This working paper is the South African report for the social dialogue and gender equality research project — coordinated by the Industrial and Employment Relations Department (DIALOGUE) in cooperation with the Bureau for Gender Equality of the International Labour Office. It forms part of a comparative research project with the objective of demonstrating that gender equality and social dialogue are mutually beneficial fundamental values and crosscutting issues, and their promotion should go hand in hand. This research was undertaken per the Conclusions of the Committee on Gender Equality adopted at the 98th Sessions of the International Labour Conference (June 2009). The main sections of this document are:
– National context of social dialogue and gender equality; key socio-economic and political developments; labour market indicators; impact of financial and employment crisis of 2009
– Key social partners; profile of the key partners; addressing gender equality concerns and representation of women; training services.
– Role of tripartite social dialogue bodies; the National Economic Development and Labour Council; promoting gender equality at work.
– Gender equality in collective bargaining; forms of collective bargaining; coverage of the workforce; gender equality issues in collective agreements; bargaining councils, enterprise level agreements and the BCEA; 2010 survey update on bargaining councils; training on negotiation skills.
– Gender equality at work – challenges in practice; gender equality challenges in the workplace; organising around gender equality; mechanisms of protection; tackling gender equality through the courts.