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With the Wholesale and Retail Sector multi-year Sectoral Determination coming to an end next January the Department of Labour is to begin a national consultative process to engage the industry on the modalities of setting a new multi-year minimum wage adjustment structure and discuss conditions of employment in the sector.

The current Sectoral Determination comes to an end on 31 January 2016, and the new three-year Sectoral Determination is expected to kick-in on 1 February 2016. The national public hearings are targeted at all affected directly and indirectly including employers, employer organisations, employees, and trade unions to air their inputs.

The Wholesale and Retail Sector Sectoral Determination review is in line with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), which empowers Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant to consult with stakeholders in the sector with the aim to source information in relation to the wage adjustment and conditions of employment. Issues that will be discussed during national public hearings include: discussing the structure of the new Sectoral Determination, allowances, leave structure and other issues.

The Wholesale and Retail Sector Sectoral Determination affects various categories of workers which includes: cashiers, clerks, assistant managers, displayers, forklift operators, security guards, merchandisers, managers, sales assistants, sales persons, shop assistant supervisors and trainee managers.
For the current Wholesale and Retail Sector Secotoral Determination which took effect from 1 February 2015 the minimum wage increased at rates between 6,1% to 8,1% in various job categories.

The national Wholesale and Retail Sector roadshows are set to begin on 6 May 2015 simultaneously at the department’s East London Labour Centre Board& Hill Street; and in George at the Council Chambers Eden District Municipality 54 York Street in the Western Cape. All the public hearings will be preceded a day before by a site visit to premises of organisations/companies operating in the sector(s).

Both public hearings and site visits will start at 10am. The Wholesale and Retail Sector public hearings are set to end on 5 June 2015 in KwaZulu-Natal.

Issued by The Department of Labour