FEDUSA has involved itself in advocating for the rights of workers not only in the workplace but in the broader society as well.  It recently called for the broadening of the country’s social protection partnership (social security), which it has publicly criticized for its failure to redress social inequalities. ^{eq 7}  FEDUSA also took issue with the fact that it is geared only towards the “formal sector” and thus excludes those who are informally employed or unemployed.  While FEDUSA does believe that the broadening of public assistance programs will lead to a great reduction in poverty in South Africa, it does not agree with the idea of direct monetary assistance to those in need.^{eq 8}  General Secretary Milani called on the government to partner with private businesses, nongovernmental organizations and trade unions to distribute food to poor communities.^{eq 9}  FEDUSA contends that a bigger public service is needed to deliver the necessary educational, health and other essential services to those and need while creating much needed jobs. ^{eq 10} To that end, FEDUSA has thrown its support behind the audit of the public sector announced by President Mbeki in February of this year, as it believes that its findings will show that there is a real need to increase not only the number of public service jobs, but also the wages of those workers. ^{eq 11 eq 12} 

In 1999, in a joint effort with COSATU and NACTU, FEDUSA helped raise R90 million to fund a job trust that has lead to the creation 2,600 permanent positions. ^{eq 13} While unions were able to have an appreciable impact on the job market through this initiative, FEDUSA believes that private investors can do even more.  This past November, General Secretary Milani publicly called on South African investors to invest more in projects aimed at increasing national productivity, as such a display of confidence in the country would encourage their foreign counterparts to do the same.^{eq 14}

FEDUSA has openly voiced its disagreements with South African monetary policy.  Citing personal tax cuts unveiled in Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel’s^eh new budget that were followed by interest rate hikes implemented by Reserve Bank Governor Titi Mboweni, FEDUSA is demanding that monetary and fiscal policy “complement each other with the aim of boosting economic growth and job creation.” ^{eq 15 eq 16}  Specifically, it objects to Mboweni’s plans to raise interest rates as a means of targeting inflation. ^{eq 17}  FEDUSA contends that because current inflation is not demand driven, raising the rate of interest will do nothing to curb it.  Rather, FEDUSA points to the greed of profit-seeking food distributors and retailers as the real culprit. ^{eq 18}   And since wages are not the cause of— but rather a reaction to— rising prices, cutting into them by raising interest rates an attempt to reduce inflation will achieve nothing but add to the plight of South Africa’s working poor. ^{eq 19}

FEDUSA is not constantly at odds with the government and employers though.  It is in favor of President Mbeki’s recently announced expansion of a public works program that is aimed at providing on-the-job training, as well as the government’s call for a growth and development summit.^{eq 20}  FEDUSA is also open, albeit cautious, in commending the government’s commitment to Black economic empowerment.  Warning only against the possible creation of a Black elite at the expense of the broader working class. ^{eq 21}  FEDUSA has come out in full support of Anglo American plc (a multinational mining corporation with facilities in South Africa) and their decision to fund— at company cost— anti-retroviral treatment (ART) for HIV positive employees who would not otherwise receive such treatment due to a lack of adequate healthcare. ^{eq 22 eq 23}  While FEDUSA recognizes that this is done largely out of a desire for increased worker productivity— as paying for treatment that will allow workers to live and thus work longer is more profitable than letting their lives be cut short— they still laud the move and hold it up as a model for others to follow. ^{eq 24}   In the long term, the adoption of such a practice will relieve the strain on public healthcare, the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the state grant system, as workers will be able to remain in their jobs and support their families longer than would be possible if no treatment was available. ^{eq 25}