Labour Relations Workers Committees General Regulations 1985(Statutory Instrument 372 of 1985)

 

Statutory Instrument 372 of 1985.

 Labour Relations Workers Committees General Regulations 1985

IT is hereby notified that the Minister of Labour, Manpower Planning and Social Welfare has, in terms of section 26 of the Labour Relations Act, 1985, made the foI1owing regulations:—

1. Title and operation

• These regulations may be cited as the Labour Relations (Workers Committees) (General) Regulations, 1985.
• These regulations shall come into operation on?? 1985.

2. Interpretation

In these regulations—

“works council means a council composed of an equal number of employer representatives and employee representatives who are members of a workers committee.

3.^

• Every employee shall have the right to participate in the formation of a workers committee and to undertake tasks on behalf of a workers committee.
• A workers committee shall be formed when a group of employees of any one employer appoint or elect some of the employees to represent them at their place of work.
• Employees of one employer shall form only one workers committee.
• A workers committee shall comprise of not less than three and not more than fifteen members who shall be representative of the different sections of the undertaking concerned.
• Members of a workers committee shall, from among themselves, elect— (a) a chairman who shall be responsible for presiding over all the meetings;

(b) a secretary who shall be responsible for taking minutes in a meeting, and for keeping any records that the chairman may require to be kept.

4. Tenure of office

• The term of office of, a workers committee shall be two years after which new elections or appointments will have to take place.
• A member of a workers committee shall be eligible for re-appointment or re-election.
• On the death of, or vacation of office by a member, the workers shall appoint or elect a person to fill the vacancy:

Provided that if the workers committee would have continued to exist for less than three months, the employees need not appoint or elect a person to fill the vacancy.

5. Meetings

• The procedure to be followed by a workers committee, at its meetings shall be as simple and as informal as possible and a workers committee shall act in such manner and on such principles as it deems best suited to represent the interests of the workers whom it represents.
• Fifty per cent, attendance at any meeting of a workers committee shall form a quorum.
• Matters requiring to be decided by a workers committee shall be decided by a majority, and in the event of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote.
• Meetings shall be held at l once a week outside the normal working hours.
• The chairman shall cause minutes of all proceedings and decisions taken at every meeting of the workers committee to be entered in books kept for the purpose by the secretary.

6. Works Council

A workers committee shall elect some of its members to represent the employees on a works council at the request of the chairman of a works council.