South African Transport and Workers’ Union (Satawu) on Wednesday said it was delighted to learn that the Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, has finally promulgated the three year wage agreement for the Private Security Service Industry, effective from June 16.
The union said the enactment was as the result of numerous protest marches by its members directed at the Department of Labour since the agreement was reached on November 12 last year between social partners in the industry.
In percentage terms this means that workers will get an overall increase of 10% inclusive of the 100% bonus for the first year and in the subsequent years, will receive an average of an 8% to 9% increase overall.
They will also be entitled to a night shift allowance, which will be progressively increased from R1,35 to R2,50 in the third year.
“Confusion surrounding the annual leave has been cleared in that workers will now be paid in terms of the BCEA. And for the first time workers will be entitled to a three day study leave,” Satawu stated.
As from June 16 there will also be a change in the calculation of wages. Calculations will be changed from an hourly rate of pay to a fixed monthly salary on the lowest grade of R1 300 in major cities and R91 100 in all other areas not covered by the determination.
Satawu contended that the hourly rate had been abused by employers.
The union added that it viewed these developments as a victory for workers.
“The next phase of struggle for decent working conditions in the security industry will be to reduce the current wage rate areas from five to two in the next two years. In this way the wage disparities for workers in different areas will be closed.”
Satawu said it saw this as an opportunity and challenge to vigorously pursue its objective of establishing a national bargaining council, so that the reliance on the Minister to promulgate wages was eradicated and that the industry could ultimately decide its destiny. – I-Net Bridge