The Department of Labour says the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Bill and supporting Basic Conditions of Employment and Labour Relations Bills are currently before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour, for consideration.
The department is dedicating the month of May (Workers Month) to the National Minimum Wage, which is meant to improve the lives of the workers in South Africa.
According to the department, more than six million workers are expected to benefit from the National Minimum Wage when it is introduced. It proposes, among other things, that the National Minimum Wage level be set at R20 per hour and be reviewed annually. However, the minimum wages for domestic and farm workers will initially be set at R15 and R18 an hour respectively.
The department says the National Minimum Wage is heralded as one of the progressive policy tools aimed at addressing wage inequalities and start the journey of strengthening collective bargaining that will lead towards a living wage for working people.
The NMW Bill is supported by the Labour Relations and the Basic Conditions of Employment Bills.
“The Labour Relations Bill is aimed at also addressing the often long, protracted and violent strikes by proposing clause that will ultimately see labour market stability, while encouraging collective bargaining.
“On the other hand, the Basic Conditions of Employment Bill is, among others, responsible for setting up the National Minimum Wage Commission, which will review the NMW on an annual basis,” the Department of Labour said in a statement.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Bill will also beef up monitoring and enforcement of the National Minimum Wage.
The Department of Labour will announce the programme of action for Workers Month, with a specific theme that will focus on monitoring, enforcement and readiness of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
The programme, which will be circulated to the media, will be characterised by izimbizo that will take place in various provinces. – SAnews.gov.za
