Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze - Publisher
On Thursday 14th December 2023 the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) held a National Minimum Wage Symposium in Manzini to launch their campaign for the establishment of a national minimum wage in Eswatini.
The symposium brought together TUCOSWA national leaders ,leaders of the trade union affiliates of TUCOSWA ,the Commissioner of Labour Mthunzi Shabangu ,representatives of the informal workers , representatives of students (SNUS), representatives of the Swaziland Unemployed People's Movement (SUPMO).
The proceedings of the symposium were opened through a speech by the President of TUCOSWA Comrade Bheki Mamba and he also introduced guests who included a delegation from the Norwegian Workers Federation, the LO Norge. The Secretary General (SG) Comrades Mduduzi Gina then presented to the symposium a background to the conditions and the process that led TUCOSWA to taking the initiative to commission a study on the National Minimum Wage.
In his presentation SG Gina explained to the symposium what in TUCOSWA's view are the shortcomings of the current sectoral determination boards that set minimum conditions of service for each sector and one of the shortcomings was that the process discriminated different sectors yet all the workers existed in the same economy. He said, "Different sectors might employ workers with the same skills set but because they are employed in different sectors of the economy they may be paid different wages".
Presenting research on the national minimum wage during the symposium Percy Masuku informed the symposium that as a process to determine the recommended minimum wage they sampled workers in the sectors of agriculture , security ,retail and transport. Comrade Percy further presented that a questionnaire was distributed to the identified workers to determine how much they earn and how they spend their wages. The median wage at that time had been determined to be E2,200.00 in a study done by government agency the Eswatini Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ESEPARC). It was considered too low to offer workers decent living standard of living.
Digging deeper into the presentation the findings Comrade Percy reported that their findings were such that a majority of interviewed workers stated that over 50% of their wages went into food items and the other half went into accommodation which indicated that this group of workers was under financial strain. The research also found that wages were gender biased in the sense that women were more likely to be found in the low wage jobs
In terms of recommendations comrade Percy presented that after considering all factors the research study recommended that the national minimum wage floor wage be placed at E3,500.00 and further that a national minimum wage commission be set up. The study was conducted in 2019. Its task would be to monitor the implementation of the minimum wage and readjust the rate as and when the economic situation dictates.
Commissioner of Labour Mthunzi Shabangu also made a presentation that informed the symposium of the steps that have already been taken through the tripartite forum, the Labour Advisory Board (LAB) in walking close to the national minimum wage. He also pointed to the gathering the current legislation has adequate provisions to introduce and monitor the minimum wage. The said this can be done through the Wages Act of 1964 which on Part ll provides for the establishment of the Wages Advisory Board. The board by law is ,amongst others, tasked with the responsibility to investigate minimum wages in the country and advise the Minister of Labour or action to take.
To mark the official launch of the campaign for the establishment of National Minimum Wage TUCOSWA handed the report by the IRALE to the Commissioner of Labour and another report was reserved the Business Eswatini who could not make it to the symposium.
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