Labour optimistic the NMW will be implemented on Workers’ Day
The Department of Labour is confident that the implementation of the National Minimum Wage will take place on Workers’ Day, 1 May 2018. The briefing session on National Minimum Wage (NMW) and labour legislation amendments was told today (Friday) in Kimberley.
Stephen Rathai, the Director for Employment Standard unit in the Department told the briefing session, “After two years of deliberations at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), an agreement and declaration was reached on the introduction of NMW and an accord was signed on Collective Bargaining, Code of Good Practice and amendments to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and Labour Relations.
The Bills were submitted to parliament in November 2017”.
Rathai was responding to unions’ anxiety on time constraints considering the processes that are still to follow leading to the passing and signing of the Bills into Law.
Other apprehensions from unions were handling of existing Sectoral Determinations (SD) as well as the burdening of the Department’s Inspectorate which is under-resourced. In response Rathai told the session that all SDs not excluded will fall under the NMW and others will follow suite soon. Only the wages that are below the National Minimum Wage in the SDs will lapse from 1 May 2018. It is only wages that are favourable that will remain for a transitional period of three years.
Rathai reiterated the reason for expanding enforcement of the NMW and BCEA to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) as being a way of reducing the burden on inspectors.
In relation to the Labour Relations amendments, more especially on picketing rules and secret ballot, unions feel it was not necessary to change as the current method is working and that the new amendments restrict them from striking. “If we follow all these rules, it will take us years before we can strike”, a union representative said.
The union applauded the Department for the Code of Good Practice and suggested that all the sectors have such codes rather than having “one size fits all”.
Enquiries:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
