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.
Minibus taxi fare hike of 172% to be reviewed, says Santaco
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BusinessLive reports that the controversial decision by Gauteng minibus taxi associations to increase fares by more than 170% is to be reviewed, according to the SA National Taxi Council (Santaco).
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 8 June 2020
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 8 June 2020.
Labour Court will have to weigh up contractual rights of public sector workers to salary increases
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BL Premium reports that the Labour Court will have to answer the question of whether state employees have the contractual right to have their wage agreements honoured by the government when several public sector trade unions bring their legal challenge to the government’s refusal to pay wage increases in line with the final year in a multi-term wage agreement.
Two top cops in R140m elaborate tender fraud cases
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The Star reports that a staggering R140 million in an alleged elaborate fraud and corruption case has snagged two senior police officers.
Cosatu calls an additional R1 trillion stimulus package in a ‘new, reprioritised and bold budget’
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The Citizen reports that Cosatu has asked for an additional R1 trillion stimulus package for SA to address job losses, avoid economic depression and fight Covid-19.
Alexandra commuters outraged over looming taxi fare hikes
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EWN reports that Alexandra commuters on Monday were outraged after two Johannesburg taxi associations announced price hikes due to take effect from next week.
Metair clinches multibillion-rand contracts with Ford and anticipates creation of over 3,300 new jobs
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Engineering News reports that Metair has secured multiple contracts from Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) as the local arm of the US vehicle maker prepares to launch new vehicles for the local and export markets.
DA in urgent court bid against lockdown regulations banning hairdressers, personal care services
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Independent News reports that the Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed court papers at the Western Cape High Court seeking to have the lockdown regulations prohibiting personal care services from operating to be declared unconstitutional and invalid.
Mbalula warns Gauteng taxi bosses about fare increases of over 100%
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SowetanLive reports that Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has threatened to refer a decision by some Gauteng taxi operators to hike fares by over 100% to the Competition Commission.
As schools reopened on Monday amid Covid-19 pandemic, pupils were scared, and so were staff
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TimesLIVE reports that shared anxiety and determination united pupils and teachers at Gauteng schools on Monday, the first day of class during the lockdown for grades 7 and 12 pupils.
Unions ask for more time to give input on SAA business rescue plan
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News24 reports that the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) for SA Airways (SAA) have received a request from three unions for more time to submit feedback on a draft rescue plan issued to affected parties a week ago.
Public Servants Association opposes reopening of schools, disagrees with five other teacher unions
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TimesLIVE reports that the Public Servants Association (PSA), which represents teachers and administrative staff members at schools, is concerned about pupils at poor and rural schools falling behind as better equipped facilities reopen on Monday.
Roundup on Monday, 8 June 2020 of weekend labour reports
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In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 5 June 2020.
L’Oréal workers demand a shutdown of Midrand plant, citing Covid-19 exposure
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Mail & Guardian reports that French cosmetics company Oréal has been accused of exposing its Midrand factory workers to Covid-19.
Vulnerable teachers and school staff to work from home
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Saturday Star reports that teachers and school staff with co-morbidities have won a major concession after the Education Labour Relations Council granted them permission to work from home ahead of the reopening of schools on Monday.
SA mining gives itself some three months for return of all foreign nationals
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Miningmx reports that SA’s mining sector had given itself about three months to return all foreign national employees to the country, beginning with a first batch of 9,500 – currently waiting on local government officials to sign their permits.
Car dealerships could cut staff by a quarter because of Covid-19, but also because they found they can get by with fewer employees
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BL Premium reports that a quarter of SA’s motor dealership employees may lose their jobs this year because of the impact of Covid-19. A major franchised dealer group confirmed at the weekend it was preparing retrenchment letters for 23% of its staff, including dealership heads.
Numsa and Sacca give support to demands by SA Express staff to be paid their salaries
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Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the SA Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) have jointly expressed support for the workers of financially embattled state-owned regional airline SA Express.
Angie Motshekga announces that 95% of schools ready to open on Monday
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BusinessLive reports that Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced on Sunday that about 95% of schools throughout the country were ready to receive grade 7 and 12 pupils from Monday.
A tourism jobs bloodbath could see two-thirds of staff in sector out of work by mid-2021
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The Citizen reports that according to new research, two-thirds of jobs in the tourism business sector could be shed by this time next year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
NUM to interdict Village Main Reef retrenchments over severance package payments plan
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Business Report writes that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has interdicted the retrenchment process at Village Main Reef (VMR) to ensure its members are fairly compensated amid the company’s restructuring plans.
Comair to halve its fleet and reduce staff so it can resume flying
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BusinessLive reports that the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) for Comair intend to halve the airline’s fleet of aircraft and reduce staff as part of efforts to save the company.
Public-sector unions take state to court over failure to implement wage hikes in April
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BusinessLive reports that public-sector unions have taken the government to court over its failure to implement a standing wage agreement, which would have seen the salaries of public servants increase in April.
Western Cape looking to hire over 5,000 health workers, including 4,000 doctors and nurses
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News24 reports that ahead of an anticipated deluge of coronavirus patients, the Western Cape government is advertising 5,272 posts for health workers, with 4,004 of them being for doctors and nurses.
Macsteel’s application to interdict Numsa strike over salary cuts dismissed by Labour Court
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BusinessLive reports that the Labour Court on Wednesday dismissed an urgent application by steel manufacturer Macsteel to interdict an ongoing wage strike.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Thursday, 4 June 2020
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Thursday, 4 June 2020.
Survey reveals 86% of those who work in an office want to return
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The Star writes that a surprising number of people want to get back to the office, even though office workers have largely been working from home and using online communication throughout the Covide-19 lockdown.
Enormous challenge lies ahead for SA mines as they ramp up operations to full capacity amid the Covid-19 pandemic
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Financial Mail reports that as 200,000 mineworkers make their way across SA to join an equivalent number of their colleagues already back at work, the industry is fervently making preparations to mine amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
EFF wants all Limpopo mines shut down to prevent spread of Covid-19
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The Citizen reports that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Limpopo want all mines in the province closed in an effort to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
Increasing concern by business about the effects of lockdown
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Business Report writes that business sentiment turned negative in May, marking the first prolonged subdued outlook as firms became increasingly concerned about the extended Covid-19 lockdown.