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Durban - Proposed changes to existing labour legislation were not meant to do away with fixed term contracts completely, a labour department official said on Tuesday.
“But if you want to exploit workers, that is where the law will come in,” chief director of labour relations Thembinkosi Mkalipi said during public consultations on proposed labour law amendments.
“If labour brokers complied with the law, we would not be where we are... thousands of workers are working under hard conditions.”
He said currently the law did not define labour broking. A person on a fixed term contract should be allowed the same benefits as a permanent employee.
Under discussion are the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Labour Relations Act and the employment services bill.
The proposals include making employers pay fixed term contract workers equal or similar benefits as permanent staff. Another change would allow sectoral determinations that may prohibit or regulate the placement of employees by temporary employment services, subcontracting and contract work.
A representative of trade federation Cosatu said labour broking amounted to human trafficking.
“If labour brokers did not affect us negatively, we would not be here. Labour broking is no worse than human trafficking,” Cosatu representative Thami Mzileni said.
The bills were published on December 17 last year. The closing date for public comments is February 17 2011.
“But if you want to exploit workers, that is where the law will come in,” chief director of labour relations Thembinkosi Mkalipi said during public consultations on proposed labour law amendments.
“If labour brokers complied with the law, we would not be where we are... thousands of workers are working under hard conditions.”
He said currently the law did not define labour broking. A person on a fixed term contract should be allowed the same benefits as a permanent employee.
Under discussion are the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Labour Relations Act and the employment services bill.
The proposals include making employers pay fixed term contract workers equal or similar benefits as permanent staff. Another change would allow sectoral determinations that may prohibit or regulate the placement of employees by temporary employment services, subcontracting and contract work.
A representative of trade federation Cosatu said labour broking amounted to human trafficking.
“If labour brokers did not affect us negatively, we would not be here. Labour broking is no worse than human trafficking,” Cosatu representative Thami Mzileni said.
The bills were published on December 17 last year. The closing date for public comments is February 17 2011.
