Today's Labour News
This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
Cricket SA chief Thabang Moroe brings in his lawyer to challenge his suspension
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that the gloves came off on Thursday after suspended Cricket SA (CSA) CEO Thabang Moroe reported for duty and accused the governing body’s president, Chris Nenzani, of contravening the organisation’s disciplinary procedures during the process of his suspension.
Minerals Council reports 240,000 mineworkers back at work
- Details
Mining Weekly reports that according to the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), which was previously called the Chamber of Mines, an estimated 240,000 miners were back at work on 385 large and small mines across SA.
Public sector the worst transgressor for non-compliance with Covid-19 health and safety regulations
- Details
BusinessLive reports that according to the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), the public sector has recorded the highest number of workplaces not complying with the Covid-19 health and safety regulations.
Unused annual leave accumulated during lockdown now a big problem for employers
- Details
BL Premium reports that as lockdown restrictions ease and companies prepare to swing back into action, too many employees are sitting on a growing pile of unused holiday, and that’s becoming a headache for many businesses.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 10 June 2020
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 10 June 2020.
UIF relief payment delays forces bus drivers to cash in pensions
- Details
SowetanLive reports that workers in various sectors have been hit by the delays in the payment of the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF’s) Covid-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters), including some in the transport sector.
Dining industry still in ICU, notwithstanding easing of lockdown restrictions under level 3
- Details
Moneyweb reports that while restaurants have been allowed to provide delivery services and more recently takeaway food and alcohol under Covid-19 lockdown Alert Level 3, the new normal has not been enough to cover a number of restaurants in the industry.
Almost 700,000 applications for UIF’s Covid-19 not paid in April because employees weren’t registered with the fund
- Details
Business Insider SA reports that last month almost 700,000 applications from companies for special Covid-19 payouts from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) failed because their employees were not registered with the fund.
Covid-19 forces closure of two high schools in Durban after a teacher at each tested positive
- Details
Sowetan reports that two high schools in Durban were forced to close on Tuesday after a teacher at each school tested positive for Covid-19.
Numsa and Sacca say they have found possible investor for embattled airline SA Express
- Details
Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) have jointly “noted” that the High Court has extended the provisional liquidation order for state-owned regional airline SA Express.
Now is not a good time to resign to access pension savings
- Details
The Star reports that there is a new trend on the rise, namely that of financially desperate people resigning without new jobs lined up so that they can access the money saved in their pension funds.
SA Express escapes final liquidation, for the present
- Details
Reuters reports that state-owned airline SA Express escaped liquidation on Tuesday, after a judge granted a three-month delay in liquidation proceedings, giving the government more time to clarify its plans for the domestic and regional carrier.
Amsa stands by decision to mothball its Saldanha Works
- Details
Business Report writes that ArcelorMittal SA (Amsa) is standing by the decision to wind down its Saldanha Works, saying it was unavoidable as rocketing input costs threatened the viability of the entire Amsa South African operation.
In a labour-related protest on Tuesday, Ekurhuleni traffic officers blocked N3, bringing traffic in Germiston to a standstill
- Details
The Star reports that traffic in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, was brought to a standstill on Tuesday as traffic officers protested about several labour-related issues at the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD).
SA heading for ‘deepest contraction in a century’ as coronavirus pandemic triggers worst global recession since War
- Details
Engineering News reports that a new World Bank report warns that the South African economy will this year experience its deepest economic contraction in a century, with the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to slump by 7.1% on the back of “stringent but necessary” Covid-19 containment measures.
Patients abandoned at Tafalofefe Hospital in Centane in Eastern Cape
- Details
DispatchLive reports that one of the Eastern Cape’s most important rural hospitals has become a ghost facility after doctors and nurses walked out on Monday, leaving patients to fend for themselves or rely on managers for treatment.
Healthcare workers filing for Compensation Fund benefits over Covid-19 infections
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the number of healthcare workers lodging claims with the Department of Labour’s (DEL’s) Compensation Fund (CF) after being infected with Covid-19 at their workplaces is increasing at an alarming rate.
Two SA Air Force staff test positive for Covid-19, Pretoria HQ temporarily closed
- Details
EWN reports that the South African Air Force (SAAF) on Tuesday temporarily closed its headquarters building in Pretoria after two employees tested positive for Covid-19.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 9 June 2020
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Tuesday, 9 June 2020.
UIF/Ters payments improving, agreement signed on overtime, says Western Cape Master Builders Association
- Details
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.
UIF’s dramatic improvement in capacity could just ‘temporary efficiency’
- Details
The Citizen reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has so far paid out a total of R16.5 billion in Covid-19 relief funds.
Attendance of 85% at Gauteng schools on Monday, with 39 Covid-19 cases reported
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that according to the Gauteng Department of Education, eleven Gauteng schools were unable to reopen on Monday, while the majority of schools in the province reopened successfully.
Tough times ahead for commuters as more Johannesburg taxi associations plan to hike fares
- Details
SowetanLive reports that tough times lie ahead for commuters in Johannesburg after 76 taxi associations said they were too were planning to hike their prices in an effort to recover losses incurred during the national Covid-19 lockdown.
Some 1,000 jobs at Agricultural Research Council in jeopardy, and so food security, warns Solidarity
- Details
Trade union Solidarity announced on Tuesday that it was in talks with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) about impending retrenchments that could pose a direct threat to SA’s food security.
SAA creditors vote to extend business rescue plan publication date yet again
- Details
Engineering News reports that the majority of SA Airways’ (SAA’s) creditors voted on Monday to postpone the publication of the business rescue plan for the state-owned airline until 15 June.
Minerals Council rebuts “wrong perception” that SA mines form epicentre for Covid-19 infections
- Details
Miningmx reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA) on Tuesday stated that mining was not an epicentre of Covid-19 infections.
Two Durban metro cops gunned down on way to work on Tuesday
- Details
TimesLIVE reports that two Durban metro police officers, who were travelling to work in the same car, were gunned down near Hammarsdale on Tuesday morning.
In precedent-setting judgment, pay dispute goes restaurant employees’ way
- Details
The Star reports that in a precedent-setting judgment, a Johannesburg-based restaurant company that claimed it had no obligation to pay employees’ salaries due to the Covid-19 lockdown, has been placed under business rescue.
It’s a good time for employees to familiarise themselves with section 189 retrenchment processes, says Solidarity’s Gideon du Plessis
- Details
Gideon du Plessis, trade union Solidarity’s General Secretary, notes the good news that around eight million employees can return to work under Level 3, but says it also means that more employees will now have to face retrenchment processes.
In terms of new regulations, Covid-19-positive employees no longer need to test negative in order to resume work
- Details
BL Premium reports that Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has issued new regulations on Covid-19 that scrap the requirement that employees who have been diagnosed with the disease can only return to work after testing negative for the virus.