible says so: 'it is not good for any worker to stand alone'.
"It is not going to help us to shout slogans when our organisations are weak. Recruit more and more workers to join the federation," he said.
Mdladlana's comments were backed by President Thabo Mbeki when he said the Congress of SA Trade Unions cannot be strong if its affiliates were weak.
"I think we know what to do. We need a strong organisation, we need strong unions.
"Cosatu can't be strong if the affiliates of Cosatu are weak," Mbeki said, after pointing out to the crowd that he attended Sunday's event "not to talk".
'Outraged' at high unemployment
Cosatu president Willie Madisha said Mbeki attended the event to celebrate what workers have gained since the federation was formed 20 years ago.
He said Cosatu was outraged at the high unemployment rate in the country, which he said stood between 30% and 40% - depending on the statistics one used.
"The government must end it silence on the matter. It must declare that this is a crisis," Madisha said.
Sunday's rally, which was attended by a large crowd, was to mark 20 years of Cosatu's existence and to celebrate workers' gains during the two decades.
Mbeki, Mdladlana, Madisha and Blade Nzimande, the general secretary of the SA Communist Party, were among the guests.
Most people in the crowd sat quietly listening to the speakers, with only a few who sang continuously.
Amnesty
Nzimande, who earlier labelled Mark Scott-Crossley a "white racist" man for Nelson Chisale's death, demanded that credit bureaux grant amnesty to the poor.
"We are saying the Truth and Reconciliation Commission gave amnesty to apartheid criminals.
"We are calling for amnesty for our people who are listed by the credit bureau," he said, with the crowd applauding.
Mdladlana said the "journey to where we are has been painful".
"Gone are the days when workers were used as spare parts of machines in the production line," he said.
