The Department of Labour
The Employment Standards Directorate
Private Bag X117
PRETORIA
0001          
31 August 2007

Attention: Mr Shaun Feldman

NWSSDF SUBMISSION
In support of the Investigation in the Welfare Sector

The NWSSDF is pleased to note the progress the Department of Labour is making in protecting the rights of workers in South Africa through various initiatives from skills development to sectoral determinations.

We would like to hereby place on record our formal support for the current investigation into the welfare sector as part of our Human Rights Advocacy Programme. Worker’s rights within the welfare sector are not always given priority and we feel that it may be prudent to promote legislative measures to ensure that worker’s rights are protected.

The NWSSDF supports the process of creating minimum wage standards for employees in the welfare sector for the following reasons:

1. The stipulation of minimum wages will prove beneficial for the least skilled and least paid staff members of welfare organisations who are not protected by other labour legislation, union representation or professional associations.
2. The stipulation of minimum wages will also serve to address the discrepancies in salaries paid to social workers in the non-profit sector as compared to salaries paid to state employed social workers. These discrepancies highlight the violation of the “equal pay for equal work” principle and is a contributing causal factor in the high staff turnover rate in non-profit organisations. We believe that these salary discrepancies may eventually lead to a reduction of vital psycho-social support services to poor and marginalised citizens in the long term.

Further, we would also like to point out that the process of consultation to determine a minimum wage can only be completed in consultation with the Department of Social Development (DoSD) which is in the process of developing norms and standards for the provision of social welfare services, as well as developing a costing model for the delivery of these services by non-profit organisations. It is vital that the Department of Labour and the DoSD together with key civil society groups work together to ensure that there is no conflict between the proposed minimum wage stipulations and the costing model for norms and standards, as this will lead to dire financial consequences for non-profit organisations and ultimately lead to job losses and possible termination of services in the welfare sector.

Finally, the NWSSDF is prepared to assist and participate in this process with technical support and sector consultations so as to ensure that the Employment Conditions Commission has a clear understanding of these matters to make the best choice in respect of a sectoral determination for the welfare sector.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require further clarity on our position or require support to conclude this process.

Yours sincerely

Rajesh Latchman
National Coordinator

CC:
1. Department of Social Development
2. NACOSS
3. SACSSP
4. HOSPERSA

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