Dear ISA members
SALARY ADJUSTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Following our last communication, 85% of ISA members who voted gave us a mandate to accept the agreement. Following is a more detailed agreement.
Annual salary increase
Salary increase of 7.3% effective from 1 April 2017 for employees of grade A-D1. The grade A-C increase shall be on basic salary while the D1 will be on Total Cost to Company package.
Three (3) Projects (i.e Proficiency, Progression & Insourcing)
The proficiency assessment-evaluation for eligible technicians, technologists and scientists at A-D1 will be implemented during the 2017/2018 financial year. This will include finalisation of the scoring tools using the BLRF proposed matrix framework and piloting of the assessment tool by 30th September 2017. The targeted date for the individual assessment of eligible staff that apply for Proficiency Assessment will be 31st October 2017. The new pay rate for the successful candidates shall be effected in the November 2017 normal pay-run. A further lump sum payment, to address payment backdated to 1st October 2016 for successful staff, will be processed through special pay-roll runs.
The progression placement for employees at A-D1 within the General and Management pay scale will be implemented in this financial year 2017/2018 at the same time with the proficiency results of the other groups above, as per agreed criteria.
The insourcing of the three services namely; gardening, cleaning and security services shall be phased in effective 1st September 2017 as approved by the NHLS Board – see annexure A.
Leave
Three days paternity leave will be given per annum independent of family responsibility leave effective August 2017.
Union recognised Shop Stewards leave will be increased to 10 days per annum effective August 2017, as per recognition agreement, which will be pooled.
Fulltime Shop Stewards (FTSS)
The number of the fulltime shop stewards in NHLS will be benchmarked. This will be dealt with in bilateral discussions between the concerned parties, after the conclusion of this agreement, and will be subject to NHLS Board consideration and approval.
Rural Allowance Criteria
the current NHLS rural allowance criteria will be reviewed to include or remove places which may have been inconsistently included and/or excluded, to bring about fairness to the application of the rural allowance benefits.
Medical Aid Subsidy – Employer Contribution
The employer medical aid subsidy of employees on A-C bands will be increased from 74.6% to 75% backdated to 1st April 2017, without any change to the current medical aid cap of R2,513.50 per month.
Implementation of this agreement
This agreement shall come into effect on the date signed by Labour and the Employer.
ANNEXURE A: INSOURCING OF SERVICES
The Board approved the implementation of the three (3) services i.e gardening, cleaning and security services on the following terms and conditions;
(i) The new pay scale to be called Security and Maintenance Services Pay scale, with a minimum of R44 400,00, median of R48 840,00 and maximum of R53 724, 00, shall be created and employees in these services shall be remunerated in accordance to this pay scale.
(ii) Insource the three (3) services i.e. security, cleaning and gardening up to an indicative staff complement of 424 employees, which is composed of 100 security personnel, 300 cleaning and general service personnel and 24 garden service personnel. The recruitment process for these positions shall be in accordance with the NHLS recruitment and selection policy, while preference given to staff currently rendering the service at NHLS premises.
(iii) This shall be in accordance with the NHLS needs assessment and standard NHLS recruitment policies.
(iv) To effect the insourcing on a phased approach as follows;
a. Gardening service shall be effective from 1st September 2017, or within one month of expiry of serving the mandatory notice period for any current notice if such is later than 1st September 2017.
b. Cleaning service shall be phased in from 1st February 2018 and contingent on proving the mandatory notice period to the current suppliers per existing contracts which are yet to expire. In the event of contracts that expire after the 1st February 2018, the implementation date will be no later than one-month after the expiry of such contracts.
c. Security services shall be effective 01 April 2018 and contingent on providing the mandatory notice period to the current suppliers per existing contracts which are yet to expire. In the event of contracts that expire after the 1st April 2018, the implementation date will be no later than one-month after the expiry of such contracts.
d. No new contracts will be signed for any of these services by the NHLS, other than month to month renewals of expiring contracts to ensure continuity of services during the phasing in period.
(v) In addition to their basic salary as per point (i) above, the following benefits shall be extended to the employees in these services:
a. To effect NHLS 13th Cheque as per approved NHLS guidelines on a pro-rated basis.
b. To effect the living allowance of R1 500 per month effective from the insourcing date.
c. To effect compulsory medical aid on 1st April 2019.
(vi) In 2018/9, this cohort to get annual salary increase of inflation plus 1% for the next 3yrs. Conversely, should in any of the 3 years the Board approved salary increase for the A-D1 band is greater, than inflation plus 1% the greater shall apply.
(vii) The new pay scale for the insourced gardening, cleaning and security staff services will remain in force for 5 years, following which it will be aligned to the relevant DPSA pay scale subject to the financial status of the NHLS, and no earlier than April 2023.