What are Bargaining Councils:
National Bargaining Councils in South Africa are bodies established through the Labour Relations Act, consisting of employer and employee organizations within a specific industry. They negotiate collective agreements, resolve labor disputes, and establish various workplace schemes and training programs. These agreements can cover wages, working conditions, benefits, and dispute resolution procedures.
The turnover of national bargaining councils in South Africa varies widely depending on the specific council and industry. Some councils manage significant funds through levies collected from employers and employees, while others may have more modest financial operations.
There are 38 registered Bargaining Councils in South Africa:
- 21 National Councils
- 5 Provincial Councils
- 12 City and Town Councils
Some of the registrations of these date back to 1934. To the financially minded reading this – that means that these Bargaining Councils have benefited from nearly One Hundred years of compound interest on member’s financial contributions.
An up to date number of members of bargaining councils in 2025 is a bit of a crap shoot to determine so we can only go on what we have found online so far. In 2005 a study by UCT showed that a total of 1 091 214 employees were members of bargaining councils.
The research by the UCT DPRU demonstrated that, in the private sector, average wages for employees covered by bargaining council agreements were R2 286, while those for employees outside the bargaining council environment were R3 272. The only group that benefited from bargaining council agreements was Elementary Workers, whose average wages were R1 968 compared to R1 149 for workers outside the bargaining council environment.
In 2012 COSATU estimated that 2.2 Million workers were covered by bargaining councils.
Employer and Employee contributions to these bargaining councils vary and the fees are often on a sliding scale – one of the most quoted figures is R8.50 per employer and R8.50 per employee. Typically Bargaining Council members pay these types of fees: Holiday Fund, Pension/Provident Funds, Funeral benefit and Sick Benefit Fund. Bargaining Council staff also provide advice to employers and employees in the industry regarding a wide spectrum of Labour related issues such as: Retrenchments, Unfair dismissals, Industrial action, Contracts of employment, Training and affirmative action.
Bargaining Council Exco:
Looking at the Bargaining Councils, a number of the Bargaining Councils accredited by CCMA are headed up by Advocates, lawyers and professional persons commanding high salaries.
Now this is where the ‘GREY AREA’ comes in as oftentimes the members of a Bargaining Council have no idea of just how their money is being utilised and, in many cases, whether the Bargaining Council actually is solvent!
The Labour relations Act demands that each Bargaining Council submit it’s annual financial statements to the Department of Labour AND, in the LRA is an example constitution that specifies that Bargaining Councils must keep their members apprised of their financial results.
BUT, it is that 2.2 Million odd members number that got us to thinking that the amount of money collected on a monthly basis by these Bargaining Councils is in the tens of Millions of Rand. Add to that pension funds and other services and the motivation to start one’s own Bargaining Council increases somewhat.
These Bargaining Councils manage Pension Funds on behalf of members and these funds are more often than not in the BILLIONS under management.
As a member of a Bargaining Council I, personally, would feel a great sense of comfort if my council’s financial statements were publicly available AND reflecting a healthy positive balance.
So, we embarked on a massive look at these Bargaining Councils to find Financial Statements, Fees and other relevant information on behalf of employees.
We visited the web sites of each Bargaining Council and, donning our ‘common man’ cap, checked each for a recognisable link to financial statements.
Of the 38 council web sites that we visited we found:
- 8 Councils with publicly available financial statements
- Of those an impressive 5 councils are SA Government related
Between the 8 sets of financial statements:
- The 8 councils reflect a turnover of R885 294 374
- The 8 councils reflect reflect a surplus of R155 154 208.81
Bargaining Councils Annual Reports and Financial Statements:
Amanzi Bargaining Council – NOTHING
Building Industry Bargaining Council – NOTHING
Building Bargaining Council (North and West Boland) – WEB SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Bargaining Council for the Canvas Goods Industry (Gauteng) – NO WEB SITE
National Bargaining Council for Clothing Manufacturing Industry – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the Contract Cleaning Services Industry – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the Civil Engineering Industry – We were very impressed with the web site and even more so with the council’s Annual Report which included their financial statements to be found here: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/0889b5d0d9.html#page/43 showing a healthy R15.8 Million surplus from a R61 992 000 revenue for 2024 and cash reserve of R74.772 Million. This exemplary reporting is sure to give members of this Bargaining Council comfort that their council is healthy and in a position to cover any cataclysmic events.
