NUM rubbishes BCAWU disinformation regarding the CIRBF collective agreement

Media Statement, 28 January 2025

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is extremely disturbed by the disinformation published on social media by BCAWU regarding the extension of the Construction Industry Retirement Benefit Fund (CIRBF) Collective Agreement.

The CIRBF is a brainchild of the NUM, SAFCEC and BCAWU which at the time of establishing the fund for the industry was voluntary.

In 2014, When the Bargaining Council for Civil Engineering was established for the industry by the same stakeholders. We changed the agreement from being voluntary to being compulsory in the industry. We have consistently extended the agreement every 5 years through the Department of Employment and Labour. The fact is that this agreement remains part and parcel of the conditions of employment in the industry.

When this agreement was to expire on the 31st of August 2023, as expected parties to the council engaged for the extension. There were several issues raised by the employer parties about the extension one of them was the governance issue raised of the appointment of the Administrator of the Fund which NUM raised with the FSCA, the Bargaining Council and other stakeholders. This led to us as trade
unions and employers not agreeing on the appointment of the administrator.

In the same year, we sought the Department of Employment and Labour’s intervention which they referred us to the Labour Relations Act of 1995 Section 32A. The department advised that any of the parties can apply for an extension. We then agreed that any of the parties could apply. BCAWU did apply for an extension and it was granted. If the NUM had opposed the extension of the agreement, BCAWU as a minority union would not have extended the agreement.

If the other parties had opposed an extension of the agreement, the minister may not have extended the agreement. The Labour Relations Act allows the majority rule on decision making within the labour market.

We then agreed that the CIRBF Collective Agreement would form part of the wage negotiations of 2024, which it did. Again, parties engaged on the same issues raised and parties could not reach an agreement on the matter.

We agreed to extend the wage agreement for 1 year on the basis that even if the agreement could be extended for 12 Months this was not the ideal situation for parties which have the interest of the members and the industry at hand.

NUM agreed to write to the Department of Employment and Labour to request for extension hence the agreement was extended.

We thank the Minister of Labour and Employment and her team, and we hope that parties will find new ways to implement changes to this agreement in the next 12 Months. The bargaining Council of the Civil Engineering industry remains the custodian of this agreement.

NUM remains committed to changing the current conditions of the CIRBF collective agreement with a long-term extension which will protect and make the pension fund contribution compulsory.

We are not a trade union of grandstanding like BCAWU.

We urge our members and potential members not to believe the propaganda used by BCAWU as it is pure lies. Members should be aware that BCAWU refused to sign the current wage agreement for workers to receive their increases on the 1st of September 2024.

We request that BCAWU not play in the social media space with our name. Our interests are our members. We remain focused on preparing for the upcoming wage negotiations which are to start in two months' time.

For more detailed information, please contact:

Tebatso Mokoena, NUM Construction Sector Coordinator, 076 910 1302
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257
Luphert Chilwane, NUM Media Officer, 083 809 3255

The National Union of Mineworkers
7 Rissik Street.
Cnr Frederick Johannesburg
Tel: 011 377 2111 Cell: 083 809 3257
Twitter: @Num_Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/NUM/10086002340216