COSATU will present its submissions on the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s Foreign Service Bill to the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee at 9am Tuesday 17 April, Southern Sun Hotel, Pretoria. The federation and its affected affiliated union, NEHAWU, are deeply concerned that Dirco has not engaged with workers and their union representatives on this bill at the Public Service Collective Bargaining Council.

The bill gives the Minister and the Department a blank cheque to set labour relations policies, conditions, codes and directives without having to engage the affected workers and unions as required by the Labour Relations Act and the PSCBC.

It allows the Minister a blank cheque to set policies on when Foreign Service personnel can be recalled from their diplomatic postings. It is silent on what is the criterion and requirements for appointing Heads of Mission, in spite of numerous scandals resulting from dodgy Ambassadorial appointments. COSATU calls upon Parliament to ensure that Dirco engages with workers and unions on this bill at the PSCBC and to require such collective engagements be stipulated in the bill itself.

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks (Cosatu Parliamentary Officer )
Parliamentary Coordinator

Cell: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za