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.
In our Wednesday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Tuesday, 11 June 2017.
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Uber to go to court to set aside CCMA ruling that ‘driver partners’ are employees The Citizen reports that Uber will be challenging this week’s ruling by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) that seven deactivated drivers of the app-based service are employees and not “driver partners”. The ruling was based on the fact that the company could deactivate the drivers’ access to the app. The ruling was welcomed by a drivers’ lobby group called ‘The Movement’, but Uber said on Tuesday that it would seek a review of the ruling in the Labour Court. Uber stated: “There is a long legal challenge ahead before this ruling can be considered a win, or a loss for any side.” The company added: “The vast majority of drivers who use Uber tell us it is because of this freedom and flexibility that they signed up to use the Uber app.” But according to the CCMA ruling, the drivers are subject to Uber’s control as contained in the deactivation policy. Uber also claimed that in the meantime the finding would only apply to the seven individuals in question. Read this report by Yadhana Jadoo in full at The Citizen
Thirty fishermen rescued on Tuesday from burning vessel off Durban coast News24 reports that an international crew of 30 fishermen from a burning Taiwanese vessel were rescued off the Durban coast on Tuesday, the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) has said. Crew members from the Hsiang Fuh no.6 were rescued after the Maritime Rescue Co-ordinating Centre in Cape Town (MRCC CT) was notified that a container ship, the Ever Diadem, spotted the burning vessel about 10km from its position. The crew had already abandoned ship on two life rafts about 736km east-north-east of Durban and 496km from the closest shore. The vessel apparently caught fire on Sunday off the coast of Madagascar. The survivors were brought to Durban on Tuesday. Read this report by Mxolisi Mngadi and Iavan Pijoos in full at News24
AngloGold’s Pityana warns of more cuts in mining BusinessLive reports that AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) chairman Sipho Pityana has warned of further job cuts in mining, saying SA’s macroeconomic policies made it impossible to sustain jobs. This came after AGA announced its plans to retrench 8,500 of its workforce, presenting a further blow to the sector and contributing to what analysts have called a "jobs bloodbath". Speaking at the Gordon Institute of Business Studies forum on ethical leadership on Tuesday night, Pityana said the situation in mining was complex and local conditions had not made it easier to continue with business as usual. He also called on business to assess its role in how black professionals were being treated. Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive Other labour/community posting(s) in this news category
Other general internet posting(s) on mining
Pretoria Zoo non-striking employee allegedly assaulted by protesters News24 reports that a non-striking employee of the National Zoological Gardens of SA (NZG) in Pretoria was allegedly assaulted as he tried to get to work on Tuesday morning. Employees affiliated to the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) began a strike on 8 July in relation to overtime pay. Zoo spokesman Craig Allenby said: "They beat him, but he managed to get away. He wasn’t too badly hurt, but it was very traumatic for him." Other employees were also intimidated and prevented from entering the zoo to work, Allenby said, adding that some were traumatised by the experience and had since gone home. There have also been some incidents of damage to property, as well as litter strewn across the zoo entrance. The zoo has laid criminal charges. Allenby also said enough staff managed to get into work on Tuesday for the animals to be fed and looked after. Read this report by Alex Mitchley in full at News24. Read too, Strike continues at National Zoo, at The Citizen Pretoria Zoo hires casual workers to help during strike EWN reports that the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria has hired casual workers to keep the facility running smoothly amid a strike by its employees. Workers affiliated to the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) are demanding higher pay for working weekends. Non-striking employees have apparently been intimidated and one was assaulted on Tuesday. Zoo spokesperson Craig Allenby said: “We have brought in some casual workers to help. They’ll assist with picking up litter and cleaning. We have sufficient staff to take care of the animals.” The Zoo claims that workers have violated the regulations of the Gathering Act by blockading and littering at the entrances. A short report by Tendani Mulaudzi is at EWN
Metal and engineering employers bypass centralised collective bargaining BusinessLive reports that employer organisations in the metal and engineering sector are negotiating directly with workers after failing to reach agreement with unions on wages, while trade unions have threatened industrial action. Wage negotiations started on 7 June, but have collapsed. Certain parties have declared disputes at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC). Unions have rejected a 5.4% wage offer and have instead demanded increases of 10% to 12%. The decision not to continue negotiating collectively exposes the disjuncture between big businesses, represented by Seifsa, and smaller enterprises (SMMEs), represented by Neasa. Seifsa said it would hold bilateral meetings with unions to do "everything possible" to avoid a strike. But, Neasa has warned that it saw no ending to negotiations other than industrial action because trade union Numsa was negotiating in bad faith and "hell-bent" on strike action. Meantime, the United Association of SA (Uasa) claimed that it has reached agreement with some companies that had approached labour individually, outside of employer bodies. Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive Saftu strongly supports Numsa in metal and engineering sector wage battle ANA reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) on Tuesday urged its members and “all other workers” to throw their weight behind the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), which it said was involved in a “life-or-death struggle” in the metal and engineering sector. Numsa, which is a member of Saftu, is demanding a 15% wage hike across the board and has rejected the latest offer from employers. “Numsa has quite rightly rejected the latest offer from employers,” said Saftu in a statement and added that another point of contention was the employers offer to implement a minimum rate of R20 per hour for new entrants to the sector when the present minimum was R40. Saftu said that Numsa must not fight alone and, if it were left with no choice but to strike, “Saftu and the whole trade union movement must rally and mobilise its forces and flood the streets in solidarity action.” Read this report in full at The Citizen. Read Saftu’s press statement at Saftu online
Nurse gets court order forcing Gauteng health to place her at clinic of her choice The Citizen reports that a qualified nurse has obtained an urgent court order forcing the Gauteng health department to place her at the clinic of her choice for her year of community service. With the help of trade union Solidarity, Dané Hertz approached the High Court in Pretoria after being given the run-around with her placement since November last year. Although the department initially indicated it would oppose her application, no opposing papers were filed and a settlement was reached, which the judge confirmed as a court order on Tuesday. The department was given 30 days to place Hertz at the OR Tambo Clinic in Johannesburg, which is just eight kilometres from hertz’s house. Anton van der Bijl of Solidarity’s centre for fair labour practices said: “We’re flooded with doctors and nurses with similar problems and we’re very happy about the precedent set by this matter for future cases.” Read this report by Ilse de Lange in full at The Citizen. Read Solidarity’s press statement in this regard at Solidarity online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Eskom to clarify position on possible closure of four power stations next week EWN reports that Eskom says it will clarify its position on the possibility of closing down four power stations when it releases its financial results next Wednesday. The power utility postponed announcing the results on Tuesday because it said it wanted to meet with all interested parties first after they had complained that some issues were being made public without consulting them. Eskom’s Khulu Phasiwe said: “When we do meet with the unions, we’ll be informing them of the plans. The government is concerned as it’s likely to result in job losses. When Eskom releases the result, we’re going to clarify our position on this matter.” A short report by Gia Nicolaides is at EWN Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Higher education department gets EU funding to audit TVET colleges Daily News reports that the Higher Education and Training Department (DHET) has sourced funding from the EU to audit and verify infrastructure at technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. Minister Blade Nzimande revealed this in a parliamentary response when he was asked about the maintenance of the infrastructure of colleges. It is envisaged that the stalled audit process will be continued with during the third quarter of 2017. Nzimande’s comments came after he said last week his department did not have information on how many beds were available for students. Meantime, in an effort to find funds for colleges, the DHET and National Treasury are investigating public-private partnerships in order to provide student housing. The Democratic Alliance has described the lack of accommodation at colleges as a serious problem. Read this report by Mayibongwe Maqhina in full at Daily News
ANC gives nod to proposal that NHI be funded by stopping medical aid tax rebates BusinessLive reports that the ANC confirmed on Monday that it supported the policy proposal put forward by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to use money allocated for tax rebates to South Africans on medical aid to fund National Health Insurance (NHI). Naledi Pandor, chairwoman of the subcommittee on education, health, science and technology of the ANC national executive committee, made the pronouncement following the governing party’s policy conference last week. Pandor said that the medical aid tax rebates amounted to about R20bn. The tax rebate was not an additional tax, but money taxpayers were able to claim back, Pandor indicated. The possibility of stopping these rebates was raised in the recent NHI white paper. Pandor also said there was consensus that NHI should remain a government priority. Read this report by Claudi Mailovich in full at BusinessLive
Gauteng temporarily closes some taxi ranks and routes in Soweto ANA reports that the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport on Tuesday announced the temporary closure of disputed taxi ranks and routes in Soweto following months of intimidation and violence. Transport MEC Ismail Vadi invoked extraordinary measures to close ranks and related routes operated by the Nancefield Dube West Taxi Association (Nanduwe) and Witwatersrand Taxi Association (Wata) in Soweto. The affected ranks and routes include Mofolo Kwa-Mthethwa informal taxi rank, Makhetha Stores informal taxi rank, Dube Station taxi rank, Makhetha Garage taxi rank in Phefeni and Uncle Tom’s taxi rank. The month-long extraordinary measure will take effect from Thursday this week until 13 August. Vadi said: “We have concrete and credible evidence that the violence, unrest and instability are of such high level to justify extraordinary measures.” Commuters have been advised to use alternative public transport in Soweto such as rail, busses and Rea Vaya services Read this report in full at Engineering News
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