Regulation No. R. 1660,1998

Government Gazette

Vol. 402, No. 19607, 18 December 1998 1998

Regulation Gazette, No. 6383

No. R. 1660

GOVERNMENT NOTICE

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR

LABOUR RELATIONS ACT, 1995
BARGAINING COUNCIL FOR THE FURNITURE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, KWAZULU-NATAL:
EXTENSION OF MAIN COLLECTIVE AMENDING AGREEMENT TO NON-PARTIES

Under section 32 (2) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act No. 66 of 1995), I, Membathisi Mphumzi Shepherd Mdladlana, Minister of Labour, hereby declare that, from 28 December 1998 to 30 June 2005, the Collective Amending Agreement in the Schedule, which was concluded in the Bargaining Council for the Furniture Manufacturing industry, KwaZulu-Natal, is binding on other employers and employees in that industry, not parties to that agreement, in the areas known as—

Area A in the Province of Natal, which consists of the Magisterial Districts of Camperdown, Chatsworth, Durban, Inanda, Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown, in the Province of Natal as it existed on 3 July 1954 and the Magisterial District of Mount Currie as it existed on 3 July 1954;
Area B. which consists of the Magisterial Districts of Umvoti (Greytown), Lions River, Port Shepstone, Richmond, Lower Tugela and Umzinto, and the municipal areas of Estcourt, Ladysmith and Newcastle as it existed on 3 July 1954;
Area C, which consists of the remainder of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, excluding any portion of those areas which fell within the self-governing territory of KwaZulu and the Republic of Transkei immediately prior to the commencement of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 (Act No. 200 of 1993).

M. M. S. MDLADLANA
Minister of Labour

SCHEDULE

BARGAINING COUNCIL FOR THE FURNITURE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, KWAZULU-NATAL

AGREEMENT

in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 1995, made and entered into by and between the

KwaZulu-Natal Furniture Manufacturers' Association

(hereinafter referred to as the "employers" or the "employers' organisation"), of the one part, and the

National Union of Furniture and Allied Workers of South Africa

(hereinafter referred to as the "employees" or the "trade union"), of the other part,

being the parties to the Bargaining Council for the Furniture Manufacturing Industry, KwaZulu-Natal,

to amend the Main Collective Agreement published under Government Notice No. R. 685 of 18 May 1998.

1. SCOPE OF APPLICATION

The terms of this Agreement shall be observed in the Furniture Manufacturing Industry, KwaZulu-Natal

by all employers who are members of the employers organisation and by all employees who are members of the trade union, and who are engaged and employed therein, respectively;

in Area A, which consists of the Magisterial Districts of Camperdown, Chatsworth, Durban, Inanda, Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown and Mount Currie

in Area B. which consists of the Magisterial Districts of Umvoti (Greytown), Lions River, Port Shepstone, Richmond, Lower Tugela and Umzinto and the municipal areas of Estcourt, Ladysmith and the Newcastle;

in Area C, which consists of the remainder of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subclause (1), the provisions of this Agreement shall—

(a) only apply in respect of employees for whom minimum wages are prescribed in this Agreement;

(b) apply to apprentices in so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Manpower Training Act,1981, or any contracts entered into or any conditions fixed thereunder;

(c) not apply to professional, technical, administrative, sales and office staff: Provided that such employees are in receipt of regular remuneration in excess of the maximum rate prescribed in Schedule A of this Agreement, excluding paragraph (XXI), plus R35,00;

