THE Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has remained coy over reports it has abandoned its mandate of defending workers.
On Tuesday, the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO) released a statement saying they have learned the CCMA will no longer be mediating disputes between employers and employees due to a R600 million budget cut.
“Although the treasury-imposed cuts form part of a generalised austerity project, the attack on the CCMA must also be seen as yet another example of the state departing from the post-apartheid labour relations consensus based on collective bargaining and speedy, collaborative dispute resolution,” said CWAO in a statement.
This comes on the back of the unemployment rate reaching 43.1 per cent according to the latest released statistics.
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In a short response, the CCMA said they could not confirm or deny the reports as their budget is currently undergoing internal review and approval. “The CCMA, as with other public institutions and entities, has been affected by the limitations in the fiscus. These government-wide financial constraints have compelled the CCMA to review its operations and re-prioritise spending,” said the CCMA.
“The CCMA remains committed to its legislative mandate to stabilise the labour market and provide expeditious dispute resolution,” said Cameron Morajane, the CCMA Director.
The CCMA said they will issue a statement on 27 November once the process has been finalised.
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