Pretoria – The Department of Labour says the amended Labour Relations Act (LRA) will provide more protection for temporary workers in cases of abuse or unfair dismissal.
The department’s Director of Collective Bargaining, Ian Macun, on Monday said the amendment will "deal decisively with abuses subjected to temporary employees".
"The amendment will place joint and several liability on the door steps of both the temporary employment services and the client," Macun said at a labour road show in Cape Town.
He said temporary workers must be treated the same as permanent workers, unless there is a justifiable reason for the contrary.
The key labour laws that were amended and are now in force include the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Act (BCEA), Labour Relations Amendment Act, Employment Equity Amendment Act and Employment Services Act (no 4 of 2014) assented and gazetted on 7 April 2014. Promulgation is expected to be effected in April.
The Department of Labour and Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) national road shows are aimed at educating stakeholders on the role of bargaining and statutory councils, addressing current problems in industrial disputes and dispute resolution and broad changes relating to the protection of employees earning up to the BCEA threshold of R205 433.30.
The road shows are targeted at employer organisations, trade unions, academics, human resource practitioners and the public at large.
The road shows started on 16 February in Cape Town. Since then, presentations have been in Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Durban, Polokwane, Mbombela, Rustenburg, Pretoria, East London and Port Elizabeth. – SAnews.gov.za