(d) not apply to managers, submanagers, foremen and supervisory staff if such employees are in receipt of regular remuneration of not less than R40 920 per annum or where the employer of such staff does not provide or maintain a registered pension or registered provident fund and a registered medical aid fund, R48 140 per annum. These limits shall be increased from year to year by the same percentages as the increases granted to employees earning the highest rate set out in Schedule A of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subclauses (1) and (2), the provisions of the Agreement published under Government Notice No. R. 685 of 18 May 1998, excluding those contained in clauses 13 (1) and (2), 16,17 (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (9), 20 and 23, shall not apply to an employer who carries on not more than one business within the scope of application of this Agreement and who employs fewer than five employees at all times in or in connection with such business and who complies with the relevant provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1983: Provided that working employers shall be regarded as employees for the purpose of establishing the number of employees in such business: Provided further that where such an employer elects voluntarily to contribute to any of the funds administered by the Council, he shall be deemed to have five employees in his employ.
The provisions of subclause (3) of the afore-mentioned agreement shall not apply where an employer has more than four employees in his employ at the date of coming into operation of this Agreement, and subsequently reduces his number of employees to fewer than five.
Notwithstanding the provisions contained in subclause (3) of the afore-mentioned agreement no employer who has taken advantage of and enjoyed the exclusion contained therein shall continue to do so for a period exceeding three years and upon of expiry of the three-year period all the provisions of the Agreement shall apply to such employer and his employees.
The terms of this Agreement shall not apply to non-parties in respect of clauses 1 (1) (a) and 2.

2. PERIOD OF OPERATION OF AGREEMENT

This Agreement shall come into operation on such date as may be fixed by the Minister of Labour in terms of section 32 of the Labour Relations Act, 1995, and shall remain in force until 30 June 2005.

1. CLAUSE 38: DRIVERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES

Substitute the following pay subclause 37B (1):

No employer shall pay and no employee shall accept wages lower than those prescribed hereunder:

	Minimum
	Per hour	Per week
	R	R
Driver of a motor vehicle, other than steam-propelled, authorised to carry or haul a payload of—
up to and including 4 530 kg................................................................................ over 4 530 kg and up to and including 6 530 kg................................................... over 6 530 kg ....................................................................................................	10,56 10,64 10,95	464,72 468,09 481,61
Driver of a steam-propelled vehicle................................................................................	10,95	481,61
A casual employee driving a motor vehicle, other than steam-propelled............................ Daily rate prescribed weekly wage, plus 10%, dividend by 5
Casual employee driving a steam-propelled vehicle.......................................................... Daily rate prescribed weekly wage, plus 10% divided by 5
Drivers of fork-lift trucks, tractors, scooters or passenger cars.........................................	10,56	464,72"

SCHEDULE A: WAGES

Substitute the following for Schedule A:

