NEWSFLASH: Significant Proposed Amalgamation of Bargaining Councils for Restaurant, Catering, and Allied Trades – Public Comment Invited
Overview of the Proposed Amalgamated Bargaining Council
The Department of Employment and Labour has issued a formal notice regarding the application for the registration of a new, amalgamated bargaining council: The National Bargaining Council for the Restaurant, Catering and Allied Trades. This development stands to significantly impact labour relations in the fast food, restaurant, catering, and allied trades across South Africa’s nine provinces.
Sectoral Scope and Exclusions
The proposed council’s scope encompasses a wide range of establishments, including:
- Fast food outlets
- Restaurants
- Catering services (industrial, commercial, function, contract)
- Coffee shops
- Tearooms, cafés, snack bars, pubs, taverns, roadhouses, convenience stores
- Facilities dedicated to the supply and processing of meals, edibles, and beverages
Explicit Exclusions: Casinos, hotels, and club-owned catering facilities fall outside the proposed coverage.
Geographical Coverage
The council’s jurisdiction is intended to extend across all nine provinces: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, North West, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng.
Stakeholder Representation Under the Proposed Council
The proposed council would represent 19,654 employees through trade unions and 4,190 employers through employers’ organisations, covering a total of 123,621 employees and 8,447 employers within its scope.
Objection and Submission Procedure
Interested parties who wish to object to the registration of the proposed bargaining council are invited to submit their objections in writing within 30 days of the notice date (from 22 July 2025). Objections may be based on any of the following statutory grounds:
- Non-compliance with section 29 of the Labour Relations Act
- Inappropriateness of the sector and/or area covered by the application
- Insufficient representativeness of the applicant in the proposed sector or area.
Written objections must be addressed to the Department of Employment and Labour, Labouria House, 215 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria, or sent by post to Private Bag X117, Pretoria, 0001. Alternatively, objections can be submitted via email to Lerato.Dithuge@labour.gov.za or Sellinah.Mahlangu@labour.gov.za.
A copy of each objection must also be served on the applicant within the same 30-day period, and the Department must be satisfied that proof of service on the applicant has been provided.
Once the objection period closes, the applicant will have 14 days to respond to any objections received and must likewise provide proof to the Department that their response has been served on the objector.
This process ensures that all parties have the opportunity to make and respond to objections in accordance with the requirements of the Labour Relations Act.
Strategic Implications for Employers and Employees
The establishment of this bargaining council may lead to sector-wide agreements on remuneration, terms and conditions of employment, and dispute resolution mechanisms. Employers and employees within the fast food, restaurant, catering, and related sectors should carefully consider the implications and take the opportunity to participate in the process.
View the official government communication below:
