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.
Body of missing Sibanye-Stillwater employee recovered at Kloof mine
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Mining Weekly reports that mine rescue teams have located and retrieved the body of the fifth employee who went missing at Sibanye-Stillwater's Kloof Ikamva mine.
Government to offer civil servants over age 60 voluntary retrenchment packages
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BL Premium reports that thousands of public sector workers over the age of 60 are to be offered voluntary retrenchment as part of an effort by the government to cut its salary bill.
They miss me at SABC, Hlaudi Motsoeneng tells CCMA
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The Citizen reports that Hlaudi Motsoeneng testified on Wednesday at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where he is challenging what he believes to be his “unfair dismissal” by the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
No guarantee power will stay on during wage protests, Eskom now says
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BusinessLive reports that power utility Eskom now says it is not able to give guarantees that power supplies in the country will not be disrupted during labour unrest over wages.
Education department says it has measures in place to hold pupils accountable for violence
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BusinessLive reports that as teachers battle with assaults by pupils at schools‚ the Department of Basic Education says it has measures in place to ensure pupils are held accountable for their actions.
Solidarity’s Labour Market Report shows challenging conditions persisted in Q1 2018
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Solidarity reports that in the first quarter of 2018 the Solidarity-ETM Labour Market Index halted its continuing improvement seen since the first quarter of 2016. The index is an indicator of job and wage security in the SA labour market.
SA government commits to saving jobs in steel industry
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Engineering News reports that government said on Tuesday that it would continue to work with the steel industry towards averting job losses in the sector.
Search for fifth miner continues at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Kloof mine
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ANA reports that precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater confirmed on Wednesday that the search for a fifth mineworker trapped underground at its Kloof Ikamva shaft continued.
Cosatu says Gordhan has committed to giving Eskom workers wage increases
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Fin24 reports that according to labour federation Cosatu, Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan has committed to ensuring that Eskom does not go back to the negotiating table with its same offer of a 0% wage increase.
Ugu municipal residents still without water, five days after deal with striking workers
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BusinessLive reports that distraught residents and businesses on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast say they are still without water, despite a "truce" between Ugu district municipality and its workers who had gone on a wildcat strike.
NUM insists workers take priority over political allegiances
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BusinessLive reports that David Sipunzi, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said on Tuesday that the push by the union for a Cyril Ramaphosa presidency would not compromise its stance on workers’ rights.
Scourge of pupils assaulting teachers ‘needs drastic action’, says SA Council for Educators
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The Citizen reports that according to the South African Council for Educators (Sace), something drastic needed to be done to stop the scourge of pupils assaulting teachers.
Penalties for national minimum wage defaulters still to be deliberated on by Nedlac
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The Citizen reports that companies that fail to implement the national minimum wage (NMW) could face penalties, which could be harsher for deliberate avoidance.
Eskom vows to keep the lights on as workers plan pickets over wage increases
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BusinessLive reports that alternative plans have been made by Eskom to keep the lights on across the country as the power utility’s workers plan to embark on potentially disruptive pickets this week.
Sibanye blames workers not following rules for spike in deaths at its mines
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Bloomberg reports that according to Sibanye Gold, workers failing to follow rules and procedures were largely to blame for a spike in fatal accidents at its SA operations, where 19 people have died since January.
Exams postponed at Fort Hare university due to lecturer and staff strike action
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News24 reports that students at the University of Fort Hare will have to wait until next semester to complete their exams after lecturers and other staff members embarked on strike action on Tuesday.
Afternoon roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 12 June 2018
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In our afternoon roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that appeared thus far on
Tuesday, 12 June 2018.
No shutdown yet for Eskom as unions take the legal route
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Mail & Guardian reports that at a joint press conference on Tuesday, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said, despite previous reports, the unions would only go on strike if the law permitted it.
Amcu warns gold mining industry in advance of wage negotiations
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Business Report writes that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) has warned that the gold mining industry could be brought to its knees if a solution is not reached during the upcoming wage negotiations.
Cash-in-transit guards demand limits on the amount of cash carried, as well as bigger guns
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BusinessLive reports that the Johannesburg city centre was brought to a standstill on Tuesday as thousands of workers gathered to call for the safety of cash-in-transit security guards.
Following four deaths, Sibanye suspends operations at Kloof shaft for a day of mourning
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ANA reports that Sibanye-Stillwater said on Tuesday it had suspended mining operations at its Kloof Ikamva shaft for a day of mourning after four mineworkers died underground.
Teacher abuse escalating, bemoans Sadtu over attack by pupils captured on video
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Timeslive reports that as a video surfaced showing pupils attack a teacher, the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) condemned violence at schools. In the video‚ two pupils are seen repeatedly punching and kicking a teacher to the ground while she screams.
We haven't yet decided on number of Air Chefs layoffs, says SAA
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Fin24 reports that Air Chefs, the catering arm of South African Airways (SAA), has launched a consultation process with unions in terms of the Labour Relations Act that might lead to job losses.
Eskom to activate contingency measures after strike threat from NUM and Numsa
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Fin24 reports that, while sympathising with employees who have “worked very hard to help keep the lights on during the past financial year” but would not get salary increases, Eskom has pointed out that they were not allowed to participate in strikes.
Sibanye-Stillwater investigating how deceased miners ended up in abandoned shaft
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EWN reports that Sibanye-Stillwater management is hopeful that retrieval operations at its Ikamva shaft will come to an end soon.
Analysts reckon government came out unscathed from public sector wage deal
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Business Report writes that according to analysts, the government came out unscathed in the latest round of public sector wage negotiations.
Solidarity declares dispute with Eskom over 0% wage offer
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Engineering News reports that trade union Solidarity on Monday declared a dispute with state-owned power utility Eskom. Solidarity, as well as fellow unions Numsa and NUM, are extremely dissatisfied with Eskom’s offer of a 0% wage increase.
Three Germiston Flying Squad officers arrested for kidnapping‚ hijacking and armed robbery
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Timeslive reports that three Germiston Flying Squad police officers are in custody after allegedly kidnapping‚ hijacking and robbing drivers of two vehicles in Krugersdorp West on Saturday.
R1.1-billion windfall for employees as Vodacom unveils biggest telecoms BEE deal yet
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BusinessLive reports that Vodacom is to spend about R1.1bn on an employee share ownership scheme as part of its R17.5bn broad-based black economic empowerment (BEE) deal.
New CEO at SAA maps out a punishing austerity plan, with layoffs ‘unavoidable’
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BusinessLive reports that six months into the job of running loss-making SA Airways (SAA), CEO Vuyani Jarana has mapped out a punishing austerity plan to turn the national carrier around.