"SCHEDULE A: WAGES

	*Minimum*
	Per hour	Per week
	R	R
(1) Furniture making, i.e. any operation or process in the manufacture and/or assembling of furniture, either in whole or in part, performed by hand, with hand tools or mechanical appliances, but which excludes the operations referred to in subclause (2).........................	11,75	517,00
(2) Sundry furniture making, operations: Bolting and tightening of nuts, fixing of handles by screws, bolts and nuts I and screw bolts............................................................................................................ Affixing fittings of rod sockets, striking plates, escutcheons, shelf studs, nut covers, ferrules or dome glides and inserting screw bolts into stump or legs, affixing of any kind of glue block, attaching mirrors by means of adhesive...................................... Making and/or pointing of wooden dowles and plugs by hand and/or machine Knocking in dowels and plugs by hand................................................................... Sanding by hand, regardless of whether the article sandpapered is stationary........... Bending or laminating of solid timber by hand or mechanical process ...................... Knocking in of sockets for casters.......................................................................... Filling of holes or cracks with wood filler or similar substance..................................	10,30	453,05
Assisting in clamping or cramping: Provided that not more than one assistant is used by an employee in respect of the not less than the wage prescribed in subclause (2).	10,20	448,87
Setting out, i.e. the preparation of a plan for the manufacture by means of a rod or other suitable material upon which are marked all or any of the dimensions of the article to be manufactured Marking out i.e. the marking or scribing of articles or furniture, either in whole or in part, to dimensions by means of ruler, measuring rod, straight edge, template, jig or any other device, for the purpose of machining, fitting or assembling...................................................................... (1) Furniture matching, i.e., any operation or process performed by using any type or class of machine in the manufacture of furniture, either in whole or in part but which excludes the operations referred to in subclause (2)..................................................................................	11,75	517,00
(2) Sundry furniture machining operations— Setting up and operating single drum sander, open disc sander, bobbin sander and wide belt sander.................................................................................................... Boring holes, mortising, hinge recessing for the purpose of cutting recesses for locks and hinges and operating a dowel inserting machine................................................	10,65	468,71
Operating air-filled sander and portable sander.......................................................	10,30	453,05
Making and joining sandpaper rolls or discs and belts for machine sanders.............. Repetitive marking by template or pattern...............................................................	10,20	448,71
(1) Furniture polishing, i.e. any operation or process by hand or mechanical appliance in the production of a polished and/or finished surface by means of shellac, paint, duco, lacquer, cellulose, varnish, enamel, stain a paste which acts as an abrasive, and/or polisher, or both, or similar substances, and shall include the Draining and matching of colours on all types of furniture, but which excludes the operations referred to in subclause (2)..................................................	11,75	517,00
(2) Sundry polishing operations Burnishing by machine............................................................................................	10,65	468,71
Waxing ................................................................................................................. The painting and/or filling of edges of laminated board and/or plywood, to prepare a surface for polishing and/or lacquering and/or graining and/or matching of colours.................................................................................................................. The removal of doors and fittings prior to preparation for polishing ......................... Filling in with plaster of parts or any other filling material.......................................... Handsanding.......................................................................................................... Bleaching of furniture with acids or any other bleaching agent.................................. Stripping................................................................................................................ Staining, filling, oiling and/or reviving by hand.......................................................... Spraying of metal ..................................................................................................	10,30	453,05
Straining of materials.............................................................................................. Cleaning spray guns .............................................................................................. Touching up at point of loading and/or unloading, excluding the use of spray apparatus...............................................................................................................	10,20	448,87
(1) Furniture upholstering, i.e. any operation or process in covering any type of furniture, either in whole or in part, irrespective of the materials used, and includes, inter alia, cutting of all covers and loose covers, stitching and/or joining, by hand or mechanical appliance, webbing which includes the positioning of webbing and substitutes (other than wooden or metal laths and crossbars), filling, cane weaving, buttoning, tacking, stapling, studding and padding, attaching of units to frame, but which excludes the operations referred to in subclause (4).............................	11,75	517,00
(2) Seamsters or seamstresses engaged in slips/itching, sewing, and/or joining covers, flies, cushions, cords, pelmets or bolsters by hand or machine...................................................	10,54	463,61
(3) Learners employed in learning the class of work referred to in sub-clause (2) - during the first six months of employment...................................................... during the second six months of employment................................................. during the third six months of employment..................................................... during the forth six months of employment.................................................... thereafter ....................................................................................................	10,13 10,21 10,28 10,38 10,54	445.59 449,04 452,48 456,73 463,61
(4) Sundry furniture upholstering operations: Positioning of wooden and metal laths and crossbars to frames................................	10,73	471,95
Filling of cushions with spring interiors and/or spring units .......................................	10,93	480,92
Cutting foam rubber or similar material by band saw............................................... Fixing of ready-made cane mats.............................................................................	10,65	468,71
Tufting or buttoning by hand or machine, where this done in loose pieces in the pre-assembly stage, including quilted buttoning, but shall exclude deep, diamond or pleated buttoning....................................................................................................	11,10	488,33
