What is the CCMA and How the CCMA can help you in the South Africa. A basic guide to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) is an independent, juristic body that helps to resolve disputes and offers advice and training on labour relations.

The Labour Relations Act

The Labour Relations Act applies to all employers, workers, trade unions and employers’ organisations, and aims to advance economic development, social justice, labour peace and the democracy of the workplace. It does not apply to members of the:

National Defence Force

National Intelligence Agency

South African Secret Service

What is the CCMA?

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) is an independent juristic body, mainly state-funded. On its governing body are representatives from government, business and labour, each with three representatives.

The CCMA’s functions are to:

Try to resolve disputes through conciliation or arbitration

Help in forming workplace forums

Publish information on its activities and guidelines for dispute resolutions

Advise on getting legal advice

Determine dispute resolution fees, if applicable

In addition the CCMA makes rules to regulate:

The meeting procedure of its committees

Conciliation and arbitration procedures

Office hours for delivering processes

Forms to be used

How arbitration costs are calculated

And to publish these rules in the Government Gazette

Advice and Training:

The CCMA provides advice and training to workers, registered trade unions and trade union federations, employers, employers’ organisations and federations of employers’ organisations on:

Forming collective bargaining bodies

Forming and managing workplace forums

Preventing and resolving disputes and grievances

Disciplinary procedures

Workplace restructuring

Affirmative action and equal opportunity programmes

Preventing sexual harassment