Collective Bargaining is a crucial aspect of Labour Law in South Africa. It involves negotiations between Employers and Employees or their respective representative bodies, with the aim of reaching an agreement on the terms and conditions of employment. Employers are often represented in these negotiations by Employers Organisations, such as CEO. One question that [...]
Dealing with disputes at Plant Level can be a complex and challenging process for Employers. Disputes that are not resolved efficiently and effectively can negatively impact productivity and Employee morale, resulting in financial losses and potential legal disputes. In this article, we will discuss the process that Employers should follow when dealing with disputes [...]
Collective Bargaining has become an integral part of labour relations in South Africa. Industry Level Collective Bargaining occurs when organised labour in the form of Trade Unions negotiate with Employers or Employer Organisations such as Consolidated Employers Organisation (CEO) within a specific industry or sector. Many industries have established Bargaining Councils as a result [...]
The Labour Relations Act (LRA) defines a strike as “The partial or complete concerted refusal to work, or the retardation or obstruction of work, by persons who are or have been employed by the same Employer or by different Employers, for the purpose of remedying a grievance or resolving a dispute in respect of [...]
What process should be followed when it comes to Plant-Level Negotiations? Plant-level negotiations can best be described as formal discussions between Employers and Employees who have different aims or intentions, particularly in the workplace, during which they try to reach an agreement. This form of negotiation within a specific workplace can be conducted informally in [...]
It is settled law that a union can call a strike or embark on industrial action if there is a dispute regarding matters of mutual interest. Many employers, however, raise the question of whether their employees desire to embark on industrial action at the expense of losing their wages. As much as this is a [...]
Section 14 of the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) stipulates as follows: An Employer must give an Employee who works continuously for more than five (5) hours a meal interval of at least one (1) continuous hour. During a meal interval, an Employee may be required or permitted to perform only duties that cannot [...]
Section 64 of the Labour Relations Act (the “LRA”) regulates the right to strike and recourse to lock-out. In terms of Section 64(1), every employee has the right to strike, and every employer has recourse to lock-out if the issue in dispute has been referred to a council or the Commission as required by the [...]
The jurisdiction to arbitrate disputes concerning unfair dismissals is conferred on the CCMA under Section 191 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (hereinafter referred to as the LRA). Section 191(5)(b) further contains the respective instances where a dismissal dispute may be referred to the Labour Court for adjudication. This article will specifically deal [...]
Both strikes and lockouts are essential elements of collective bargaining. However, such actions should be used as a last resort. Strikes are used by employees to back up their demands in promoting and defending their employment-related interests, and employers use lockouts to back up their employment-related demands. In the past few years, South Africa has [...]