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Labour Legislation Index

Draft picketing regulations

4 No. 41898
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 10 SEPTEMBER 2018
DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR
NO. R. 943
10 SEPTEMBER 2018

REGULATIONS ISSUED IN TERMS OF SECTION 208 OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS ACT 66 OF 1995
1 . I, MILDRED NELISIWE OLIPHANT, Minister of Labour, hereby publish proposed picketing regulations issued in terms of section 208 of the Labour
Relations Act, 1995, for general information and comment.
2. Submission of representations:
. All interested parties are invited to submit written comments on the draft picketing regulations.
. Such comments should be addressed to: Ms Se!linah Mahlangu, Department of Labour, Private Bag X 117, Pretoria, 0001 or faxed to (012) 309-4156 or e-mailed to Sellinah.Mahlanqu@labour.gov.za or Stiaan'.rr1eyer@labour.gov.za.
. Comments should reach the Department of Labour not later than three
weeks from the date of publication of this notice or by 28 September 2018 .

REGULATIONS ISSUED IN TERMS OF SECTION 208 OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS ACT 66 OF 1995
PICKETING REGULATIONS

1 Definitions
In these regulations, unless the context indicates otherwise-
any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act 66 of 1995) bears that meaning;
'bargaining council' means the bargaining council with the jurisdiction over the parties to the dispute;
'certificate of non-resolution' means the certificate contemplated in section 64{1 )(a) of the Act;
'Code' means any code of good practice published in terms of section 203 of the Act dealing with picketing;
'collective agreement' means any collective agreement that-
(i) regulates picketing; and
(ii) is binding on the trade union or employees party to the dispute 'conciliator' means in respect of a dispute that may give rise to a protected strike or lockout and referred to-
(i) the Commission, a commissioner appointed by it to conciliate the dispute; or
(ii) a bargaining council, a person appointed by it to conciliate the dispute: 'default picketing rules' mean the rules contained in Annexure A;
'parties to a dispute' means a dispute that may give rise to a protected strike or lockout and which has been referred to the Commission or a bargaining council in accordance with section 64(1 )(a)

'the Act' means the Labour Relations Act, 1995 (Act 66 of 1995).

2 Agreement on picketing rules
(1) The Commission or bargaining council must notify the parties to a dispute that, if the dispute is not resolved, a trade union may not engage in a picket unless-
(a) there is a collective agreement regulating picketing;
(b) an agreement on picketing rules is reached in the conciliation proceedings; or
(c) picketing rules determined by the Commission in terms of section 69{5) of the Act.
(2) The Commission or bargaining council must in that notice request that the trade union submit a copy of any collective agreement regulating picketing to the conciliator.
(3) If the appointed conciliator is satisfied that there is no collective agreement that regulates picketing, the conciliator must, before issuing a certificate of non¬resolution, attempt to secure an agreement between the parties to the dispute on picketing rules using the default picketing rules as a basis.

3 Determining picketing rules
(1) If there is no collective agreement and the parties to the dispute do not agree picketing rules, the commissioner must determine the rules in accordance with the default picketing rules and in doing so must take account of-
( a) the particular circumstances of the workplace or other premises where it is intended that the right to picket is to be exercised;
{b) any relevant code of good practice; and
(c) any representations made by the parties during the course of the conciliation proceedings.
(2) If the parties to the dispute fail to make representations for the purpose of determining picketing rules or provide the conciliator with the necessary information, the conciliator may-
(a) in the case of the employer, designate the owner or senior manager of the employer as the person appointed in terms of clause 8.1 of the default picketing rules;
(b) in the case of the trade union, not determine the picketing rules until the information required in respect of the union convener and marshals has been submitted to the conciliator.
(3) The conciliator must determine the picketing rules and issue them at the same time as the certificate of non-resolution is issued to them.

4 Binding nature of the picketing rules
A collective agreement is an agreement contemplated in section 69(4) and regulation 2(3), and picketing rules determined in terms of section 69(5) and regulation 3.

