Workers have proposed a 15% increase for employees under the Domestic Workers and Caregivers cadre to recognise the value and importance of their work.
According to sources, employees represented by the Trade Union Congress of Eswatini (TUCOSWA) and the Federation of Eswatini Trade Unions (FESWATU) have submitted proposals for a 15% wage increment for all workers under this cadre.
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These proposals were then submitted to the Wages Council and are expected to be submitted to the Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi in the next 30 days. The ministry will be welcoming written presentations on the proposals.
The domestic workers have also proposed an 8% increase for caregivers currently earning above the rates stipulated in the existing Gazette.
The source added that caregivers had further proposed a 10% increase in the Government Gazette for performing extra duties.
These proposals have not yet been finalised by the ministry. According to a document containing the new proposals, which was shared with this publication, sectors under the caregivers’ cadre are expected to receive improved salaries after the proposed increment.
Under the proposals, a cook is expected to earn E1 591 per month, which translates to E91.04 per day and E13.74 per hour. The council has proposed that caregivers earn E1 835.84 monthly, or E116.27 daily and E17.17 hourly. The document also indicates that a driver’s monthly salary will match that of a caregiver.
The proposals further show that a gardener, house attendant, laundress, children’s nurse and herdsman will earn E1 553.48 monthly, translating to E86.92 daily and E12.13 hourly. The council also proposes that a housemother be paid E2 058.89 monthly, with daily and hourly rates of E92.57 and E12.13 respectively.
A house aunt is proposed to receive E1 830.12 monthly, E83.11 daily and E12.13 hourly.
Previously, before the proposed 15% increment, a cook earned approximately E1 338, while a house aunt earned E1 556. A driver and a caregiver earned around E1560. Gardeners, house attendants, laundresses, children’s nurses and herdsmen previously earned approximately E1 321, while house mothers earned around E1 750.
According to the proposed regulations, still awaiting publication in the Government Gazette pending ministerial approval, the daily and hourly rates specified above will also apply to part-time and casual employees.
The proposed regulations further state that written particulars of employment must be provided, and that an employer must, within two months of the date of engagement, issue the employee with a completed copy of an employment form containing employment records.
“The employer shall inform the employee of the written terms and conditions of employment in appropriate, clear and easily understandable language in accordance with national laws,” reads the draft document.
Regarding working hours, the councils have proposed that a normal working week consist of 48 hours from Monday to Saturday, exclusive of meal breaks of one hour, as agreed between employer and employee.
The proposed regulations further state that the employer shall prepare and co-sign an attendance register with the employee, and that a signing-on sheet must be made available to specify the hours during which the employee is at the employer’s disposal.
…14 days maximum full-paid sick leave proposed
IN the proposed regulations for domestic workers, employees under this cadre are expected to be entitled to a maximum of 14 days on full wages, followed by 14 days on half wages, for each period of 12 months of continuous service.
According to the draft regulations, an employee must produce a medical certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner before sick leave is granted.
The regulations also state that public holidays shall be observed in accordance with the Public Holidays Act No. 71 of 1938, as determined by the minister responsible for public holidays from time to time.
Employers must provide a full day’s wage for all designated public holidays. The regulations further indicate that where an employee is required to begin work at or before 7am and remain on duty after 5:30pm without accommodation, the employer must provide transport for up to 16 kilometres from the workplace, where accessible by road, or pay the employee an amount equivalent to the cost of transport for the same distance.
…Proposals for 14 sectors to be submitted to minister
THE Wages Council intends to submit Wage Regulation Proposals for 14 industries and trades, including domestic workers and funeral parlours to the minister.
These proposals relate to minimum wages and conditions of employment to be applied to employees across the listed industries.
According to a notice published by the ministry on Monday, the council issued the notice in terms of Section 11 of the Wages Act No. 16 of 1964.
The wage proposals are for the Agriculture Industry, Building and Construction, Domestic Employees, Funeral Undertakers Industry, Forestry and Forest Industry, Manufacture and Sale of Handcraft Industry, Mining and Quarrying Industry, Micro–Micro Money Lenders Industry, Motor Engineering Industry, Pre-School and Day Care Centres Industry, Retail, Hairdressing, Wholesale and Distributive Trades Industry, Road Transportation Industry, Support Employees in Schools and Educational Institutions, and the Watching and Protective (Security) Industry.
The ministry’s notice states that written representations regarding the proposals may be submitted to the Commissioner of Labour, Office No. 311, Mbabane, or emailed to thuligama53@gmail.com or gamathuli@gov.sz within 30 days from the date of publication.
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