The IPC resolved, among other things, to campaign against xenophobia, and for negotiated quotas of workers to be granted access to job opportunities in countries of the region. Num has taken this further by successfully campaigning for permanent residence and voting rights for the thousands of expatriate miners in its ranks. The interests of South African workers are integrally linked to those of workers in the region. Cosatu has pushed for economic development and investment in the entire region, and sees this as one way of helping to stem the tide of migration to the south. In addition, Cosatu unions are very aware that weak unions in neighbouring states will ultimately undermine their own battles, undercutting wages and worker rights.
Regional ties can also help strengthen workers' bargaining power.
This becomes more important as more and more companies, both South African and multi-nationals, have operations in various countries in the region. In Satucc, Cosatu is pushing for the adoption of a Southern African Charter of Workers Rights as a precondition for renewing regional trade agreements such as the Southern African Customs Union. Individual affiliates are also campaigning in their sectors. Sactwu is demanding a social clause guaranteeing certain basic worker rights before a new preferential trade agreement on imports of Zimbabwean textiles can be concluded. Num is calling for an end to the system of compulsory deferred pay for certain categories of mineworkers from Southern African countries.