R60m set aside to monitor labour brokers

THE government has set aside R60million to employ additional inspectors to monitor labour brokers and ensure that they adhere to regulations currently being amended, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said yesterday.

Employing inspectors for the next financial year, in categories such as enforcing labour law and ensuring workers' safety, was a priority, Oliphant said.

The money would go towards employing and training them.

She said talks were being held at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) between the government, unions and business to address problems in labour brokering legislation.

Workers have, in the current wage strikes, demanded the banning of labour brokers. Oliphant blamed unions for not informing their members about progress made on the issue at Nedlac.

Nedlac representatives had agreed on certain amendments and were sent to report back to their constituencies.

Oliphant said she was told by Cosatu that raising the issue was part of bargaining.

She said banning brokers was not going to happen since they were legal entities. Hence the move to amend the laws regulating them.

She warned workers against conflating salaries and labour brokering in their strikes.

"They (workers) must respect the structures (Nedlac) and must negotiate with employers, come with consensus, and wait for the process to be finalised at Nedlac," she said.

Businesses that made use of fixed-term contract workers could now no longer terminate contracts. This would be seen as unfair dismissal, Oliphant said.

She expressed confidence that there would be "a better set of amendments" on the country's labour legislation once the Nedlac process had been concluded.

Meetings for further discussion were scheduled for tomorrow, and two others next month.

Oliphant praised those unions and employers who had concluded their negotiations. Six trade unions signed a three-year wage agreement on Monday, ending a nationwide strike in the sector.