Employment Conditions Commission (ECC) kick-starts public consultation with a Funeral Undertaking Investigation

The Employment Conditions Commission (ECC), a body composed of government representatives, labour unions, and employers that advises Labour Minister on wages and other conditions of employment in the vulnerable sectors has announced today, 4 November that it is starting a process of conducting an investigation into the Funeral Undertaking Sector with the view to establish a sectoral determination (SD) prescribing minimum wages and conditions of employment for this sector.

The first phase of the investigation, which started today through a public hearings process in Vryburg, North West province will end on 14 November 2013 in Gauteng Province.

Sectoral Determination is a law that has been made by the Department of Labour which regulates employment conditions in the vulnerable sectors of the economy. The purpose of Sectoral Determination is to lay down conditions of employment for workers such as the minimum wage rates, hours of work, leave, termination of employment among others.

South Africa currently has sectoral determinations for Artistic and Cultural Activities; Children in the Performance of Advertising Sector, Civil Contract Cleaning Sector; Civil Engineering Sector; Domestic Worker Sector; Farm Worker Sector; Forestry Sector; Hospitality Sector, Learnerships; Private Security Sector; Taxi Sector; and Wholesale & Retail Sector. 

The ECC expects that, once concluded, the investigation will reveal the contribution of the sector in the South African economy’s gross domestic product, its size, current conditions of employment and rates of remuneration and other conditions of employment.

Interested stakeholders are also encouraged to make written representations in this respect and should be addressed to:

The Employment Conditions Commission
Private Bag X117
Pretoria
0001                                                        

E-mail: mogodi.masenya@labour.gov.za
Fax: 012 309 4709.

Written inputs should include, amongst others:

1. The definition of the sector;
2. Scope and application of the sector;
3. Demarcation ;
4. Level of wages in the sector;
5. Other conditions of employment.

The ECC further takes this opportunity to invite the media, all employers and employees to take part in the public hearings scheduled as follows: