Labour minister Membathisi Mdladlana has once again slammed the pace of introducing labour-broking legislation, saying the department will find ways of fast-tracking the lengthy process.
Speaking at a meeting of the Motor Industry Bargaining Council, Mdladlana criticised the progress made by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). Mdladlana says he has lost patience with the slow progress and has threatened to leave Nedlac out of the process.
“It has been five years now and they're still sitting on the matter. I don't have time to play around. Now is the time for us to govern. And we are going to govern. So be prepared for drama," he says.
The minister says a constitutional law team has been appointed to draw up amendments to the Labour Relations Act. He adds that public hearings held around the country have only delayed the introduction of amendments to the relevant legislation.
Nedlac has held negotiations on various proposals and heated public hearings have also been held in Parliament. Mdladlana says the same process has been drawn out since 2004 and the department would proceed without Nedlac input, if any more delays were experienced.
regulation of all temporary employment services.
While the department's proposed amendments indicate the move towards greater regulation, only the draft amendments will reveal the fate of temporary employment services. The changes are expected within the next two months, with the minister pushing to have the Bills passed by April 2010.
Who's boss?
Mdladlana acknowledges that Nedlac's role cannot be ignored, but adds the department could table amendments at a faster pace than the Department of Trade and Industry body.
If proposed changes to the labour laws are approved by Cabinet, they would be referred to Nedlac for consideration and would only reach Parliament with the council's approval.
Nedlac previously stated the first phase of negotiations is complete, but no decisions on the direction government should take on labour broking have been made. The council said the amendments will reflect submissions made by government, employers and organised labour.
Mdladlana says other changes would seek to introduce a public employment service, which would connect unemployed people with possible employers. Job seekers, as well as prospective employers, would be able to use the state-run service for free.
This could anger the Congress of the South African Trade Unions, which has rejected the department's proposals, saying a total ban is the only solution. Following a resolution taken at its congress, the federation says it will embark on a mass strike if government fails to ban labour broking by 2010.
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