Competition Tribunal again extends PepsiCo ESOP compliance period.
Government is working on a public-sector remuneration strategy that will affect 1.33 million state employees, and Nehawu loses its bid to have 47,000 community workers hired permanently. Meanwhile, the Competition Tribunal again extends the compliance period for PepsiCo ESOP and Clicks joins forces with the government to promote the Vooma Vaccination Weekend.
Nehawu loses bid to have contract workers made permanent
Nehawu’s attempt to have more than 47,000 community health workers (CHWs) employed permanently by the government has failed.
Nehawu believes that the fixed-term contracts of the workers contravene the provisions of the Labour Relations Act, which states that contracts of more than three months cannot be rolled over unless the employer can justify this.
The union took the matter to the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council.
The Department of Health and eight provincial health departments, excluding the Western Cape, argued that the health workers’ conditions are regulated by a collective agreement signed in 2018.
The arbitrator appointed by the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council, issued an award in favour of the Department of Health and the provincial departments, finding that the workers were all regulated by the 2018 agreement and that this did not contravene the Act.
Public-sector remuneration strategy for state employees
National government is developing a comprehensive public-sector remuneration strategy that will apply to the 1.33 million public servants employed in departments, state-owned enterprises, public entities and local government.
According to the National Treasury’s Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), which was presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on 11 November, an additional allocation of R20.5 billion has been provided for in the 2022/23 budget for wage bill adjustments.
Clicks supports Vooma Vaccination Weekend
Government's Vooma Vaccination Weekend, from 12 to 14 November, will be supported by 306 Clicks vaccination sites countrywide.
Vikash Singh, Clicks managing executive, says, “Our Clicks vaccination sites will be open all day on the weekend to support the community and make vaccinations more accessible for those not able to get vaccinated during the week. We are particularly targeting the age 12 to 17 cohort and people aged 50 and over who have not yet been vaccinated.”
Covid-19 vaccination is free of charge and available for eligible individuals with or without medical aid.
Tribunal extends PepsiCo Esop compliance period
The Competition Tribunal has again extended the compliance period for the PepsiCo implementation of a landmark broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) employee share ownership plan (Esop).
The Esop was imposed as a condition in the March 2020 merger whereby PepsiCo indirectly acquired Pioneer Food Group, through local subsidiary Simba.
The merger was the first major transaction in which the promotion of a greater spread of ownership in firms – in particular, by workers and historically disadvantaged persons – was a central issue in assessing the transaction under the provisions of the Competition Amendment Act.
