Pretoria – The Department of Labour is set to begin a national consultative process with the wholesale and retail industry on a new multi-year minimum wage adjustment structure.
The department will also discuss conditions of employment in the sector.
The current wholesale and retail sector multi-year sectoral determination (SD) is coming to an end in January 2016 and the new three-year SD is expected to kick in on 1 February 2016.
The national public hearings are targeted at employers, employer organisations, employees and trade unions.
The wholesale and retail sector SD review is in line with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), which empowers the Labour Minister to consult with stakeholders in the sector to get information in relation to the wage adjustment and conditions of employment.
Issues to be discussed during national public hearings include the structure of the new SD, allowances, leave structure and other issues.
The wholesale and retail sector SD affects various categories of workers including cashiers, clerks, assistant managers, displayers, forklift operators, security guards, merchandisers, managers, sales assistants, sales persons, shop assistant supervisors and trainee managers.
For the current SD, which took effect from 1 February 2015, the minimum wage increased at rates between 6.1% and 8.1% in various job categories.
The national wholesale and retail sector road shows are set to begin on 6 May simultaneously at the department’s East London Labour Centre Board& Hill Street and in George at the Council Chambers Eden District Municipality 54 York Street in the Western Cape.
All the public hearings will be preceded by a site visit to premises of organisations/companies operating in the sector(s).
Both public hearings and site visits will start at 10am. The wholesale and retail sector public hearings are set to end on 5 June in KwaZulu-Natal. – SAnews.gov.za