Securing, sewing or stapling interlaced pads to spring units, whether by hand or machine.................................................................................................................. Laying out of filling materials on a spring unit...........................................................	10,73	471,95
Spreading of adhesive on backs and cover material and joining of same...................	10,54	463,61
Loading, wheeling and operating a cloth spreading machine..................................... Teasing coir or other materials by machine ............................................................. Filling of cushions with substances of materials other than spring interiors and/or spring units by machine........................................................................................... Riempie work........................................................................................................	10,30	453,05
Affixing helical springs and/or chains and/or zig-zag or no-sag springs to frames for upholstery ............................................................................................................. The springing up of spring edges with zig-zag and/or no-sag type of spring to frames for upholstery, including the attachment of any component part, but excluding the tacking on and/or securing of hessian and/or sisal and/or substitutes for hessian or sisal........................................................................................................................ Cutting of platforms used for covering helical and/or no-sag springs......................... Breaking up and/or cutting up by hand of bulk rolls of upholstery materials of all kinds from selfedge to selfedge .............................................................................. Cutting cardboard in upholstery sections by hand and/or machine............................ Straight cutting of materials by hand or machine for bottoms or under-seating over springs (linen and hessian) ..................................................................................... Teasing coir or other materials by hand................................................................... Unwinding filling materials in rope form................................................................... Banding upholster's beading................................................................................... Making buttons and tufts........................................................................................ Assisting upholsterer in holding cover material......................................................... Cutting to shape and joining of foam rubber or latex by hand................................... Tacking on bottoms of upholstered article............................................................... (i) The tacking of hessian or lining onto seat platforms.............................................	10,20	448,87
(ii) The tacking or stapling of cardboard to bare frames................................. For the purposes of this clause and clauses (Xl) and (XIV), a spring unit means an independent assembly of springs so interconnected, associated or constructed as to provide a spring foundation and/or interior for use in an inner spring mattress, cushion seat or any other bedding and/or seating device....................................................................................................................	10,30	453,05
(1) Furniture carving and/or wood-carving, i.e. any operation or process, either in whole or in part, performed with hand tools or mechanical appliance creating a shape, pattern, medallion or replica of any object, the purpose of which is to adorn and/or embellish any type of furniture, but which exclude the under-mentioned sundry operation ...........................................................	11,75	517,00
(2) Stippling and punching background to carving.............................................................	10,30	453,05
Furniture wood-turning, i.e. any operation or process performed by hand or mechanical appliance in the manufacture of a shaped article or component part, used in connection with all types of furniture.................................................................................................................	11,75	517,00
(1) Furniture veneering, i.e. any operation or process performed by hand or mechanical appliance in the overlay of all types of furniture parts, either in whole or part, with veneer, but which excludes the operations mentioned in subclause (2)......................................................	11,75	517,00
(2) Sundry veneering operations: Positioning of veneers by hand................................................................................ Tapeless jointing by machine.................................................................................. Operating presses of any kind................................................................................ Loading and unloading vacuum bags and presses of any kind.................................. Washing off gum and tapes..................................................................................... Stacking parts after pressing................................................................................... Veneering of edges................................................................................................	10,20	448,87
Veneering of edges by machine which machine also trims and sands the edges.........	10,65	468,71
Lipping of edges only by mechanical appliance........................................................	10,65	468,71
(1) Learner journeyman employed in learning the classes of work referred to in clause (I) to (IX), other than the sundry operations referred to therein— during the first year of employment............................................................... during the second year of employment.......................................................... during the third year of employment.............................................................. Thereafter, the minimum prescribed wage.	10,57 10,89 11,34	465,00 478,95 499,02
If a person who has been employed as a belt sander, machine sander or borer is promoted to a learner journeyman, his commencing wage shall be a minimum of...........................................................................................................................................	10,73	471,95
(1) Bedding making, i.e. the manufacturing by hand or mechanical appliance, either in whole or in part, of all types of mattress filled with coir, hairlock, flock, kapok, cotton, wadding, hair, fibre, wool, feathers, grass, chaff, straw, rubber or any other similar materials, or any combination of spring interior, all types of wire springs, chain and/or spiral springs, full spiral springs, mesh springs, helical springs, all types of springs and/or spring units, pillows, cushions, bolsters, overlays, quilts, the knocking and/or hooking on of spring mattress wires, spiral springs and helical springs to frames, and shall include: Weaving of spring mesh......................................................................................... Stuffing filling into mattress cases............................................................................ Side stitching ......................................................................................................... Tufting.................................................................................................................... Operating a border quilting machine........................................................................ Operating a top quilting machine............................................................................. Prepare frames and rollers for the top quilting machine............................................ Securing, sewing or stapling interlaced pads to spring units...................................... Securing mattress tops, whether quilted or not, in position for building a pre-built interior or spring mattress....................................................................................... Taping edging a spring interior mattress................................................................... Roll edging, but which excludes the operations referred to in subclause (2)..............	10,73	471,95
