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.
Petrol sector strike ends with agreement on Wednesday
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Times Live reports that the National Petroleum Employers' Association (NPEA) and the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu) have entered into an agreement‚ ending the petroleum sector strike.
Proposed sugar tax could cost up to 70,000 jobs, study indicates
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BDLive reports that the Beverage Association of SA (BevSA) has warned that up to 70,000 jobs in the industry could be lost if the Treasury’s mooted tax on sugar-sweetened drinks were to be implemented in its current form.
Lily miners receive provident fund payments after months with no pay
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SABC News reports that there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel for the Lily Gold Mine workers who lost their jobs after a massive shaft collapse in February. After not receiving pay for three months, workers have finally received money from their provident fund.
Fears about ARV supply due to strike prompts EFF protest at Aspen plant
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HeraldLive reports that the EFF joined protesting Aspen Pharmacare workers on Tuesday at the Port Elizabeth plant because they fear the ongoing strike could affect the supply of antiretrovirals (ARVs).
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 16 August 2016
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Tuesday, 16 August 2016
Racism defamation suit involving Ferial Haffajee and City Press settled
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BDLive reports that a racism defamation lawsuit against Media24 and former City Press editor Ferial Haffajee has been settled, according to Media24’s lawyer.
Petrol sector strike might be over if agreement is signed on Wednesday
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TMG Digital reports that the National Petroleum Employers' Association (NPEA) has been invited to sign an agreement with workers to end the petrol industry strike‚ which is now in its third week.
Roundup of labour news on Tuesday, 16 August 2016
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In our Tuesday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Monday, 15 August 2016.
MTN workers call off strike pending talks on Friday
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TMG Digital reports that workers at telecoms giant MTN will no longer embark on a mass protest action on Wednesday. Communication Workers Union (CWU) general secretary Aubrey Tshabalala said the strike had been put on hold amid talks between the union and MTN management.
Paramedics paid danger pay of just R300 a month to risk their lives
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TimesLive reports that paramedics working in some of the most violent areas get danger pay of only R300 a month. This is despite attacks increasing to such a degree that they enter areas classified as "red zones" only with a police escort.
Push to turn day of Marikana tragedy into a public holiday
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The Citizen reports that according to Anglican Bishop Johannes Seoka, August 16 must be declared a public holiday in honour of the 34 mineworkers killed by police during labour unrest in Marikana four years ago.
Union threatens to withdraw nurses from KZN crime hot spots
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Daily News reports that the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) has threatened to withdraw nurses who are its members from areas where their safety is no longer guaranteed.
Western Cape government beefs up security after attacks on paramedics
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News24 reports that the Western Cape government has launched Operation Khuseleka (Stay safe), a safety initiative aimed at protecting vulnerable staff following a spate of attacks on paramedics in Cape Town.
Ceppwawu hoping for deal at CCMA to end petroleum sector strike
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EWN reports that the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu) says talks at the CCMA will continue on Tuesday in the hopes of reaching a deal that will bring an end to the ongoing strike in the petroleum sector.
Four years later, still no accountability on Marikana
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Franny Rabkin writes that on Tuesday it is four years since the Marikana massacre and yet not one person has been prosecuted or even fired for it.
Universities face staff cuts if fees don’t increase
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Universities have raised concerns over possible retrenchments should there be no fee increase for 2017, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande said on Monday.
Four years after Marikana, SAPS gets transformation task team
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TMG Digital reports that Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has launched a task team that will look into ways of improving various operations of the SA Police Service (SAPS).
Families of missing Lily miners left in a hopeless situation
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The Star writes about how the families of the three mineworkers who were trapped underground at Lily Mine in February are bearing up. Pretty Nkambule, Yvonne Mnisi and Solomon Nyerende were working in a lamp room container when it fell into an immense sinkhole as a result of a shaft collapse.
MTN strike over outsourcing looms as management and CWU meet on Tuesday
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Fin24 reports that the outcome of a meeting between the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the management of MTN on Tuesday could decide whether or not strike action commences.
Gautrain workers threaten to strike over salary increases
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EWN reports that Gautrain workers affiliated to the United National Transport Union (Untu) are threatening to strike if their employer, concessionary Bombela, won’t compromise on salary increases.
Western Cape junior doctors to get relief from 30-hour shifts
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Cape Times reports that from next year junior doctors in the Western Cape will no longer be required to work 30-hour shifts in order to be accredited.
Pietermaritzburg bus driver transporting dozen of passengers shot dead by hijackers
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Caxton News Service reports that a bus driver died after he was shot in Pietermaritzburg while transporting about 50 people on Monday night.
Web links to selected labour news reports posted on 15 August 2016
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Our links page provides references to South African labour news reports we have come across on the Internet on Monday, 15 August 2016
Students shut two KZN campuses in protest against 2017 fee hikes
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Bloomberg and TMG Digital report that the Mangosuthu University of Technology and the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) were closed on Monday as a result of student protests.
Telkom granted interdict against illegal activities by CWU and strikers
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Business Report writes that Telkom on Monday afternoon secured an urgent interim court order interdicting and restraining CWU and its members from a number of illegal activities associated with the union’s current strike.
Roundup of labour news on Monday, 15 August 2016
- Details
In our Monday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Friday, 12 August 2016.
Denosa threatens to withdraw all KZN members over safety issues
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EWN reports that the Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) in KwaZulu-Natal has threatened to withdraw all its members in areas where their safety was no longer guaranteed, if nothing was done to improve the situation by 31 August.
AngloGold fumes as mass safety audits debilitate its SA mines
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David McKay reports that Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan (Venkat), CEO of AngloGold Ashanti, has added his voice to criticism that the South African government is wrongly applying safety-related audits and checks.
Some Lily Mine workers take voluntary severance packages
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ANA reports that a number of employees at Vantage Goldfields’ Lily Gold Mine in Barberton have taken voluntary severance packages and left the mine, according to the mining company. Lily Mine director of operations Mike Begg said many others were still there.
Amcu to launch trust fund and housing project for families of Marikana victims
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TMG Digital reports that the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) will on Tuesday launch the Marikana Massacre Amcu Trust Fund and a housing project to assist the families of those who died in 2012.