Parliament - The SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) has
warned parliament that two key labour amendment bills would stifle
growth and job creation.
Sacci said on Monday it had listed 10 key problems with
the amendments to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the Labour
Relations Act in a submission to the portfolio committee on labour.
Its key areas of concern included the proposed
six-month limit to temporary work contracts, and the provision that
temporary workers may sue for unfair dismissal due to a reasonable
expectation of an extension of their contract or offer of permanent
employment.
Sacci also took issue with greater powers given to the
labour minister to regulate labour-broking, outsourcing and
sub-contracting, and to determine increases on rates of pay in sectoral
determinations.
The chamber said the two laws in question formed the
basis of South Africa's labour legislation, and it was therefore vital
that they should facilitate job creation and economic growth.
"Unfortunately, some of the proposed amendments... do
exactly the opposite by imposing further costs on business to employ
workers and increasing the rigidity in the market for temporary
employment services."
