Organise black business and labour have called for an overhaul of the labour-law system because unionised workers have lost faith in it.
Sandile Zungu, the secretary-general of the Black Business Council, said the formal bargaining system needs to be amended.
"Clearly the current system is not working, especially when trade unions are undermined by their own members who go outside the system and cut good deals for themselves," Zungu said.
"We should get the whole Labour Relations Act, Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and central bargaining system to be reconfigured so that workers regain confidence in the system and it becomes the only way to resolve labour disputes," he added.
Zungu said a volatile labour climate brought uncertainty to foreigners who wanted to invest in South Africa and this could impact on job-creation.
He warned that rising labour costs would result in many companies using machines and laying off staff in the long-term.
Zungu's comments came amid a wave of illegal strikes which have hit gold and platinum mines.
Federation of Unions of South Africa secretary general Dennis George said the rethink of labour legislation should result in all sectors of the economy having bargaining councils. "It is baffling to see that mining, a sector that is more than 100 years old, for instance, does not have a bargaining structure," George said.
He suggested that there should be four bargaining councils in mining to cover gold, coal, platinum and the other remaining sectors. The bargaining councils should create a job grading system, which would lead to workers being paid according to their years of experience and positions they hold, he said.
"The councils should also have research arms that will assist workers to make informeddecisionswhen requesting for a pay rise," he said.
CI Holdings chairwoman Anna Mokgokong said proper channels of communication between workers, unions and employers should be set-up to avoid violent labour disputes.
"There should be effective communication with labour organisations,"saidMokgokong, whose company has investments in mining.
"Instead of protesting, workers should employ effective meansofcommunication," Mokgokong said.
She said Marikana w as a wake-upcallthatblack entrepreneurs should do more for mining communities.
"We black people can't just take profits from mines while our people live in squalor. Marikana is a wake-up call that we should take more interest in the welfare of our people," Mokgokong said.
'Overhaul system': Business-Labour bargaining is failing
Organise black business and labour have called for an overhaul of the labour-law system because unionised workers have lost faith in it.
Sandile Zungu, the secretary-general of the Black Business Council, said the formal bargaining system needs to be amended.
"Clearly the current system is not working, especially when trade unions are undermined by their own members who go outside the system and cut good deals for themselves," Zungu said.
"We should get the whole Labour Relations Act, Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration and central bargaining system to be reconfigured so that workers regain confidence in the system and it becomes the only way to resolve labour disputes," he added.
Zungu said a volatile labour climate brought uncertainty to foreigners who wanted to invest in South Africa and this could impact on job-creation.
He warned that rising labour costs would result in many companies using machines and laying off staff in the long-term.
Zungu's comments came amid a wave of illegal strikes which have hit gold and platinum mines.
Federation of Unions of South Africa secretary general Dennis George said the rethink of labour legislation should result in all sectors of the economy having bargaining councils. "It is baffling to see that mining, a sector that is more than 100 years old, for instance, does not have a bargaining structure," George said.
He suggested that there should be four bargaining councils in mining to cover gold, coal, platinum and the other remaining sectors. The bargaining councils should create a job grading system, which would lead to workers being paid according to their years of experience and positions they hold, he said.
"The councils should also have research arms that will assist workers to make informeddecisionswhen requesting for a pay rise," he said.
CI Holdings chairwoman Anna Mokgokong said proper channels of communication between workers, unions and employers should be set-up to avoid violent labour disputes.
"There should be effective communication with labour organisations,"saidMokgokong, whose company has investments in mining.
"Instead of protesting, workers should employ effective meansofcommunication," Mokgokong said.
She said Marikana w as a wake-upcallthatblack entrepreneurs should do more for mining communities.
"We black people can't just take profits from mines while our people live in squalor. Marikana is a wake-up call that we should take more interest in the welfare of our people," Mokgokong said.
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