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Engineering News reports that the reopening of the entire construction industry on 1 June under Alert Level 3, instead of the initial suggestion of a staggered approach, caught many companies by surprise.
Allen Bodill of the Master Builders Association for the Western Cape (MBAWC) explained: “Although the return to work was universally welcomed, the speed at which it happened meant many companies had to go into overdrive in order to prepare to reopen and to tackle some challenges as a result of lockdown. For example, securing the necessary personal protection equipment and implementing required safety measures was a challenge considering the financial losses construction businesses had suffered during lockdown.” But, there has been progress in terms of Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) – Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) payments, following a struggle to secure this money “The MBAWC has been working with the Western Cape government’s Red Tape Reduction Unit to try and unlock the issues holding up payments. We now have a direct line with senior officials at the department and are working on getting each member’s file sorted out and processed,” Bodill reported. The MBAWC, MBA Boland and the trade unions at the Building Industry Bargaining Council have also reached an agreement on overtime, which provides for additional hours to be worked without incurring overtime rates. “It is a big concession for the industry, and provides a win-win situation,” Bodill commented.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News
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