NMW aims to reduce poverty and inequality - DoL
All sectoral determinations paying below the R20.00 per hour as proposed by National Minimum Wage (NMW) will cease in terms of wages when the latter comes into law, a meeting was told at Richards Bay, KwaZulu–Natal today.
Stephen Rathai: Director of Employment Standards in the Department of labour, was addressing employers at Umhlathuze Municipality offices during the NMW briefing session focusing on the NMW Bill exemptions.
‘’The NMW is serious about poverty alleviation and inequality reduction,‘’ he said
At the same time Rathai urged industries paying below the proposed NMW to ‘’ up their game’’
The NMW has proposed that Farming and Forestry should pay R18.00 per hour, Domestic sector R15.00 per hour and expanded public works programme R11.00 an hour.
Earlier, Kekulu Pali from Employment Standards told the audience that exemptions will be granted if the delegated authority is satisfied that “ the employer cannot afford to pay the minimum wage - every representative trade union has been meaningfully consulted and must provide the bargaining council, union or affected workers with a copy of the application”.
The first in a national series of employers and employer organisations briefing sessions started in Gauteng on 19 March in Braamfontein and on 20 March in Pretoria. The Department of Labour plans to host 17 briefing sessions nationally. The employers and employer organisations briefing sessions follows on the heels of those held for trade unions and shop stewards on the implementation of the National Minimum Wage and amendments to labour laws. The 20 briefing session were held nationally from November 2017 until February 2018
The next employer briefing session will be held in Northern Cape (05 April in Springbok; 06 April in Upington)
This will be followed by briefing sessions in Eastern Cape (09 April in East London; 10 April in Port Elizabeth); Mpumalanga (12 April in Nelspruit; 13 April in Piet Retief); Limpopo (16 April in Tzaneen; 17 April in Polokwane); and Free State (19 April in Bloemfontein, 20 April in Bethlehem).
The employer briefing sessions start at 10h00am to 13h00.
