Back to: Introduction to the Labour Relations Act (LRA)
10.1 Bargaining Councils for Public Service
Welcome to Module 10 of our course on the Labour Relations Act, 1995. In this module, we will focus on the schedules and transitional arrangements provided by the Act, starting with the provisions related to bargaining councils for the public service.
The Labour Relations Act provides for the establishment of bargaining councils specifically for the public service. These councils are established to promote collective bargaining and dispute resolution within the public sector, ensuring that the unique needs and circumstances of public service employees and employers are addressed.
The Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) is the central bargaining council for the public service. It has the authority to negotiate and conclude collective agreements on matters that apply across the entire public service. Additionally, sectoral bargaining councils can be established for specific sectors within the public service, such as education, health, and safety and security. These sectoral councils handle sector-specific issues and negotiations.
The establishment and functioning of these councils are governed by the same principles and procedures as other bargaining councils, including the requirement for registration, the adoption of a constitution, and the resolution of disputes. The aim is to ensure that public service employees have a platform for collective bargaining and that their rights and interests are effectively represented.