The Department of Labour and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) are to embark on an intensive national roadshow to educate stakeholders on the implications of the new amended labour laws now in force.
The purpose of the national roadshows is to create awareness of the amendments to the Labour Laws and to inform stakeholders and the public of the main amendments and their intentions. The roadshows are targeted at employer organisations, trade unions, academics, human resource practitioners and the public at large.
The key labour laws that were recently reviewed, and were now in force include:
- The Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Act (no 20 of 2013) – which was assented and gazetted on 9 December 2013 and promulgated on 1 September 2014.
- Employment Equity Amendment Act (no 47 of 2013) assented and gazetted on 16 January 2014 and promulgated on 1 August 2014.
- Labour Relations Amendment Act (no 6 of 2014) assented and gazetted on 18 August 2014. Promulgation to follow.
- Employment Services Act (no 4 of 2014) assented and gazetted on 7 April 2014. Promulgation to follow.
The brief of the presentations during the national roadshows will focus on aspects such as broad changes on the protection of employees earning up to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) threshold of R205 433,30; regulation of temporary employment which is now limited to a period not exceeding three months; unionisation in vulnerable sectors; improving the functioning of labour market institutions such as the CCMA, bargaining and statutory councils; addressing current problems in industrial disputes and dispute resolution; enforcement and enhancing compliance; disputes concerning discrimination and issues of pay for work of equal value.
The national labour law amendments roadshows will begin on 16 February 2015 in Cape Town at Fountains Hotel at 1 Saint George Mall. The roadshows will end on 06 March 2015 at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria, Meiring Naude Road in Pretoria. All roadshows will be held from 9h00 to 13h00.
The review of the labour laws was initiated in 2010. This was subsequently followed by an impact assessment study.
Key to the amendments was to respond to increased informalisation of labour to ensure that vulnerable categories of workers receive adequate protection and are employed in conditions of decent work;
- Enhance the effectiveness of the primary labour market institutions such as the Labour Court, the CCMA, the Essential Services Committee and the labour inspectorate;
- Strengthen the implementation of Employment Equity and enhance equal treatment in the workplace;
- Re-position the public employment service.
The Labour Law Amendments roadshows will start on 16 February 2015 in Cape Town at the Fountains Hotel 1 Saint George Mall City Centre; (17 February) Protea Hotel Big Hole West Circular Road in Kimberley; (18 February); President Hotel 1 Union Avenue in Bloemfontein; (20 February) Sandton Convention Centre Maude Street in Johannesburg; (23 February) at ICC 45 Bram Fischer Road in Durban.
More roadshows will be held on (25 February) in Sun Meropa Casino Plot 59 at Roodepoort Road in Polokwane; (26 February) at Umbali Lodge Portion 44 of farm Cromdale in Nelspruit (Mbombela); (2 March) at Kat Leisure Osner Hotel Office Suites Kennaway Hotel Esplanade in East London; (ETC Conference Centre Spondo Street at Struandale in Port Elizabeth; (5 March) at Safari Lodge Hotel & Convention Centre 1 Donkerhoek Road in Rustenburg; (6 March) at the CSIR Conference Centre in Meiring Naude Road in Pretoria.
Enquiries:
Mokgadi Pela
Cell: 082 808 2168
E-mail: Mokgadi.Pela@labour.gov.za