Buttoning of headboards ancillary to mattress making..............................................	10,88	478,50
(2) Sundry bedding operations: Cutting tips, borders and cases .............................................................................. All sewing required in the manufacture of tops, borders, mattress cases, studio couch covers and component parts......................................................................... Sewing mattress handles to border......................................................................... Joining border lengths............................................................................................. Closing up the mouth of a mattress......................................................................... Closing pillows, cushions, bolsters..........................................................................	10,54	463,61
Bolting by hand of bed mattress frames................................................................... Preparing spools for a border quilting machine........................................................ Cutting quilted borders to lengths............................................................................ Punching holes in mattress borders.........................................................................	10,30	453,05
Fitting ventilators and handles to mattress borders .................................................. Feeding the interlacing machine............................................................................... Cutting and making pads, irrespective of materials used........................................... Positioning of laths and crossbars, or fixing webbing to mattress or bed frames........ Staining mattress frames......................................................................................... Affixing lugs to mattress frames............................................................................... Positioning and securing a mesh to a mesh frame..................................................... Hanging loops on needles in compression tufting..................................................... Loading, wheeling and operation a clothspreading machine...................................... Operating a teasing machine................................................................................... Attending a loopmaking machine............................................................................	10,30	453,05
Attaching loops to buttons or tufts.......................................................................... Fining bed irons, domes, casters and sockets.......................................................... Staining and/or varnishing frames by hand............................................................... Assembling, knocking or hooking on woven wire mesh and chain spring meshes to frames.................................................................................................................... Fixing bed irons..................................................................................................... Attaching spring units to bed frames........................................................................	10,30	453,05
Filling pillows, cushions and bolsters, with materials other than spring interiors and/or spring units.................................................................................................. Mass-measuring pillows, bolsters, cushions and quilts............................................. Stripping bedding................................................................................................... Cutting chain, hoop iron or any other similar materials.............................................. Teasing coir or any other materials by hand.............................................................	10,20	448,87
The tacking on of cardboard or calico backs to upholstered headboards.................	10,30	453,05
Glueing plastic mesh to foam..................................................................................	10,20	448,87
(3) Learners employed in learning the class of work referred to in subclause (1) (Bedding making)— during the first six months of employment...................................................... during the second six months of employment................................................. during the third six months of employment..................................................... during the forth six months of employment..................................................... thereafter ....................................................................................................	10,24 10,35 10,43 10,52 10,73	450,66 455,22 458,99 462,74 471,95
(1) Curtain-making, i.e. any operation or process performed by hand or mechanical appliance in the manufacture of curtains, either in whole or in part, and irrespective of the materials used, including hanging, fitting and fixing, but which excludes the operations mentioned in subclause (2)	11,75	517,00
(2) Sundry operations: Seamster or seamstresses engaged in slips/itching, sewing, and/or joining- coversflies, cushions, cords, pelmets, bolsters or curtains by hand or machine.................................................................................................................	10,54	463,61
Cutting edge-to-edge, but excluding cueing for pattern matching.............................. Pressing and/or ironing curtaining............................................................................ Handling materials..................................................................................................	10,20	448,87
(3) Learners employed in learning the class of work referred to in subclause (2) (a) (seamsters)— during the first six months of employment...................................................... during the second six months of employment................................................. during the third six months of employment .................................................... during the forth six months of employment..................................................... thereafter ....................................................................................................	10,13 10,21 10,28 10,38 10,51	445,59 449,04 452,48 456,73 462,25
(4) Learners employed in learning the class of work referred to in subclause (1), other than the sundry operations referred to in subclause (2) and learner seamsters referred to in subclause (3) ..................................................................................................................	The minimum prescribed rates for learner journeymen as per para (X) of this Schedule
