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.
Articles in the October–December 2017 edition of SRI’s Labour Market Report
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The October–December 2017 edition of the Solidarity Research Institute’s (SRI’s) SA Labour Market Report, published last week, contains a number of IR-related articles.
Amcu employees too scared to strike, even though CCMA has given go-ahead
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Mail & Guardian reports that staff at the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) have been in a prolonged battle with their employer over wages but are too afraid to strike, despite a certificate that allows them to do so.
'UIF is a scam!': Angry claimants bemoan benefit nonpayment
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HuffPost reports about complaints on the part of a number of Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) claimants about nonpayment of their benefit money.
Year-end office parties downgraded to ‘junk status’
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City Press writes that South African corporate holiday parties used to be extravagant affairs when workers got dressed up, companies rented out restaurants and there were open bars, live music and gifts.
Solidarity’s Q4 Labour Market Index edges toward neutral, but remains below key 50 score
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The Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), in collaboration with ETM Analytics, last week released the October – December 2017 quarterly edition of the SA Labour Market Report and Index.
Health department says final year medical students can appeal intern placements
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EWN reports that according to the Department of Health (DOH), final year medical and health students will be allowed to appeal their intern placement allocations.
Gauteng Education to meet Noordgesig parents over concerns with appointment of new black principal
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TimesLive reports that officials from the Gauteng Department of Education were due on Monday to meet with parents and community organisations opposing the appointment of a new principal at Noordgesig Primary School – allegedly due to race.
Fedusa demands deployment of soldiers in Cape Town over festive season
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TimesLive reports that the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and its affiliates in the public health and rail passenger sectors will march on Tuesday to Parliament to demand that the minister of defence deploy soldiers in Cape Town over the festive season.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted from Friday, 1 December to Sunday, 3 December 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet from Friday, 1 December to Sunday, 3 December 2017.
SABC board members to share R3.2 million payout, but staff told no pay rise for them
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The SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is to pay R3.2 million to its five-member interim board in respect of their six-month tenure, according to a report in the Sunday Times. But it informed its staff that there would be no salary increases for them in the new year.
Nehawu North West to roll out service delivery campaign to fight corruption in public service
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ANA reports that the North West branch of the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said on Friday that it would be rolling out a service delivery campaign to uproot corruption in the public sector.
Lonmin engaging with stakeholders to minimise job cuts
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EWN reports that Lonmin says it is engaging with all interested parties on ways to minimise job cuts at its operations. In October, the platinum producer announced plans to cut over 1,000 jobs due to persistently low commodity prices and rising costs.
Fedusa and Hospersa to march to Parliament on 5 December against attacks on EMS workers
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EWN reports that the Federation of Trade Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of SA (Hospersa) are planning a march to Parliament on Tuesday over escalating levels of violence against Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers.
SA mining industry announces 1.8m fund for health screening of mineworkers
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ANA reports that the Chamber of Mines of SA (COM) on Friday announced its support for a R1.8 million health screening initiative in the OR Tambo district to mark World Aids Day.
Job losses for more than 1,700 clothing workers in past year
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Business Report writes that closures of South African clothing companies in the past year resulted in job losses for more than 1,700 workers.
Parliament condemns attempts to intimidate staff at Auditor-General’s office
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EWN reports that Parliament’s Standing Committee on the Auditor-General has condemned incidents of threats and intimidation against staff at the Auditor-General’s (AGSA’s) office in the strongest possible terms.
Transport union UNTU considering final wage offer from Transnet
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ANA reports that the United National Transport Union (UNTU) is considering a final wage offer made by parastatal Transnet, but has not excluded industrial action should its members reject the offer.
UKZN academics claim ‘exploitation’ over enforced extra duties at crisis-ridden public hospitals
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Sunday Independent reports that academics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN’s) Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine are dissatisfied with being strong-armed into doing extra duties at public hospitals facing crisis situations.
SABC splurges almost R2m on process of recruiting three top executives
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Saturday Star reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has spent almost R2 million on the recruitment process in respect of three top executives, and is still counting the cost.
Health Department internship placement website adds to frustrations
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EWN reports that some medical and health sector students seeking internships in 2018 say the Department of Health has once again failed them with poor systems.
Losi spearheads Cosatu’s battle for Cyril, in running for election into ANC top six
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City Press reports that labour federation Cosatu’s second deputy president, Zingiswa Losi, has downplayed her nomination for election into the ANC’s top six, saying that the time for lone worker voices in the ANC was over.
NUM reaches wage deal with Kangra Coal, ending week-long strike
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ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Friday that it had signed a three-year wage agreement with Kangra Coal, thereby ending a week-long strike.
Portia Sizani in bid to force ‘biased’ magistrate to recuse himself in ‘ghost teachers’ fraud case
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BusinessLive reports that Portia Sizani‚ wife of SA’s ambassador to Germany‚ Stone Sizani‚ resorted to the High Court in Grahamstown on Thursday, in a bid to force a magistrate to recuse himself from her fraud and money laundering trial.
Pressure on Discovery’s executive pay policy after AGM vote
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BusinessLive reports that investors holding nearly a quarter of the shares represented at Discovery’s AGM voted against its remuneration policy, apparently because it is impossible to understand and therefore difficult to assess its fairness.
Courts unable to solve Mining Charter impasse, says Anglo’s Cutifani
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BusinessLive reports that Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani says that South African mining companies and the government have to find a negotiated settlement to their impasses over the revised Mining Charter and other disagreements.
Cosatu wants more details about Ramaphosa’s ‘new deal’ economic plan
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BusinessLive reports that labour federation Cosatu says it will seek clarity from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on his "new deal", an economic plan he unveiled recently as part of his campaign for the ANC presidency.
Objection to R2.1m golden handshake for tainted ex-energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson
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ANA reports that the National Assembly on Thursday approved a once-off gratuity of R2.1 million for former energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, who lost her post in President Jacob Zuma's March cabinet reshuffle.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on Thursday, 30 November 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Thursday, 30 November 2017.
Unions slam Zuma over pay hikes for public office bearers
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BusinessLive reports that public sector unions are angered at President Jacob Zuma’s approval of salary increases for public office bearers, including his own and that of the Cabinet.
Brian Molefe: I resigned and retired from Eskom at the same time
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Mail and Guardian reports that Brian Molefe on Wednesday argued that he remains the CE of Eskom because he resigned and retired at the same time — or he never left Eskom at all.