The National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry in South Africa recently ratified South Africa's first COVID-19 Lockdown National Collective Agreement. The collective agreement was concluded following quick national-level negotiations between the parties to the clothing industry bargaining council.
The signatories to the clothing industry agreement are the Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU), the Apparel & Textile Association of South Africa (ATASA) and the South African Apparel Association (SAAA).The National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry in South Africa has ratified South Africa's first COVID-19 Lockdown National Collective Agreement. The collective agreement, submitted to the department of labour, was concluded following quick national-level negotiations between the parties to the clothing industry bargaining council.#
The main features of the agreement include guaranteed full pay for a six-week lockdown period for 80, 000 clothing industry workers, setting up of a ‘Clothing Industry COVID-19 Lockdown Rapid Response Task Team’ to manage immediate practical implementation matters arising from the conclusion of the agreement, and a firm belief that all South Africans—individuals and organisations alike—must not rely solely on government measures, but develop anti-COVID-19 support programmes.
The payment to workers will be made up of worker Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) amounts and employer funds, the council said in a press release.
The council will be the institution for the UIF distribution payments to workers in the sector, via company payroll systems.
The agreement has been submitted to the department of labour with a request for expedited emergency gazette notification and extension to non-party companies in the clothing industry.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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