(1) Labouring, i.e.— assisting a machinist in handling materials before and after machining........................ attending a boiler, incinerator and/or oven............................................................... attending to dust bags and/or cyclones of sanding machines..................................... baling and dipping of upholstery springs.................................................................. beating and/or teasing coir by hand......................................................................... cleaning and sweeping of premises.......................................................................... cleaning machinery, plant, tools and utensils............................................................ cleaning and blowing down of equipment................................................................ cleaning metal rods................................................................................................. cutting metal rods, hinges, metal strips, wire, hoop iron and all similar materials........ delivery by manually propelled vehicles................................................................... delivery of letters and parcels................................................................................. filling of cushions with substances of materials, other than spring interiors and/or spring units by hand................................................................................................ glueing sandpaper discs ......................................................................................... handling materials .................................................................................................. lime washing.......................................................................................................... loading and/or unloading vehicles ........................................................................... loading and unloading kilns .................................................................................... making tea or other similar beverages .................................................................... oiling and greasing machines and/or vehicles............................................................ operating presses of any type................................................................................. packing articles into cartons and/or cardboard containers and thereafter filling and closing such cartons and containers......................................................................... preparing, mass-measuring and mixing glue; spreading glue by hand or machine; removing glue, washing and wiping off glue; applying glue hardener by hand, brush or machine ............................................................................................................ pushing or pulling a vehicle or handcart................................................................... riveting or making threads on iron bolts and rods..................................................... straightening and/or cutting hoop iron used for webbing........................................... stripping second-hand upholstery and bedding........................................................ taping of veneers and attending veneer press........................................................... the treatment of timber for preservation................................................................... unpacking, baling and unbaling raw materials........................................................... wrapping in paper of cardboard.............................................................................	10,20	448,87
(2) Labourers: New Entrants (see definition under clause 3): Party shops only during first 12 months employment in the Industry..............................................................................	9,36	411,81
Miscellaneous: Welding, other than spot-welding........................................................................... Machine maintenance mechanic..............................................................................	11,75	517,00
Spot-welding.......................................................................................................... Despatch clerk, storeman, time-keeper................................................................... Caretaker or watchman .........................................................................................	10,54 10,51 10,29	463,61 462,31 452,72
Packer .................................................................................................................. The construction of spring interiors and/or spring units and the manufacture of their component parts....................................................................................................	10,30	453,05
Leaner packer....................................................................................................... Bending, punching, riveting, drilling and/or assembling metal parts............................	10,20	448,87
(1) Juvenile male employees engaged in a trade designated under the Manpower Training Act, 1981, during the authorised probation period ....................................................................	10,22	449,83
(2) All other juveniles .....................................................................................................	The minimum wage pre scribed in this Agreement for employees employed on the same class of work
Office employees— during the first year of employment................................................................................... during the second year of employment.............................................................................. during the third year of employment ................................................................................. during the fourth year of employment................................................................................ during the fifth year of employment................................................................................... thereafter..........................................................................................................................	10,25 10,41 10,65 10,89 11,14 11,46	450,87 457,82 468,42 478,99 490,14 504,04
Casual labourer: Labourer employed for less than 30 hours in any one week for the specific purpose of loading and unloading of vehicles, stacking of timber and cleaning of premises only	98,75 per day
Chargehand: In charge of employees who have no journeyman status....................................................	R10, per week above his minimum prescribed wage for the class of work performed by him.
In charge of journeyman..................................................................................................	R15,00 per week above the basic wage prescribed in this Agreement for employees employed on the same class of work.
(1) Ornament and novelty making, i.e., any operation or process in the manufacture or assembly of ornaments and novelties, but which excludes the operations referred to in subclause (2).......	11,75	51 7,00
(2) The classes of work referred to in clauses (I) (2), (IV) (II), (V) (2), (Vu) (2) and (IX) (2) hereof........................................................................................................................	The minimum wage pre scribed in this Agreement for employees employed on the same class of work
Apprentices: Commencing weekly wage—stage 1................................................................................ Upon completion of stage 1 and subsequent stages the weekly wage of an apprentice is to be increased by 25% of the difference between the minimum wage rate for labourers, plus R10,00, and that for journeymen in force at the time of completion of such stage.	Labourers minimum rate + R10,00
Artisans: Employees who have passed a trade test in a designated trade and have completed N1............. This represents the rate plus 10% on the following categories: (I) (1), (II), (III), (IV) (1), (V) (1), (VI) (1), (VII) (1), (VIII), (IX) (1), (XII) (1), (XIV) (1) and (2), (XIX) (1).]".	12,93	568,70

Signed at Durban on this 23rd day of June 1998.

J. S. OLIVIER
Chairman

E. M. MOOSA
Vice-Chairman

G. MOONSAMY
Vice-Chairman

G. J. P. BLIGNAUT
Secretary