Constitutional Court denies leave to appeal extension of collective bargaining to nonparties

The Constitutional Court on August 25 dismissed the petition for leave to appeal the decision of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) to extend the main agreement to nonparties with effect from October 17, 2022. This judgment reinforces the principles of centralised collective bargaining, a cornerstone of South African labour relations, said industry employer organisation the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa) on August 28.