Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act No. 66 of 1995)

Notices

National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry

Extension to Non-Parties of the COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment & other Essential Products Collective Agreement

1. Preamble
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The parties record that

 

1.1 the primary intention of this collective agreement is to ensure that the South African clothing manufacturing industry contributes constructively to combating the spread of COVID -19, by assisting to provide anti-COVID-19 frontline combatants, South African - and our fellow citizens on the African continent specifically, and others globally, with quality Personal Protection Equipment ("PPE") and other essential products which are manufactured under decent employment conditions.

 

1.2. in addition to the provision of sub-clause 1.1 thereof, this collective agreement is intended to provide further concrete expanded expression to the "COVID-19 Lockdown II Collective Agreement: A South African Clothing Industry Love Story" as was adopted by the Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry of South Africa ("the Council") and as was published by the South African Minister of Employment & Labour, Minister Thembalani Waltermade Nxesi, in government gazette number GG 43354 on 26 May 2020.

 

1.3. in addition to the provision of sub-clause 1.2 of this collective agreement, the parties intend to provide further concrete expanded implementation expression to any other COVID-19 Lockdown- and all other collective agreements of the Council, as deemed appropriate from time to time.

 

1.4. they are of the view that the parties cannot only rely on government to fight the COVID-19 battle alone, but that we have a patriotic duty to play a supportive role by first drawing on our own resources, meagre and difficult as it might be, as a constructive contributory effort to combat this threat to the well-being of employees in the fashion- and related industry pipeline in our country, on our continent and the world at large.

 

1.5. this document constitutes a single agreement and shall be referred to as "The COVID-19 Personal Protection Equipment & Other Essential Products Collective Agreement" and/or "this collective agreement".

 

1.6. the conclusion of this agreement is urgent and important, in the light of unethical PPE manufacturing practices which have emerged in our country, such as that which had resulted in the recent arrest of a Durban-based owner who had locked his employees up in the workplace in order to exploit mask manufacturing market opportunities which are arising due to COVID-19.

 

1.7. confirm their commitment and belief that the fight against COVID-19 must involve, in a united and focused manner, all political parties, trade unions, state institutions and non-governmental organisations. In this regard, we reject the politicisation of PPE manufactured products, such as the display of party political emblems on fabric face masks.

 

1.8. call for PPE manufactured products to advance the objective of nation building, by promoting national symbols, such as the South African national flag.

 

1.9. to provide expanded access for social economy formations and black industrialists to participate in manufacturing opportunities which arise from the production of Personal Protection Equipment and Other Essential Products.

 

1.10. to be bound by the provisions of this preamble to this collective agreement, and that the said preamble forms a substantive part of this collective agreement.