(1) |
A service is a maintenance service if the interruption of that service has the effect of material physical destruction to any working area, plant or machinery. |
(2) |
If there is no collective agreement relating to the provision of a maintenance service, an employer may apply in writing to the essential services committee for a determination that the whole or a part of the employer"s business or service is a maintenance service. |
(3) |
The employer must satisfy the essential services committee that a copy of the application has been served on all interested parties. |
(4) |
The essential services committee must determine, as soon as possible, whether or not the whole or a part of the employer"s business or service is a maintenance service. |
(5) |
As part of its determination in terms of subsection (4), the essential services committee may direct that any dispute in respect of which the employees engaged in a maintenance service would have had the right to strike, but for the provisions of section 65(1)(d)(iii), be referred to arbitration. |
(6) |
The committee may not make a direction in terms of subsection (5) if— |
(a) |
the terms and conditions of employment of the employees engaged in the maintenance service are determined by collective bargaining; or |
(b) |
the number of employees prohibited from striking because they are engaged in the maintenance service does not exceed the number of employees who are entitled to strike. |
(7) |
If a direction in terms of subsection (5) requires a dispute to be resolved by arbitration— |
(a) |
the provisions of section 74 will apply to the arbitration; and |
(b) |
any arbitration award will be binding on the employees engaged in the maintenance service and their employer, unless the terms of the award are varied by a collective agreement. |
(8) |
A panel appointed by the essential services committee may in the prescribed manner vary or cancel the designation of the whole or part of a maintenance service on its own accord or on application by the employer or a registered trade union with members affected by the designation of a maintenance service. |
[Section 75(8) inserted by section 7 of Notice No. 1304, GG 42061, dated 27 November 2018]