5 Distribution of picketing rules
( 1) If there is a collective agreement or an agreement reached in terms of section 69(4) of the Act and regulation 2(3}, the agreement must be submitted by the trade union to-
(a) the responsible officer appointed in terms of section 2{ 4) of the Regulation of Gatherings Act, 1993 (Act 205 of 1993);
(b) the member of the South African Police Services contemplated in terms of section 2(2) of that Act.
(2) If the conciliator has determined picketing rules in terms of section 69(5) and regulation 3, the conciliator must in addition to the persons referred to in subregulation ( 1) give copies of the picketing rules to the parties to the dispute.
(3) The employer party to the dispute must distribute copies of the picketing rules to-
(a) its appointed representative and the managers on duty during the strike or lockout;
(b) its security personnel or any private security company contracted to protect the employer's property and the safety of person on the property; and
( c) place copies of the rules on the notice boards to which employees have access.
( 4) The trade union party to the dispute must-
( a) distribute copies of the picketing rules to its conveners and marshalls; and (b) take the necessary steps to ensure that the conveners, marshals and picketers

DEFAULT PICKETING RULES
Established in terms of section 69(5) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 ("the LRA")
NOTES
1. These Rules are default rules applicable if the employer and trade union parties to the dispute fail to conclude an agreement on picketing rules in terms of section 69(4) of the LRA The Rules are made in terms of section 69(5) of the LRA and the Commissioner must impose these Rules, in the absence of agreement, unless there are good grounds for not doing so.
2. These Rules are intended to apply to protected pickets only. The Commissioner must ensure that all the requirements in terms of section 69 of the LRA for a lawful picket have been complied with before issuing these Rules, in particular that the picket is authorised.
3. These Rules are generic and intended to cover varying circumstances, including - 3.1. when strike action or picketing has not yet commenced;
3.2. when parties need to revisit picketing rules;
3.3. different kinds of employment and workplaces.
4. These Rules include substantive and procedural rights of the parties deriving from the Act, which the Commissioner or the parties do not have the power to amend. These will be as far as is possible be identified.
5. These Rules are intended to apply to secondary pickets as well as primary pickets, subject to the different procedural requirements that may apply,

1 LEGAL CONTEXT
1.1 These Rules are drafted in accordance with:
1.1.1 Section 17 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, which guarantees the right to picket peacefully and unarmed;
1.1.2 Section 69 of the LRA, which regulates the right of members and supporters of a registered trade union to picket;
1.1.3 The Code of Good Practice on Collective Bargaining and Industrial Action;
1.1.4 The Code of Good Practice on Picketing, especially item 4.
1.2 Where these Rules are silent. the relevant provisions of the Constitution, LRA and the Codes apply.
1.3 The meaning of terms defined in the LRA apply to the use of the terms in these Rules unless the context indicates otherwise.
2 PURPOSE OF THE PICKET
2.1 These Rules are determined in terms of section 69(5) of the LRA in the absence of an agreement between the parties to the dispute on picketing rules in respect of an authorised picket -
2.1.1 in support of the protected strike commencing / having commenced* on (date]
or
2.1.2 in opposition to a lock-out by the employer commencing / having commenced* on [date]
or
2.2 in any protected secondary strike involving employers {name and address of the workplace(s) of those employers].

3 CIRCUMSTANCES OF WORKPLACE
In establishing these Rules, the following circumstances of the workplace or other premises where pickets are intended have been taken into account: 1
1 Sees 69(5)(a). See also Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd v Commission for Conciliation, Mediation & Arbitration & others (2006) 27 ILJ 2681 (LC) at par 31: "The matrix of permissible conduct that evolves ultimately as the
3. 1 [It is necessary to itemise the particular nature of the circumstances relating to the nature of employment and the workplace that have been taken into account in formulating these rules]
4 LOCATION OF PICKET
4.1 The picket may only be held at the following places outside the employer's workplaces:
4.1.1 [details of the place or places within which a picket may be held at the address or addresses of the employer's workplace or workplaces described in Annexure A].
4.2 The picket may be held at the following places inside the employer's workplaces if the employer has agreed to a picket being held in those places:
4.2.1 [details of the agreed place or places inside the employer's premises described in Annexure AJ
4.3 If the employer has not agreed to the picket being held within its premises, the Commissioner may determine that the picket be held within the following places in the premises if the Commissioner considers the employer's refusal to permit a picket inside its premises to be unreasonable:
4.3.1 [details of the place or places inside the employer's premises described in Annexure A]
4.4 If picketing is to take place within a shopping mall, business complex or business park in which employers share private or public premises, the Commissioner may, but only after consultation with all interested parties, determine that the picket be held within the following places and subject to such terms as the Commissioner considers reasonable:
4.4.1 [details of the place or places outside the mall, complex or business park described in Annexure A] and
4.4.2 [details of the place or places inside the mall, complex or business park described in Annexure A] picketing rules is a particular permutation that balances logistics, the nature of the business, the industrial relations history of the enterprise and the union with the impact of the picket so that the rules are determined not too narrowly or too broadly to exacerbate industrial conflict or obstruct the substantive resolution of the dispute."

