Bargaining councils are an integral part of the South African labour landscape and were established with the aim of maintaining a favourable , positive and constructive relationship between employers and employees .
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INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Bargaining council compliance is crucial but time-consuming By Tania Govender , sales director at Worldwide Staffing
Bargaining councils are an integral part of the South African labour landscape and were established with the aim of maintaining a favourable , positive and constructive relationship between employers and employees .
There are currently more than 40 functioning bargaining councils in the private sector , positioned to promote , monitor and enforce compliance with labour practices among businesses . These councils typically deal with collective agreements , solve labour disputes , establish various schemes and comment on labour policies and laws . They also serve to manage funds that will benefit their members or relevant parties , and to make proposals regarding the laws affecting the specific sector .
A bargaining council can be established by either one or more employers , organisations or workers unions , and they must be registered under the Labour Relations Act for a specific sector or industry .
With labour and staff often forming the crux of any business , dealings with bargaining councils cannot , and should not , be avoided . In fact , an employer is
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The processes surrounding engagement with bargaining councils can often be lengthy .
Managing all of the elements ( for compliance ) in trying to run a business can be extremely time consuming .
legally obligated to register with a specific bargaining council , if the business ’ s core function is prescribed in the scope of application of any bargaining council . Employers must also comply with the terms and conditions as set out in the collective agreement of the bargaining council .
PROLONGED PROCESSES
The processes surrounding engagement with bargaining councils can often be lengthy , taxing and complex . Due to these prolonged processes , the South African labour market continues to see delayed wage increases , challenges to negotiated outcomes , as well as industrial action resulting from these delays or from failures to resolve escalating conflicts in the labour market .
From an employer ’ s perspective , engaging and managing a relationship with a bargaining council is often more than just a time-consuming exercise . It also redirects
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