Building industry negotiates on wage rates and employment conditions

THE BUILDING INDUSTRY BARGAINING COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON The Building Industry Bargaining Council ( Cape of Good Hope) has issued a notice to non- party employers and employees regarding the commencement of negotiations affecting employment c onditions in the building industry.

The employer and trade union parties to the BIBC are preparing to enter substantive industry negotiations later this year to consider general employment conditions as well as wages, among other matters.

Negotiations are scheduled to run from November 1 2016 to November 31 2017, but could be extended if necessary.

“The period may be extended for up to three years as it has been in the past, but this will be determined by the parties,” says Ronel Sheehan, Secretary for the Building Industry Bargaining Council ( Cape of Good Hope).

Once negotiations are concluded, the BIBC applies to the Minister of Labour for the extension of the Collective Agreement to non-parties in terms of the Labour Relations Act. The amended Collective Agreement is published in the Government Gazette.

“Non-party employers and employees within the Council’s registered scope have therefore been invited to make submissions for consideration by the Parties of the Bargaining Council as part of their deliberations,” adds Sheehan. She notes that: The Collective Agreement is aimed at ensuring stability in the building industry and governs the industry as a whole. It covers the critical elements of minimum wages and benefits - clauses that have a wide-ranging effect on the industry as a whole. Employers and employees in the Peninsula, Boland, Malmesbury and Overstrand areas are represented by the Master Builders’ and Allied Trades Association Western Cape; Boland Master Builders’ and Allied Trades Association; Building Workers’ Union; Building, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa; National Union of Mineworkers and the Building Construction and Allied Workers’ Union. Submissions must be in writing, addressed to The Secretary, Private Bag X29, Bellville 7535 or e-mailed to rsheehan@ bibc. co. za, to reach the BIBC by no later than March 30, 2016.

For further information, please visit www. bibc. co. za or phone 021 950 7400.

The Building Industry Bargaining Council (Cape of Good Hope) is a sector and area-specific bargaining council created in terms of the Labour Relations Act of 1995.

The council’s area of jurisdiction covers an area of approximately 4000km2 and includes the Cape Peninsula, Malmesbury, Boland and Overstrand regions. In this area, any person engaged in building activity is legally obliged to be registered with the BIBC and to comply with the collective agreements.

The BIBC also administers these collective agreements, resolves labour disputes in the building industry, and administers social benefit funds such as retirement, medical aid, sick pay and holiday pay for employees.