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.
Mining unions call AngloGold out on job promises made in 2015
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BusinessLive reports that, ahead of formal retrenchment talks next week, unions at AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) have demanded that the company should account for its compliance with a pledge it signed in 2015 to preserve or even grow jobs in the sector.
Pretoria Zoo gets slapped with 48-hour strike notice, but animals OK
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TimesLive reports that attempts to avert industrial action at the Pretoria Zoo officially collapsed on Thursday‚ with the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) slapping management of the National Zoological Gardens of SA (NZG) with a strike notice.
Gauteng health department agrees to wage deal to end mortuary strike
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BusinessLive reports that Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa has announced that her department has conceded to mortuary workers’ demands for a better wage deal in order to get them back on the job.
High Court satisfied of urgency of Sanef application to halt intimidation of journalists
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TimesLive reports that the High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday held that the application by the SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) to halt attacks on journalists by Black First Land First (BLF) was urgent.
Sacked City Power MD refutes corruption claims
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Engineering News reports that former City Power MD Sicelo Xulu, who was relieved from his position by City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Mayor Herman Mashaba this week, refuted media reports that he was corrupt or that there was any corruption within the municipal entity.
Sugar industry strike avoided with a 7.5% wage increase, says Uasa
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Engineering News reports that the United Association of SA (Uasa) on Thursday said a strike in the sugar industry had been averted following the conclusion of an across the board wage agreement.
State’s Gems medical scheme back on track
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BusinessLive reports that the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) has turned its finances around by tightening control of hospital admissions and introducing new rules for public servants who hop on and off the scheme as their healthcare needs wax and wane.
Insourcing of workers leads to Wits University cutting operational budget
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BusinessLive reports that the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) has had to institute some wide-ranging cuts in its operational budget to make provision for insourcing, while also staving off a deficit.
Leaked e-mails show how the Gupta brothers preyed on female employees
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BusinessLive reports that investigative journalist team amaBhungane has discovered that leaked e-mails reveal that sexual harassment of junior female employees by the Gupta brothers was rife.
Varsity graduates aren’t well trained, ‘dumped in schools’, says teachers’ union Sadtu
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City Press writes that at least three teaching colleges have been reopened by Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande since plans were first mooted five years ago, but the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) believes it’s not enough.
SA National Taxi Council suspends plan for 12 July taxi strike
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Bloomberg reports that minibus taxi operators on Thursday suspended plans to strike on 12 July, pending the outcome of talks with Transport Minister Mkhacani Maswanganyi.
NUM vows to fight planned AngloGold Ashanti retrenchments
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ANA reports that the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Wednesday announced it would oppose AngloGold Ashanti's (AGA’s) retrenchment notice which could leave as many as 8,500 workers jobless.
Last-ditch attempt on Thursday to avert Pretoria Zoo strike
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TimesLive reports that union leaders and Pretoria Zoo management were due to meet again on Thursday morning in a last-ditch attempt to avert a strike that could affect the feeding of animals and cleaning of enclosures.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 5 July 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Wednesday, 5 July 2017.
Backlog of claims of mineworkers with lung diseases weighs on compensation fund
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BusinessLive reports that five years after CEO Barry Kistnasamy was appointed to turn around the Compensation Commission for Occupational Diseases (CCOD), the institution is still grappling with a mammoth claims backlog for mine workers with lung diseases.
Home Affairs and three unions in talks on terms of Saturday work
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BusinessLive reports that negotiations began on Tuesday between the Department of Home Affairs and three unions on the terms applicable to a new Saturday shift.
‘Forum shopping’ Molefe ordered to pay costs of postponed Labour Court case
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SowetanLive reports that axed Eskom boss Brian Molefe conducted his Labour Court case in bad faith, hence he was slapped with an order to pay the costs for the latest round in the matter.
Mine closures will take shine off businesses in two gold mining towns
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SowetanLive reports that AngloGold Ashanti’s (AGA’s) planned closure of mining operations is likely to leave towns neighbouring Klerksdorp, businesses and communities in dire straits.
Security guards angry at ‘sell-out’ EFF as City of Tshwane declines to renew contracts
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The Star reports that the fight by security guards contracted to the City of Tshwane took another turn on Tuesday when they marched to the EFF offices in Pretorius Street, accusing the party leaders of being sell-outs.
Saftu, PAC slam intimidation of journalists
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eNCA reports that, pointing out that an attack on journalists was an attack on South African citizens, the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) have called for the protection of journalists.
ANCWL comment on its male delegates 'laughable', says Cosatu
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ANA reports that the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Wednesday criticised the ANC Women's League (ANCWL) for bringing six male delegates to the party’s policy conference, accusing the league of ''playing into the hands of patriarchy''.
One Facebook post changed my life, says dismissed Lotus FM jock Ravi G
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The Mercury reports that former Lotus FM jock Ravi Govender says his axing over social media comments about President Jacob Zuma was not warranted and the matter has been blown out of proportion.
Labour Court postpones Molefe’s hearing pending outcome of high court case
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ANA reports that the Labour Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing of Brian Molefe’s challenge to his dismissal as Eskom CEO, pending the outcome of high court applications by the DA and the EFF for his re-appointment to be ruled invalid and set aside.
Wife of slain train driver still waiting for labour department compensation a year later
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News24 reports that the family of a Metrorail train driver who was gunned down at a Cape Town train station is still battling to get monthly compensation owed to them approved by the state, 12 months later.
Push at ANC policy conference for standalone ministry for military veterans
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TimesLive reports that delegates at the ANC policy conference have revived the debate on the creation of a fully-fledged military veterans ministry‚ saying it should be established before the end of the current administration's five-year term in 2019.
Massive demand for South African engineers in Australia
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BusinessTech reports that there is a desperate demand for engineers in Australia, with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) offering higher than average starting salaries and job security for South Africans looking to make the move.
Pityana wants to Save SA, but can't save jobs at AngloGold Ashanti, says YCL
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ANA reports that the Young Communist League (YCL) in the North West province has come out very strongly against AngloGold Ashanti's (AGA’s) chairperson, Sipho Pityana, over the impending loss of thousands of jobs, saying that the leader of ‘Save SA’ had failed to save jobs at the gold producer.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 4 July 2017
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Tuesday, 4 July 2017.
Zuma supporters want ANC leaders to boycott Cosatu events
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SowetanLive reports that President Jacob Zuma's supporters want ANC leaders to boycott future Cosatu events in retaliation for the federation's decision to ban the president from addressing its meetings.
Sanef asks court for urgent interdict against harassment of journalists by BLF
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News24 reports that the SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) has applied for an urgent interdict against Andile Mngxitama and his organisation Black First Land First (BLF), which they accuse of intimidation being carried out to quash reports on state capture allegations.