Minimum wage for prostitutes? Read this!
Sex workers may soon have the right to unionise, demand minimum wage and a safe working environment, should Cosatu have their way, writes Xolisa Mgwatyu.
The issue of unionising sex workers will be raised by Cosatu during a four-day national congress in Midrand Gauteng, which runs from 21 to 24 September.
The proposal has been welcomed by advocacy groups as a positive move to decriminalise prostitution, but slammed by sex workers and religious groups who feel to do so would undermine and destroy families and marriages.
According to a copy of a leaked discussion document on Gender Conference held in June, Cosatu said the struggle for sex workers rights is part of broader worker and gender struggles, therefore it resolved and proposed to:
- Support organisations like Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) who are trying to educate and organise sex workers,
- Put sex work as part of the broader campaign of job creation to alleviate poverty,
- Organise workers who are working in a formal employment relationship such as escort agencies,
- Support and join campaigns to eliminate the trafficking of women, men and children, and
- that sex work should be decriminalised.
Cosatu national spokesperson Patrick Craven confirmed that the item was among those on the agenda that will be discussed in their conference.
However, he said he was not able to comment further on the issue as it was still just a proposal. He said he would be in a better position to discuss the matter after the next week’s conference.
Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) Advocacy Programme Coordinator Vivian Lalu said their organisation would welcome the move by Cosatu, which will ensure recognition of sex workers and their rights.
“We had always wanted this sort of proposal so that workers can access their rights as workers,” said Lalu.
However, she said Cosatu needed to work on the proposals’ practicality side as to whether sex workers join existing unions or form a new union that will be under them.
So what do local sex workers say about the proposed move? See Tuesday’s print or online edition of the Daily Dispatch to find out.
22 Comments Already, Leave Yours Too
SIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another group that can go on strike.
“Put sex work as part of the broader campaign of job creation to alleviate poverty” – I suppose they will, too, be going to schools to recruit wannabe sex workers.
@GR8, they’d be putting ‘marital security’ at risk if they strike. I think they should not be allowed to strike, just like ….. well don’t know, maybe the President?
Imagine if they go on strike ! There might be few people VERY hard up out there LOL 
Imagine the tax the Gov is going to get out of them. and its high time they paid too.
Ah but now we can get into things like UIF and CRIKEY! IOD.
What minimum wage? most of them are self employed tradesmen/women and should compete like all others in the open market. Those who employ other tradesmen to ply this honourable trade should be careful not to collude and keep prices high. The competition tribunal will be on them.
whilst at it, add strategies on how to monitor implementation of BBBEE.
“Put sex work as part of the broader campaign of job creation to alleviate poverty,”
……………. which Ejit said that??
Prostitution is not going to go away – no matter what the economy does. There should therefore be some sort of Legislation to at least ensure that all sex workers have register for regular health checks – for their own well ebeing and for their clientele.
Unionist are just after a broader income base!
Love your comment Gadget!!
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this will be a legal way to run human sex trafficking…hellooo, see it for what it is. Your daughter may be a victim. gowd, people are blind.
This is so disgusting! What is the world coming to? Let the lazy good for nothing disgusting things (can’t call them women)get off their backs and find some real work! SIES!!
Minimum wage? Hahahaha no comment!!!
It’s the oldest profession in the world and you’ll never stop it.
Chex, like with drugs or alcohol, you never know how your kids lives will pan out and you can only guide and coach them to a certain degree.
These girls are very often driven to this trade through desperate needs. The best that any govt can do is to try and create a ’safe’ environment where they can ply their trade. This is for their own protection and that of their customers.
I’m not sure a ‘minimum wage’ is the way to go because the ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ rule will nearly always apply especially for someone desperate.
Methinks the union bosses are trying to cash in and maybe get some fringe benefits.
However, the fact is that by legalising, registering and getting these girls to join a ‘union’, the govt would have a lot more chance of rooting out (excuse the pun) the sex-trafficking business.
We can only pity those that sink to this level through desperation.
But, as a famous man once said….
“I’m bi-sexual. If I can’t get it, I buy it.”
But what do the people engaged in this proffession say? Has anyone asked them?
Lig Pegs I just see this as the unions broadening their income base.
I wonder which SETA this occupation falls under?
fyr: I believe that Sweeden changed their law and legalised the selling of sex; but made it illegal to buy sex! Thereby ‘criminalising’ the clients while “protecting” the sellers.
If I can believe the report prostitution in that country has dropped to about 40% since the introduction of that novel approach.
gym contracts – be very carefull to read before you sign most these contracts are serious traps financially to everyone that sign my daughter became a victim resently she tried to negociate with guy he just handed her over.best advise dont sign contracts read before sign
sorry jan wont happen again just so angry that people have to resort to this kind of work.. for those people who have to do this proffession..
anyway just wanted to ask anybody; is there not a higher chance of catching HIV and sti’s through this trade… so if a customer claims a prostitute gave him/her aids can they sue. people would sue for anything these days….
and what about the fact that clients may want to use the prostitute in some form of sick and twisted sexual act that is degrading and disgusting; does the teenage girl refuse or does she go along not knowing what is going to happen; u get really twisted people out there.. and when this young girl or boy has been damaged internally by gruesome act of castration or impaling who will be there to protect them; their pimp?……
Sis man!!! i dont know what SA is becoming.We are trying soo hard to fit in with the rest of the west. First it was the legalisation of Gay and Lesbian marrieges, Now its prostitution. we are only going down from here.
@URA have you got anything against Gays and Lesbians.
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