The speed of economic integration in Africa is accelerating and the primary drivers come from within, led by African businesses.
South African multinational corporations (MNCs) are among the trailblazers for an integrated Africa and dominate the economy. The MNCs control a sizeable chunk of trade through their own operations and those of their business partners organised in regional value chains. That power has fragmented the workplace and forced worker organisations to seek solidarity across borders to influence corporate governance in the MNCs to protect workers.
One of our responses to the quest of regional trade unions to engage companies on a strategic level is the online database of South African Multinational Corporations database (MNC database). Established over a decade ago and supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Trade Union Competence Centre for Sub-Saharan Africa (FES-TUCC), the MNC database tracks the financial, operational and governance information of 91 South African MNCs operating across Africa. The database underlies our annual MNC Trend Report that supports campaigns, education, organising and collective bargaining processes of regional trade unions, through providing useful insight. The financial trends of the 91 sampled companies are analysed within 14 economic sectors, including revenue growth and revenue compared to competitors. Also, each company’s profit before tax is analysed compared to its sector and competitors. Within this context, the remuneration strategies of the top level of directors are analysed.
Below are links to snapshots of the sector reports appearing in the 2018 MNC Trends Report for your perusal. The information can assist your union to confidently confront multinational companies to claim the rights of workers through renewed organising and bargaining strategies.
