Cape Times reports that the union representing domestic workers has rejected the government’s increase in the minimum wage for domestic workers as contained in the recent amendment to the applicable sectoral determination.
According to the figures set out by the Department of Labour (DOL) in the government gazette, domestic workers who work 27 hours a week or more must be paid a monthly minimum of R2,545.22 (Area A) or R2317.75 (Area ). This is a 5% increase on the 2017’s rates. The SA Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union’s Gloria Kente said: “Why must we earn less than other sectors? Domestic workers always get a small increase. We want the National Minimum Wage of R3,500. We work hard.” Kente added that it was good the department recognised domestic workers, but they were not giving the increase workers expected. She also said the department was not enforcing compliance from employers. The DOL’s deputy director for employment standards, Mathilda Bergmann, said: “Due to the introduction of the National Minimum Wage which will be implemented on May 1, 2018, the Employment Conditions Commission recommended that the minimum wage levels for domestic workers be increased by the headline CPI.”
- Read this report by Nicola Daniels in full at Cape Times
- See too, How much you should be paying your domestic worker in 2018, at BusinessTech
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page