THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has called for a dramatic expansion of the R120bn-strong Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits to cover resignations, as well as seasonal, informal and temporary workers, and parental and adoption leave.
The submission was made Wednesday during the public hearings of Parliament’s labour committee on the Unemployment Insurance Amendment Bill, which will extend the period of benefits for those who become unemployed from eight months to 12 months.
While welcoming the "progressive" bill, Cosatu parliamentary officer Matthew Parks said the federation strongly objected to a clause that would deprive maternity benefits to woman who have abortions. This clause was introduced into the bill after it had been unanimously adopted by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).
"The insertion flies against the principles and spirit of the Termination of Pregnancy Act, which champions the right for women and mothers to control and make their own decisions about their bodies and pregnancies," Mr Parks said.
Provision is made in the bill to extend maternity benefits in cases of miscarriage in the third trimester of pregnancy if the child is stillborn. Maternity benefits will be paid at a fixed rate of 66% of earnings at the date of application.
The UIF has plenty of money in its coffers to afford the extension of benefits proposed by the bill, Mr Parks said. The most up-to-date figure of its surplus is R120bn. Actuaries had confirmed that the additional cost of benefits would not have a negative impact on its financial status and that "the fund will be able to cover the cost of the proposed amendments without any difficulties", he said.
Another change proposed in the bill is to provide for the payment of benefits to contributors who lose part of their income due to reduced working hours, in terms of number of credits they had accumulated with the fund. This benefit would apply if the worker’s total income fell below the benefit level that he or she would have received on becoming wholly unemployed.
The bill also proposes that the fund finance the retention of contributors in employment and the re-entry of contributors into the labour market as well as any other scheme aimed at vulnerable workers.
Mr Parks said the bill would assist thousands of workers facing retrenchment. The union federation urged Parliament to pass the bill as speedily as possible.
Picture: THINKSTOCK
THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has called for a dramatic expansion of the R120bn-strong Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits to cover resignations, as well as seasonal, informal and temporary workers, and parental and adoption leave.
The submission was made Wednesday during the public hearings of Parliament’s labour committee on the Unemployment Insurance Amendment Bill, which will extend the period of benefits for those who become unemployed from eight months to 12 months.
While welcoming the "progressive" bill, Cosatu parliamentary officer Matthew Parks said the federation strongly objected to a clause that would deprive maternity benefits to woman who have abortions. This clause was introduced into the bill after it had been unanimously adopted by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).
"The insertion flies against the principles and spirit of the Termination of Pregnancy Act, which champions the right for women and mothers to control and make their own decisions about their bodies and pregnancies," Mr Parks said.
Provision is made in the bill to extend maternity benefits in cases of miscarriage in the third trimester of pregnancy if the child is stillborn. Maternity benefits will be paid at a fixed rate of 66% of earnings at the date of application.
The UIF has plenty of money in its coffers to afford the extension of benefits proposed by the bill, Mr Parks said. The most up-to-date figure of its surplus is R120bn. Actuaries had confirmed that the additional cost of benefits would not have a negative impact on its financial status and that "the fund will be able to cover the cost of the proposed amendments without any difficulties", he said.
Another change proposed in the bill is to provide for the payment of benefits to contributors who lose part of their income due to reduced working hours, in terms of number of credits they had accumulated with the fund. This benefit would apply if the worker’s total income fell below the benefit level that he or she would have received on becoming wholly unemployed.
The bill also proposes that the fund finance the retention of contributors in employment and the re-entry of contributors into the labour market as well as any other scheme aimed at vulnerable workers.
Mr Parks said the bill would assist thousands of workers facing retrenchment. The union federation urged Parliament to pass the bill as speedily as possible.
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