DURBAN - The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) announced the launch of a free digital platform that allows people to refer labour conciliation and arbitration disputes and make enforcement or condonation applications.
The digital referral and application platform, which went live on Monday, was set in motion to ensure efficient and effective case referral and application processes that are safe to use during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Director of the CCMA, Cameron Morajane, said the introduction of the digital platform was aimed at the containment of the novel coronavirus.
“By providing users with a means of referral that does not involve physical travel to CCMA offices, the digital referral and application platform aims to contribute to the minimisation of the further spread of the Covid-19 virus, improve efficiency and relieve users of unnecessary travel and further administrative costs,” said Morajane.
The organisation also stated that the platform is subject to strict online security provisions and has a number of referral and application forms.
These include the LRA form 7.11, which is used to refer disputes to the CCMA for conciliation and con-arb hearings, as well as the LRA form 7.13, used to request an arbitration process where parties have not managed to resolve the labour dispute at conciliation.
According to Morajane, the digital referral and application platform forms part of a broader long-term plan which is forecast in the new organisational five-year strategy. This strategy aims to strengthen the ICT infrastructure in order to enhance service delivery.
Minister of Employment and Labour Thembelani Thulas Nxesi said in a statement that for the month of April there were 1,682 cases referred to the CCMA, mostly dealing with retrenchment applications and dismissals.
According to Nxesi, between April 1 and May 27, the CCMA received cases affecting 28,000 employees.
With regard to the Temporary Employers/Employees Relief Scheme (TERS) applications, which is designed to support wages of employees in distressed companies, the CCMA has received 47 applications, which are currently being processed.