1. In Labour Relations Minute 0004/2006 you were informed that the Constitution of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) had been amended by ELRC Collective Agreement 1 of 2006 (the Agreement), which came into effect as from 1 May 2006.
2. Threshold requirement
2.1 One of the amendments to the constitution is that the admission criteria for employee parties to the ELRC have been altered. The threshold requirement of 20 000 members has now been increased to 50 000 members within the registered scope of the ELRC.
2.2.1 The aforementioned threshold requirement has made it necessary for some of the trade unions to act together in order to gain admission to the ELRC. Two such Combined Trade Union (CTU) parties have consequently been admitted to the ELRC. They are the following:
(a) CTU South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU): This party has adopted the name SADTU and consists of the following trade unions:
(b) SADTU Cape Teacher’s Professional Association (CTPA).
2.2.2 CTU Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (SAOU): This party has adopted the name SAOU and consists of the following trade unions:
(a) Association of Professional Educators of KwaZulu-Natal (APEK).
(b Free State Teacher’s Association (OFSATA).
(c) Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA).
(d) National Teacher’s Union (NATU).
(e) National Union of Educators (NUE)
(f) Professional Educators’ Union (PEU).
(g) Public Servants’ Association (PSA).
(h) Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (SAOU).
(i) South African Union for Vocational and Specialised Education (SAUVSE).
(j) Union of South African Professional Educators (USAPE).
2.3 The above-mentioned two CTU parties are consequently also party to the provincial chamber of the ELRC (PELRC).
3. Filling of vacancies
3.1 The Agreement also affects the Western Cape Education Department (WCED)’s established process for filling of vacancies.
3.2 Paragraph 7 of the preface to WCED Vacancy List 1/2006 makes provision for the following:
3.2.1 The teachers’ unions must be notified five (5) working days in advance of the date, time and venue of
(a) the opening of the envelopes which contain the applications and the shortlisting of candidates.
(b) the interviews with candidates.
3.2.2 The envelopes containing the applications may be opened only in the presence of the representatives of the teachers’ unions.
3.3 In light of the said constitutional change, only two (2) CTU parties should be contacted in order to adhere to the aforementioned requirements.
3.4 The provincial secretariat of the CTU parties to the PELRC can be contacted at the following addresses and telephone and facsimile numbers:
SADTU:	33 Tallent Street, PAROW, 7500
Tel.: 021 930 8458/8565
Fax: 021 930 8497
SAOU: 6 Park Road, RONDEBOSCH, 7700 Tel.: 021 686 8521 Fax: 021 689 2998
4. Please bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all concerned.


SIGNED: G.J. ELLIOTT
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2006:06:23