5 DETAILS OF PICKET
5.1 Date and duration
5.1.1 Picketing may begin at or after [time] on [date] and may continue until the settlement of the dispute, subject to clause 5.2.
5.1.2 Picketing may take place between [ times J on every working day for the duration of the strike.
5.1.3 If there is any breach of clauses 4, 5.5 or 6 of these Rules, the trade union must suspend its picket until it has satisfied the Commissioner that it can exercise control over its picket.
5.2 Number of pickets
5.2.1 A maximum of [ ... ] persons may take part in the picket at any given time at each location(s) specified in clause 4 above and set out in Annexure A.2
5.2.2 Only members of the trade union and other employees of the employer may take part in the picket.
6 NATURE AND CONDUCT OF PICKET
6.1 Pickets must at all times conduct themselves in a peaceful, unarmed and lawful manner and not interfere with the constitutional rights of other persons.
6.2 Subject to clause 6.3, pickets may- 6.2.1 carry placards;
6.2.2 hand out pamphlets;
6.2.3 chant slogans, sing and dance; 6.2.4 be addressed by union officials; and
6.2.5 approach and peacefully seek to persuade clients and customers of the employer, members of the public, other employees who are not on strike and replacement workers not to enter the premises and/or to support the strike.
6.3 The Commissioner may limit the activities limited in clause 6.2 in respect of specific locations and detail them in Annexure A.3
2 The Commissioner may set different numbers of pickets for particular locations. For example, a Commissioner may set 10 pickets at a time outside a shopping mall or business complex but only two pickets outside the premises of the employer in the mall or complex.

6.4 Pickets may not -
6.4.1 forcefully prevent clients and customers of the employer, members of the public, other employees who are not on strike and replacement workers from entering or leaving the premises of the employer;
6.4.2 commit any action which may be unlawful, such as intimidating, coercing, threatening or assaulting any person or causing damage to any property;
6.4.3 wear masks; or
6.4.4 have any dangerous weapons or inflammable materials in their possession.
6.5 For the purposes of these Rules, dangerous weapons includes the dangerous objects listed in clause 22(2) of the Code of Good Practice on Collective Bargaining and Industrial Action.
7 CONTROL OF PICKETS
7 .1 The trade union must appoint a member or official as convenor with responsibility to oversee the picket as well as a person to oversee the picket in the absence of the convenor.
7.2 The convenor will at all times during the picket have a copy of these Rules in his possession for purposes of reference.
7.3 The employer will provide the convenor with the name and contact details, including mobile number, of the person appointed to represent the employer in matters related to the picket.
7.4 The trade union will also appoint the following number of marshals to monitor the picket at each location where it is taking place:
7.4.1 [number of marshals for each of the locations at which the picket is to take place]
7.5 The marshals will -
7.5.1 have the telephone numbers of the convenor and of the person appointed to oversee the picket in the absence of the convenor;
7.5.2 wear armbands and/or vests to identify themselves as marshals; and
3 The Commissioner may for example limit the activity of a picket in a shopping mall or business complex to carrying placards and handing out pamphlets.

