The need to manage people, remuneration and conditions of employment led to what we today know as the Human Resources department.
As early as 1941, SAFCEC initiated exploratory discussions with certain trade unions to discuss the issues around conditions of employment. During the sixties it took the initiative to establish statutory minimum wages for the industry. And again, during the early nineties SAFCEC took the initiative in preparing for centralised bargaining with labour unions that were becoming stronger. With the advent of democracy, the legal environment regulating labour relations has undergone a revolution.
The Labour Relations Act, Basic Conditions of Employment Act and others have changed the face of labour relations completely. The challenge is to make this legislation work in ways that will not inhibit growth and efficiency in the industry, and which will not deprive it of its greatest attribute, that of being a leading creator of employment. The opening up of international markets is raising a further need – to understand companies rights of moving people and the legal framework in the host countries.