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Cape Town - South Africa urgently needs to change the way the mining sector operates, said Inside Labour columnist Terry Bell this week.
He was responding to Fin24 user Bryan Coetzee's views on the underlying causes of the ongoing platinum strike in a debate on the crippling strike.
Bell said the more than a century old migrant labour system is still the underpinning of what we have today.
How it should be changed should be the subject of wide ranging debate, leading to positive action.
Says Bell: "You certainly give food for thought. And I agree with you that we urgently need to change the way the mining sector operates.
"You are also right in noting that what most mines want is a decent life in decent living and — if possible — working conditions. Within the work environment, unions, as voluntary associations of those who sell their labour to survive, have, I think, an important role to play.
"But the problem as you say, goes beyond the work environment and any solutions, I think, have to involve all aspects of society."
- Fin24
* Terry Bell is an independent political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
He was responding to Fin24 user Bryan Coetzee's views on the underlying causes of the ongoing platinum strike in a debate on the crippling strike.
Bell said the more than a century old migrant labour system is still the underpinning of what we have today.
How it should be changed should be the subject of wide ranging debate, leading to positive action.
Says Bell: "You certainly give food for thought. And I agree with you that we urgently need to change the way the mining sector operates.
"You are also right in noting that what most mines want is a decent life in decent living and — if possible — working conditions. Within the work environment, unions, as voluntary associations of those who sell their labour to survive, have, I think, an important role to play.
"But the problem as you say, goes beyond the work environment and any solutions, I think, have to involve all aspects of society."
- Fin24
* Terry Bell is an independent political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
