Cosatu launches one-stop-shop call centre for all workers

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), in partnership with Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA), has launched a new call centre for all unionised and non-unionised workers in South Africa. Hosted at Cosatu House in Braamfontein, the call centre aims to provide reliable support for workers, allowing them to voice their challenges and receive information and solutions. While Cosatu has operated a functional call centre for workers since 2023, this one expands the scope of services and introduces better technology to serve workers’ needs.

The centre will help workers address problems such as non-compliant employers who fail to pay pension fund and UIF contributions, and how to claim benefits from UIF and the Compensation Fund, and can mediate cases where workers feel dissatisfied with their trade union’s service. The call centre will also serve as a point of connection for workers who wish to join a union.

Video of Cosatu president, Zingiswa Losi, and Thulani Sibeko, RMA’s group executive: social insurance, speaking at the launch of the call centre.

Why a call centre

“A call centre was chosen specifically because Cosatu has already been running one and so when the arrangement with RMA came through, the intention was to expand the reach of the call centre because it has been operational only on a small scale,” said Cosatu national spokesperson, Zanele Sabela. She noted that the existing call centre acted as a pilot for this expansion because “we know that it works and that’s why it is within Cosatu House, making it manageable in terms of costs.”

Sabela described the workforce of the call centre as a team of people with call centre experience within Cosatu House. “The person who will advise people on their CCMA referred cases is the head of the department of organising who has loads of experience in labour. This is why the centre is in the House because when there are specifics that the call centre agents won’t be able to answer, they can rely on the expertise of the people within Cosatu House,” she said.

Addressing the crowd at the launch, Thulani Sibeko, RMA’s group executive for social insurance, said, “The main goal of the centre is to serve as a crucial resource for both current and former workers who need support and a direct channel to connect with Cosatu and private entities. No worker should feel alone or ignored, regardless of where they work.” Sibeko highlighted the persistently high unemployment rates in the country and acknowledged the positive impact of job creation in key sectors like manufacturing and finance. “Now, workers across the nation can directly contact us to find job opportunities, seek advice, and receive support. I am confident this centre will further reduce unemployment,” he added.

Sibeko also emphasised: “The call centre will enhance access to RMA’s services for workers facing distressing situations. Whether dealing with a workplace injury or incident, or needing an RMA product, Cosatu-affiliated workers will now receive more efficient and effective assistance. This initiative ensures that workers get the care and help they deserve without unnecessary delays.”

Speaking to Elitsha, Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi explained the importance of the call centre in providing connections to dedicated officers from the Department of Labour and entities such as UIF, CCMA, and COIDA. “These entities are essential in servicing workers. They will be linked to the call centre, allowing us to directly follow up cases we refer to them and provide feedback to workers. Without a dedicated person to handle these cases, workers’ issues often fall through the cracks, and we cannot measure the turnaround time,” she said.

Losi emphasised that Cosatu aims to ensure prompt responses and improved turnaround times for workers. “The call centre will run during office hours from Monday to Friday. As we build it up with the support from RMA, we will explore other ways to reach more workers,” she added.

The toll-free number for the call centre will be available in the coming weeks and posted on Cosatu’s website.