Solidarity declares dispute with MEIBC over ‘unlawful’ agreements

Trade union Solidarity has officially declared a dispute with the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC), claiming in a statement this week that the bargaining council was taking “unilateral and unlawful” decisions that undermined its own constitution, labour legislation and sound collective bargaining. This after the MEIBC’s management committee on February 3 resolved that two collective agreements must be concluded with respect to bargaining levies payable to the council for costs concerning administration and dispute resolution. The collective agreements were shortly thereafter submitted to Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant for expansion within the industry. However, according to Solidarity, the collective agreements had not been negotiated and had been signed only by certain parties in the bargaining council before being submitted to the Minister.