Over 800 employees in the Overstrand building industry will receive their first leave payout and annual bonus this December, equating to R1.5million. The Building Industry Bargaining Council, who increased its jurisdiction to the Overstrand area in 2011, announced this first payout - a milestone for the industry and a boost for the local economy. “837 employees, employed by 110 employers, will receive their first payout this year,” said Arnold Williams, Secretary for the Building Industry Bargaining Council (Cape of Good Hope).
To ensure the safety of the employers, employees and the BIBC staff, no cash will be paid out; instead employees are able to choose between electronic transfers or cheque payments. The employers will receive their employees’ cheques from the BIBC on 3 December, while those employers that opted for electronic transfers or for cheques to be handed directly to employees, will be dealt with between 11 and 14 December 2013.
The timing of the annual payout coincides with the annual builders’ holidays, which this year will start on 17 December 2013. The industry re-opens on Monday, 13 January 2014. The duration of the builders’ annual leave is traditionally 15 working days, plus the three public holidays that fall within the leave period, and is legislated as part of the BIBC’s Collective Agreement. This year the Council again negotiated an additional unpaid leave day since the start of the working period would have been Friday 10 January 2014 had they not done so.
The Building Industry shutdown period is determined by the Council by no later than 30 June each year. An employee may agree with his/her employer to work during the annual leave period and shall be paid the basic wage for any time worked during such period, whilst security guards and other employees who work during this period shall, by agreement with their employers, be granted leave equal to the period worked during the annual shutdown period.
The Council has once again issued a reminder to persons wanting to build, to ensure that the contractor is duly registered and compliant with the Building Industry Bargaining Council (Cape of Good Hope). This can be done by visiting the Council’s website www.bibc.co.za or calling the Council’s offices on 021 950 7400.