7.5.3 be present from the start to the end of each day of the picket.
7 .6 The names and telephone numbers of the convenor and marshals must be set out in Annexure B.
7. 7 Any change to a convenor and marshal must be sent by a text message to the persons listed in Annexure B.
8 EMPLOYER CONDUCT
8.1 The employer must -
8.1.1 appoint a person to liaise with the convenor and marshals on its behalf to ensure compliance with this agreement; and
8.1.2 receive communications as and when requested to do so by the union.
8.2 The employer or any person in authority at the workplace or acting on the employer's behalf may not -
8.2.1 in any way hinder or obstruct the lawful conduct of the picket;
8.2.2 undermine any employee's right to participate in the picket or discipline of threaten to discipline any employee for doing so;
8.2.3 engage in or permit conduct which is provocative or may incite conflict; or
8.2.4 carry a weapon of any kind while in contact with the pickets.
8.3 Ensure that any private security company employed by the employer complies with the requirements relating to such companies under the Code of Good Practice on Collective Bargaining and Industrial Action.
9 PICKETING ON EMPLOYER'S PREMISES
9.1 If picketing is to take place on the employer's premises, the employer must provide the trade union with written confirmation of the health and safety rules to be observed before, during and after the picket.
9.2 The employer must make the following facilities available before the commencement of the picket -
9.2.1 toilet facilities to be used by the participants in the picket;
9.2.2 running water to be used by participants for drinking and hygiene purposes;


9.2.3 appropriate shelter within the designated picketing area(s); and
9.2.4 a telephone to be used by the convenor, marshals, shop stewards or other responsible union officials for purposes of ensuring the proper conduct of the picket.
9.3 Participants in a picket on the employer's premises shall, in addition to the requirements set out in paragraph 7 above -
9.3.1 remain within the designated picketing area(s);
9.3.2 observe the health and safety rules and regulations applicable in the workplace;
9.3.3 refrain from causing any damage to property or allowing any damage to be caused; and
9.3.4 leave the premises and the facilities in the condition in which they found it.
10 DISPUTE RESOLUTION
10.1 Any dispute about the interpretation or application of these Rules or any alleged breach thereof shall be dealt with in accordance with section 69(8), {9), (10) and (11) of the LRA. This does not affect any other right that any person may have in terms of the LRA or any other law.
10.2 It is recorded that the employer, the union and persons taking part in the picket are subject to the protections and provisions set out in section 67 of the LRA.
11 POLICE INVOLVEMENT
11.1 These Rules do not affect the right of any person to ask the South African Police Service or any security organisation responsible for maintaining safety and security at the workplace to investigate or deal with any unlawful conduct or alleged unlawful conduct
11.2 If this happens, the employer and the union undertake to cooperate with the police or security organisation in the performance of their duties and the union undertakes to do everything possible to ensure that its members and supporters will do the same.

12 TERMINATION
These Rules will remain in effect until the settlement of the dispute, the termination of the strike, termination of the picket by the union or until it is terminated or reviewed by mutual agreement, whichever may come first.

ANNEXURE A
DESCRIPTION OF PLACE OR PLACES FOR THE PICKET
Adress/es
1.
2.
Physical location4
3.
4.
[number of pickets] [limitation of activity]
[number of pickets] [limitation of activity]


4 The physical location may be described in words or drawn or both. So for example the location may be described as 5 metres from the entrance to the employers premises on XX road and extend no more than 2 metres onto the pavement - accompanied with a drawing to that effect.

ANNEXURE B
NAMES AND DETAILS OF PARTICIPANTS
Commissioner
1. [Name, email address and mobile telephone number]
Convenor
2. [Name, designation of status", email address and mobile telephone number]
Employer representative
3. [Name of person appointed in terms of clause 8.1, designation of status, email address and mobile telephone number]
Marshalls
4. [Name, work number and mobile telephone number]
5. [Name, work number and mobile telephone number]
6. [Name, work number and mobile telephone number]
7. [Name, work number and mobile telephone number]
5 Whether a trade union official, shop steward or member. If a shop steward or member, then the employee's work number must be included]

 

Last modified onTuesday, 11 September 2018 21:33
Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins

Managing Director

BA LLB

C: +27 (0)82 416 7712

T: +27 (0)10 035 4185 (Office)

F: +27 (0)86 689 7862

Website: www.workinfo.com
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