Southern African unions are calling for worker-led reforms to the region’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, which they deem “broken.” This was the key outcome of a 19 September 2025 SACONET webinar, hosted in collaboration with 3F and attended by 27 participants (including 14 women). The session revealed that the current TVET system is plagued by a significant skills mismatch, outdated facilities, and inadequate collaboration between colleges and unions, issues that particularly affect the construction sector, where precarious work hinders access to training. As a result, many skilled workers remain uncertified, stifling their career growth. Participants agreed that unions are uniquely positioned to address this issue by developing a worker-centred training model through strategies such as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), Union-Managed Training Funds, and direct union participation in curriculum design. They also stressed the need to tackle gender barriers by promoting equal pay, running awareness campaigns, and ensuring women’s equal access to training opportunities.

Meanwhile, the discussion on “Skills for a Just Transition” underscored the crucial role of unions in securing a fair and inclusive shift to a green economy. Participants urged unions to demand Skills and Training Guarantees in collective bargaining agreements, including the use of skills passports and paid training leave. A South African case study revealed that while economic planning and financing under the Just Energy Transition are important, they are not enough. True justice requires parallel social planning, community engagement, and targeted skills development. The central message for the region was clear: unions must have a seat at every negotiating table to ensure that the transition to a green economy protects workers and their rights.

The online session was followed by a face-to-face SACONET Climate Change Workshop held on 24–26 September 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, with 24 participants (including nine women). Delegates shared the harsh realities workers face due to extreme weather events but also celebrated recent collective bargaining victories, including paid heat breaks, light-coloured PPE, sunhats as standard gear, and onsite water provision. Participants also learned from the experiences of unions and government agencies in Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Mauritius, and Namibia. While these initiatives were commendable, participants noted persistent challenges such as weak occupational health and safety (OHS) frameworks, limited union engagement in national climate policy, and inadequate TVET curricula. The workshop concluded that unions must strategically redefine “Just Transition” to prioritise employment protection and ensure that transitions are effective, consultative, and inclusive for all workers.

Final discussions highlighted the need for unions to define and demystify climate jargon, strengthen fact-based advocacy, and intentionally include youth and women in leadership roles to guarantee comprehensive worker protection. The region’s campaign, “Heat Up Workers’ Rights, Not the Planet,” continues to drive global trade union climate action and will feature prominently at the BWI Global Congress in Brazil in 2026.