The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the extension of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)’s Covid-19 TERS for vulnerable workers and restricted economic sectors.
This is what the Federation has been pursuing and championing at Nedlac ,and this represents a triumph for affected workers. To date, the UIF has injected over R60 billion benefitting more than 5.5 million workers across the economy since March 2020. It has helped save millions of jobs.
If any workers, businesses, or economic sectors are restricted from working, then there must be relief from the UIF for them.
It is unfortunate that this relief was interrupted since March 15, nonetheless the resuscitation of the Covid-19 TERS will provide badly needed relief for hundreds of thousands of workers, who have lost wages and are battling to feed their families. It will help to save thousands of companies and prevent retrenchments.
The Covid-19 TERS will cover workers over the age of 60 years or who have co-morbidities who cannot work safely due to the pandemic. It will cover sectors of the economy partially of fully restricted from operating. These include liquor, tourism, hospitality, restaurants, travel, hotels, casinos, cinemas, bars, sports, entertainment, events, and their respective value chains.
It also be backdated from 16 March 2021. Applications start from Monday 19 July and payments will commence from Monday 26th of July 2021. Payments will be made directly to workers’ bank accounts where possible and about R5.3 billion has been set aside by the UIF for this relief.
All employers in these sectors are called upon to apply for this relief for their employees. Workers and unions in these sectors must ensure this happens and those experiencing challenges should call the UIF’s hotline 0800 030 007.
Issued by COSATU
Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)
Tel: 011 339 4911
Cell: 060 975 6794