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.
Full Gautrain service back on track after two-week strike by Untu members ends
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the Gautrain strike has ended, with operating company Bombela agreeing to give workers an 8% salary increase backdated to 15 July.
Esor Construction applies for business rescue, with 1,400 jobs threatened
- Details
BusinessLive reports that another decades-old construction firm has been pushed to the brink of collapse, with engineering and building group Esor on Monday applying for business rescue of its largest subsidiary, Esor Construction.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Monday, 13 August 2018
- Details
In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Monday, 13 August 2018.
Cosatu threatens ANC over alleged government plan to cut public sector jobs
- Details
Fin24 reports that Cosatu has given government an ultimatum to stop discussing the fate of public servants unilaterally or risk losing the ANC-allied labour federation’s support at next year’s general election.
Samwu blames jobs-for-pals for ongoing Pikitup protests in Joburg
- Details
The Sunday Independent reports that the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) has blamed misconduct and a jobs-for-pals syndicate at the Johannesburg city council for the ongoing protests by former Pikitup workers.
Temporary teachers in Limpopo unpaid since assuming duty in June
- Details
The Citizen reports temporary teachers in Limpopo who assumed their duties at the start of June have seemingly gone unpaid due to the department of education’s ‘heavy workload’.
Untu members accept wage deal to end two-week Gautrain wage strike
- Details
Fin24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) has concluded a wage deal with the Bombela Operating Company (BOC), which runs the Gautrain, ending a two-week long wage strike.
Eskom wants an ‘expeditious’ wage deal, but vows to take action against striking workers
- Details
ANA reports that Eskom on Monday vowed to take disciplinary action against its employees who had embarked on industrial action and damaged infrastructure even as the power utility and unions failed to reach an agreement in protracted wage negotiations.
CEO of civil engineering body commits to diversity training over 'antagonistic' column
- Details
Fin24 reports that the CEO of the SA Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), Manglin Pillay, has apologised “unreservedly” for his article published in the institution's official magazine that questioned the place of women in the engineering field.
Samwumed medical aid scheme alleged to have become a ‘slush fund’ for curator
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the 13 dismissed trustees of a medical aid scheme for unionised municipal workers, Samwumed, are contesting the curatorship order on the scheme.
Incapacity leave at KZN department of health of 5,007 days in five months
- Details
The Citizen reports that a reply to questions by the Democratic Alliance in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) legislature has revealed that 85 staff members within the provincial department of health amassed a staggering 5,007 days of various forms of incapacity leave during just the past five months.
Crew of crashed Wonderboom plane ‘weren’t qualified’, preliminary report finds
- Details
The Citizen reports that the vintage Convair 340/440aircraft that crashed at Wonderboom Airport, Pretoria North, in July had an unqualified crew on board.
Benoni security guard shot in the chest, in critical condition
- Details
ANA reports that on Monday a 32-year-old security guard was fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot in the chest while on night duty in Benoni on the East Rand.
Roundup on Monday, 13 August 2018 of weekend labour reports
- Details
In our roundup of weekend news, see
summaries of our selection of South African
labour-related stories that appeared since
Friday, 10 August 2018.
Unions lambast Ramaphosa’s plan to cut 30,000 state jobs
- Details
The Citizen reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa is headed for his first potentially bruising duel with Cosatu as the labour federation threatens to pull out of the upcoming jobs summit, and potentially end the ruling alliance, if his government goes ahead with its alleged plan to retrench 30,000 civil servants.
Fawu’s #NotJustAJob campaign highlights threat illicit cigarette trade poses to jobs
- Details
IOL News reports that the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) has embarked on a campaign to highlight the plight of workers who face losing their jobs to the ballooning illegal cigarette trade.
VAT panel recommends zero-rating of white bread, sanitary products, school uniforms and nappies
- Details
Engineering News reports that the independent panel established to review the current list of items that are zero-rated for value-added tax (VAT) has recommended that white bread, flour, cake flour, sanitary products, school uniforms and nappies should be included in the list of zero-rated items.
Attitudes harden over looming Implats job cuts
- Details
Mail & Guardian reports that Impala Platinum (Implats) recently announced its intention to cut 13,000 jobs over the next two years, reducing full-time and contracted employees from 40,000 to 27,000 by 2021.
Numsa plans to list financial services firm on JSE
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is planning to list 360 Financial Services Group (360FSG), a subsidiary of its investment firm and owner of Doves funeral business, on the JSE in the next two years.
Joburg man to appear in court for killing car guard over two missing bags
- Details
News24 reports that a man is set to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday for allegedly killing a car guard after he noticed items were missing from his vehicle.
Solidarity and ArcelorMittal SA reach deal on wages
- Details
Netwerk24 reports that steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal SA (AMSA) and trade union Solidarity on Wednesday signed a wage agreement.
CCMA proposals to end Gautrain strike to be presented at Untu mass meeting on Monday morning
- Details
The Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) issued a press statement late on Sunday night to indicate that its leadership and the leadership of its affiliate the United National Transport Union (Untu), would be presenting new proposals to striking Untu members on Monday morning at 09:00am.
Humans proved to be biased when hiring, but can artificial intelligence serve minorities better?
- Details
This interesting US article from Bloomberg looks at whether artificial intelligence (AI) lives up to the promise to make hiring unbiased.
Amid continuing wage strike, Gautrain services to remain limited going into new week
- Details
EWN reports that Gautrain services will be limited heading into the coming week as wage negotiations between striking workers and operating company Bombela remain deadlocked.
Delays in issuing TVET certificates hampering job seekers from getting employment
- Details
BusinessLive reports that MPs were told on Wednesday that the delays in issuing certificates to students from technical and vocational education training (TVET) colleges were hampering their capacity to find employment.
Civil Engineering Institute CEO keeps his job after ‘sexist’ column
- Details
The Citizen reports that the CEO of the SA Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), Manglin Pillay, will keep his job after apologising for writing a column that was widely condemned as sexist.
Bombshell plan to lay off 30,000 public servants in next three years
- Details
Mail & Guardian reports that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration is planning to lay off 30,000 public servants in the next three years as part of the government’s cost-cutting measures.
Eskom negotiations deadlocked, but this time over sabotage charges and not over wages
- Details
BusinessLive reports that the Eskom wage negotiations deadlocked on Wednesday, just as workers accepted the power utility’s wage offer.
Gautrain strike continues after CCMA conciliation on Tuesday fails
- Details
Timeslive reports that an attempt to break the deadlock between Gautrain operator Bombela and the United National Transport Union (Untu) was unsuccessful on Tuesday.
How much SA’s huge number of traditional leader get paid
- Details
BusinessTech reports that in response to a parliamentary question, cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Des van Rooyen recently revealed that as of June 2018 there were 14 kingships, queenships, and/or principal traditional leaders across five of SA’s provinces.