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.
Business rescue plans for SAA in jeopardy, with unions furious about route cuts and demanding removal of rescue practitioners
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City Press reports that the business rescue process currently under way for South African Airways (SAA) has been plunged into crisis, after pandemonium erupted during a meeting between the airline’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) and labour representatives on Thursday.
Pikitup services disrupted on Friday due to protest by EPWP employees over delayed payments
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Engineering News reports that Johannesburg municipal waste manager Pikitup’s services were disrupted on Friday owing to protest action by Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) employees, over a payment dispute.
No-ballot Metrobus strike costs municipal union Demawusa its registration
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Sowetan reports that the Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers’ Union (Demawusa) has become the first labour organisation to have its registration cancelled for going on strike after failing to comply with the controversial new law that a secret ballot must be conducted.
Can the Government Employees Pension Fund survive a R254bn knock to bail Eskom out?
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Barbara Curson considers the financial impact of the proposal to divert R254 billion from the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) to Eskom.
SA’s great CEO exodus last year saw 10% of JSE listed companies undergoing changes at the top
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Bruce Whitfield writes that last year there was an almost unprecedented changing of the guard at the top of high-profile SA companies. Nearly 50 CEOs of publicly listed, state-owned and public interest companies left their jobs over the past 14 months.
Cash-in-transit industry to launch association to counter violent attacks on trucks and guards
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BusinessLive reports that the cash-in-transit (CIT) industry is to launch an association that will co-ordinate efforts to counter the “unacceptably high” levels of violent attacks.
Hundreds more jobs on the line at ArcelorMittal SA
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BusinessLive reports that Arcelor Mittal SA (Amsa), which has already cut 1,000 jobs, plans to shed hundreds more as it battles low steel demand and rising costs.
As Denel exits aircraft components business, steps in place to minimise impact on job losses
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BusinessLive reports that state-owned arms manufacturer Denel says the process of exiting the greater part of its aircraft components manufacturing business is now at an advanced stage, with major steps put in place to minimise the impact of the withdrawal on job losses.
SAA to cancel all domestic flights, except for Cape Town, while retrenchments confirmed as unavoidable
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BusinessLive reports that South African Airways (SAA) will cancel all domestic flights, except for a reduced service to Cape Town, as well as some international and regional flights, at the end of February in a bid to further cut costs at the ailing airline.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Thursday, 6 February 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, 6 February 2020.
Working conditions of truck drivers in spotlight after two die in N7 collision on Wednesday
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Cape Times reports that two truck drivers were killed in a pile-up on the N7 near Citrusdal in the West Coast on Wednesday. Apparently, three trucks en route to and from Namibia collided in the early hours.
Deaths of two workers in January at uMhlanga Arch site sparks concerns sub-contractor ‘short-cuts’ that compromise safety
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The Mercury reports that a probe into the death of two workers at an uMhlanga site has sparked concerns about the safety of construction workers in the industry.
Unpaid asbestos removal workers lock teachers and learners out of Pietermaritzburg primary school
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GroundUp reports that on Tuesday, teachers and learners were locked out of Philani Primary School in Imbali, Pietermaritzburg, by disgruntled local workers who said they had not been paid for January.
Amcu leader pledges to start a a fund for dead Lily Mine workers with his own salary
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SowetanLive reports that Joseph Mathunjwa, president of the Association of Minewoekrs and Construction Union (Amcu), says he will start a fund with his own salary to help retrieve the bodies of three Lily Mine workers who were trapped when the mine’s crown pillar collapsed on 5 February 2016.
Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority reports death of contract worker at acid mine drainage treatment plant
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Mining Weekly reports that state-owned Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) on Wednesday reported that a worker had been killed in an accident at the Central Basin acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment plant, which is under its management.
Health department employees who work in Civitas Building to get a ‘safer home’
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The Citizen reports that the national Department of Health could soon have a new home as plans to relocate staff from the current hazardous building in Pretoria are finally under way, following several months of chaos.
SAA’s business rescue practitioners eye UIF surplus to fund job cut packages
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Business Report writes that the South African Airways (SAA) business rescue practitioners (BPRs) have approached the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to discuss the possibility of using some of the the R100 billion surplus that the UIF controls to fund inevitable retrenchments at the troubled state-owned airline.
With new critical skills work visa list expected in March, Motsoaledi seems on track to effect immigration policy changes
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Immigration laywer Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi writes that changes to the critical skills work visa list are expected in March, in addition to changes to immigration and citizenship laws.
Recruitment halted at Dr George Mukhari Hospital in Tshwane amid ‘irregularities’
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TimesLIVE reports that the Gauteng Department of Health on Wednesday instructed Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Tshwane to stop recruitment and selection processes for vacancies.
First silicosis pay-outs for gold miners expected by end June
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Financial Mail writes that after years of intensive negotiations, mineworkers who have been affected by silicosis as a result of working in gold mines will at last be compensated by the companies for which they worked.
Ramaphosa in favour of Cosatu’s plan to use pension money to pay down Eskom’s debt
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BL Premium reports that Cosatu’s proposal to use R250bn of pension money managed by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to pay down Eskom’s debt in return for a range of undertakings by the government was under urgent and serious discussion at a high-level meeting at Nedlac on Wednesday.
Strikes in ‘horrific’ 2018 cost workers R266m, labour department’s strike report shows
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BusinessLive reports that according to a government industrial action report, SA workers lost R266m in salaries in 2018 in support of their demands for better wages and improved working conditions.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Wednesday, 5 February 2020
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Wednesday, 5 February 2020.
Gordhan open to pension bailout for Eskom
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Moneyweb reports that Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan has given a clear indication that the proposal made by Cosatu to use money managed by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to support Eskom was being taken seriously.
Woolworths denies employee was suspended for wearing ‘isiphandla’
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News24 Wire reports that retail giant Woolworths has disputed claims that an employee at one of its stores, Mathapelo Nkopane, was suspended for wearing isiphandla – a traditional animal skin wristband.
Master Builders association calls for meeting with Nzimande to clarify Ceta investigation
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Engineering News reports that Master Builders SA (MBSA) has called for an urgent meeting with Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Blade Nzimande, to provide clarity on the prospects of thousands of learners who are in training programmes supported by the Construction Education and Training Authority (Ceta).
Thousands of jobs in waiting for next wind farm bid round, says wind energy association
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Engineering News reports that thousands of jobs await a Ministerial determination to give the green light for the next round of wind farms to be built.
No DBSA financing on the cards for Eskom, MPs told
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BusinessLive reports that Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) chief investment officer and acting CEO Paul Currie told MPs on Tuesday that the bank had a very high exposure to Eskom and did not plan to make any further loans to the over-indebted power utility.
Workers at Toyota’s Prospecton plant reinstated after embarking on unprotected strike
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TimesLIVE reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) said on Wednesday it had successfully managed to renegotiate for 2,895 workers at Toyota SA to be reinstated after they were dismissed for embarking on an unprotected strike.
Business rescue practitioners want SAA job cuts to be fast-tracked
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BL Premium reports that the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) of South African Airways (SAA) have told employees that they intend to expedite retrenchments at the troubled national carrier.