The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration(CCMA) has extended an invitation to the parties in the clothing sector dispute for it to intervene in its current industrial action.

The CCMA in making this offer has done so, given that the strike is in a sector which has been in the spotlight this year, having been mentioned by both  the President in his state of the Nation address, as well as a sector singled out in South Africa’s Framework agreement in response to the economic crisis , as a sector which is extremely vulnerable.

This also comes as the CCMA is readying itself to (formally from tomorrow) take applications for the training layoff scheme in terms of the framework agreement as part of the interventions available especially to vulnerable sectors in economic crisis. 

The parties need to consent to this offer in terms of section 150 of the LRA, before the CCMA can formally intervene.