National Bargaining Council for the Chemical Industry – This councils financials are reported on in the AGM report as follows: A surplus of R2.4 million. Revenue of R21 345 206. The Council’s investments reached R28 186 279 – a significant increase of R8.3 million from the prior year. Levies collected totaled R21 289 949, a R1m increase compared to the previous year. Cash flow remained positive, with a year-end balance of R1 291 684. Full report here: https://nbcci.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NBCCI-AGM-2024-REPORT.pdf
Bargaining Council for the Diamond Cutting Industry of South Africa – NO WEB SITE
National Bargaining Council for the Electrical Industry of South Africa – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the Fishing Industry – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the Food Retail, Restaurant, Catering & Allied Trades – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE
Bargaining Council for the Restaurant, Catering and Allied Trades – NOTHING
Statutory Council for the Fast Food, Restaurant, Catering and Allied Trades – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE
Furniture Bargaining Council – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the Furniture Manufacturing Industry of the Western Cape – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the Furniture Manufacturing Industry, KwaZulu/Natal – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE
Bargaining Council for the Grain Industry (National) – NOTHING
National Bargaining Council for the Hairdressing, Cosmetology, Beauty and Skincare Industry – This council makes it’s Pension Fund report available here: https://hcsbc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/HBSI-Trustee-Report-28-02-2025-20-06-2025.pdf The monthly fee to members for 2025 is R168 per month for Active members which stood at 5 242 as at 29 February 2024. We FAILED to find the council’s financial statements.
Bargaining Council for the Laundry, Cleaning and Dyeing Industry (KwaZulu Natal) – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE and DEREGISTERED
National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of South Africa – DOMAIN HOLDING PAGE
Bargaining Council for the Meat Trade, Gauteng – NOTHING
Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (National) – NOTHING
Motor Industry Bargaining Council (National) – NOTHING
Motor Ferry Industry Bargaining Council of South Africa (National) – NOTHING
Bargaining Council for the New Tyre Manufacturing Industry (National) – NO WEBSITE
National Bargaining Council for the Private Security Sector – NOTHING
National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI) – The latest financial reports are in a DATED Annual Report from 2020 here: https://www.nbcrfli.org.za/Annual%20Reports/2020%20NBCRFLI%20ANNUAL%20REPORT.pdf – This council reported a R103 945 668 surplus for 2020 from a top line revenue of R604 250 817. Giving a total surplus of R636 830 916 as at 29 February 2020. Financial Statements for the subsequent years are not available at time of publication.
South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC) – NOTHING
National Bargaining Council for the Sugar Manufacturing and Refining Industry – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE
National Textile Bargaining Council – NOTHING
Transnet Bargaining Council (National) – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE
National Bargaining Council for the Wood and Paper Sector – REPORTS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST – https://www.nbcwps.org.za/reports.html
Education Labour Relations Council – Colour us impressed – a well laid out web site with direct links from the front page to Annual Reports – https://elrc.org.za/docs/annual-report-2023-2025/ – The ELRC reported a R29 910 428 surplus off of Revenue of R106 192 887 leaving an accumulative surplus of R291 308 370
General Public Service Sectoral Bargaining Council – This council reported a loss for the year of R508 707 off of a revenue of R55 794 947. This left a total cash surplus of R10 556 058. See: https://gpssbc.org.za/download/51/annual-reports/1279/gpssbc-annual-report-2022-2023
Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council – One more council with easy to navigate and find Annual Reports, see: https://www.phsdsbc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/FINAL-2023-24-Annual-Report.pdf – Revenue for the years was R44 782 669 with toal operating costs at R40 788 919 all contributing to a retained reserve of R62 964 946
Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council – This council made their annual reports available under a Media Tab here: https://pscbc.org.za/index.php/docman/annual-reports/2358-pscbc-2022-2023/file – The turnover for the year was R48 647 684.81 and expenses R49 034 614 leaving a loss for the year of R386 930.81. No retained surplus or management accounts were provided.
Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council – Anther easy to find Annual Report here – https://sssbc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/158706SSSBCAR2024WEB-1.pdf – this council reported turnover of R30 909 090, expenses of R27 276 929 for a surplus of R2 576 261 after adding investment and other revenue for the year.
South African Local Government Bargaining Council – NOTHING
Statutory Council for the Squid and Other Fisheries of South Africa – WEB SITE UNREACHABLE
Statutory Council of the Printing, Newspaper and Packaging Industry of South Africa – NOTHING
Bargaining Councils Serve Different Industries such as:
- Building Industry
- Canvas Goods
- Clothing Manufacturing
- Cleaning Services
- Chemical Industry
- Civil Engineering
- Diamond Cutting
- Electrical Industry
- Fishing Industry
- Food, Retail, Restaurant, Catering and Allied Trades
- Furniture
- Grain Industry
- Hairdressing, Cosmetology, Beauty and Skincare Industry
- Laundry, Cleaning and Dyeing Industry
- Leather Industry
- Meat Trade
- Metal and Engineering
- Motor Industry
- New Tyre Manufacturing Industry
- Private Security
- Road Freight and Logistics Industry
- Road Passengers
- Sugar Manufacturing and Refining
- Textiles
- Transnet Bargaining Council
- Wood and Paper
- Education
- Public Service
- Public Health and Social Development
- South African Local Government
- Squid and Related Fisheries
- Printing, Newspaper and Packaging Industry
Bargaining Councils, just like any public facing business, should be subject to unfettered scrutiny by members first, regulators second and the general public third.
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National Bargaining Councils – Should Their Financial Performance Be Readily Available to Members?
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