Extension of Main Collective Agreement – National Textile Bargaining Council
The Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, has officially extended the Main Collective Amending Agreement concluded in the National Textile Bargaining Council to cover non-parties in the textile industry across South Africa. This extension takes effect on 21 November 2025 and remains in force until amended by the parties.
The agreement applies broadly to all employers and employees engaged in the textile industry in South Africa, including various sub-sectors such as home textiles, blankets, woven cotton, narrow fabric, polypropylene, worsted, wool and mohair, manmade fibres, carpet, and non-woven textile products. It encompasses activities from fibre processing to finishing of textile products and includes all related operations.
All employers and employees in the textile sector, including those who are not original parties to the Council, are now bound by the terms of this collective agreement.
Just a few key changes are as follows:
- Minimum wages for different subsectors and grades will increase, with wage hikes ranging from approximately 6.5% to 7%, effective as per the agreement’s implementation date.
- Family responsibility leave benefits in the blanket section have been expanded to include illness or hospitalisation of spouses and parents, with requirements for proof and timing.
- Employers are required to deduct a weekly Bargaining Council levy of R2.00 per employee and remit this to the Council.
- Various other employment conditions including leave, annual bonus payments, retirement fund contributions, and codes of good practice are also included in the agreement updates.
This collective agreement serves as a crucial framework to regulate and standardise employment terms in South Africa’s textile industry, providing protection for workers and clear guidelines for employers.
