Nedlac's first 1997 Management Committee meeting adopts a focused workplan

Monday, February 3, 1997

At its first meeting of 1997 on Friday, January 31, the Nedlac Management Committee resolved that proper coordination and management of Nedlac's full agenda will be critical to a successful outcome to the year ahead. To ensure this, the meeting adopted a plan of action and work programme which provides a specific focus for each Nedlac Executive Council meeting of 1997, as well as for the annual Nedlac Summit, which is to be held in May.

This forward-planning approach to the Nedlac programme will ensure a sound negotiating process, better pre-negotiation preparatory work, and mechanisms to establish more efficient problem-solving processes.

Coordination of the timing of Nedlac meetings, the parliamentary timetable and the mandating meetings of the four Nedlac constituencies was seen as important to the successof Nedlac's 1997 programme.

To further enhance this forward-planning process, the Management Committee requested an increased focus on preparing policy options and proposals prior to the start of negotiating processes.

Focus on 1997 Executive Council meetings

The Management Committee meeting started preparing the agenda for the first Nedlac Executive Council meeting of 1997, which takes place on 28 February. This meeting of the Executive Council will be the final "clearing-house" for determining which legislative issues are to be discussed or negotiated in Nedlac before being addressed in Parliament during this year's parliamentary session.

The Management Committee also agreed that in future the Executive Council will regularly discuss the state of the nation. At its 28 February meeting the council will look at the issues raised in President Mandela's annual address at the opening of Parliament, and it will also have a discussion on monetary policy. Reserve Bank governor Dr Chris Stals will give a presentation to the council on this issue.

The second Executive Council meeting in May this year will be the last opportunity for finalising reports on matters due for legislation in 1997. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to finalise other reports which have been under consideration and which are quite substantial in nature, such as the social plan, the financing of training, etcetera. The annual Nedlac Summit in May will provide the platform for a joint statement to be developed which will reflect on both the progress made since the last Nedlac Summit andon the way forward until the 1998 Summit.

In October the third Executive Council meeting will discuss other substantial reports and will consider progress with the implementation of agreements, while reports which areof a pre-negotiation nature will be targeted for completion by this meeting.

The last Executive Council meeting of 1997, which takes place in December, will provide an opportunity to review the year and begin planning for 1998.

The February 28 Executive Council meeting

The Management Committee has, among others, targeted the following issues for completion by the February 28 Executive Council meeting:

• Labour Relations Act matters, such as the codes of good practice on retrenchments and picketing.
• The amendment to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.
• The plan for the second phase of the Workplace Challenge initiative.
• The Nedlac report on the 1997-98 budget, which will include a report on tax-related issues.
• Job creation in public works programmes.
• Service tariffs.
• Guidelines for local development structures.
• The 1996 crime conference's declaration, and constituencies' action plans for dealing with crime at a local level.
• The National Development Agency.

Notice of socio-economic protest

The Management Committee also considered a notice of intended socio-economic protest in terms of section 77 of the new Labour Relations Act, which was given by the Food and Allied Workers' Union (Fawu) and which concerns fishing quotas and fishing policy. The Management Committee has mandated the Nedlac Executive Director to explore ways to assist Fawu with resolving this issue.