South African Employment and Labour Law Acronyms and Abbreviations: A Practical A–Z Reference Guide
South African labour and employment law resources frequently use acronyms and abbreviations for legislation, labour institutions, trade unions, employer organisations, bargaining councils, law reports and other key terms.
This guide provides an alphabetical list of commonly used labour and employment law abbreviations and acronyms to help readers navigate legal documents and publications with ease.
1956 LRA – Labour Relations Act 28 of 1956
A
ABI – Amalgamated Beverage Industries
ABET– Adult Basic Education and Training
ABI – Amalgamated Beverage Industries
ACTWUSA – Amalgamated Clothing Textile Workers Union of South Africa
Aids – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AMCU – Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union
AMSSA – Arbitration and Mediation Society of South Africa
ARB – Arbitration
AUSA – Aviation Union of Southern Africa
AWOL – Absent without Leave
AWU – Amalungelo Workers Union
B
BAISEMWU – Black Allied Iron, Steel, Engineering and Metallurgical Workers Union
BALR – Butterworths Arbitration Law Reports
BASODWU – Black Allied Shops Offices and Distributive Trade Workers Union
BAWU – Black Allied Workers Union
BCA – Bargaining Council Arbitration
BCAWU Building Construction and Allied Workers Union
BCEA – Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997
BCFMI – Bargaining Council for the Furniture Manufacturing Industry
BCRCAT – Bargaining Council for the Restaurant, Catering and Allied Trades
BEE – Black Economic Empowerment
BEMAWU – Broadcasting, Electronic Media and Allied Workers Union
BIAWU – Banking, Insurance, Assurance Workers Union
BIFAWU – Banking, Insurance, Finance and Assurance Workers Union
BLLR – Butterworths Labour Law Reports
BUSA – Business Unity South Africa
C
CAWU – Construction and Allied Workers Union
CC – Constitutional Court
CCAWUSA – Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union of South Africa
CCMA – Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration
CEO – Chief Executive Officer
CEPPWAWU – Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union
CF – Compensation Fund
CFO – Chief Financial Officer
CGE – Commission for Gender Equality
COIDA – Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993
COO – Chief Operating Officer
COSATU – Congress of South African Trade Unions
COSAWU – Commercial, Services and Allied Workers Union
Covid-19 – Coronavirus disease 2019
CSAAWU – Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union
CSFWU – Combined Small Factory Workers Union
CSIR – Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
CV – Curriculum Vitae
CWIU – Chemical Workers Industrial Union
CWU – Communication Workers Union
D
DEL – Department of Employment and Labour
DEMAWUSA – Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Unions of South Africa
DENOSA – Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa
DETAWU – Democratised Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union
DG – Director-General
DIMES – Durban Integrated Municipal Employees Society
DOL – Department of Labour/Department of Employment and Labour
DPP – Director of Public Prosecutions
E
EAWTUSA – Electrical and Allied Workers Trade Union of South Africa
ECCAWUSA – Entertainment, Catering, Commercial and Allied Workers Union of South Africa
EEA – Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998
EEA – Educators’ Employment Act 138 of 1994
EEP – Employment Equity Plan
EIMWU – Engineering, Industrial and Mining Workers Union
ELRC – Education Labour Relations Council
ESA – Employment Services Act 4 of 2014
ETIA – Employment Tax Incentive Act 26 of 2013
F
FAWU – Food and Allied Workers Union
FBWU – Food and Beverage Workers Union
FEDCRAW – Federal Council of Retail and Allied Workers
FEDSAS – Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools
FEDUSA – Federation of Unions of South Africa
FGWU – Food and General Workers Union
FIFO – First In, First Out
FOCSWU – Food, Cleaning and Security Workers Union
FWCSA – Food Workers Council of South Africa
G
GenN – General Notice
GG – Government Gazette
GIWUSA – General Industries Workers Union of South Africa
GM – General Manager
GN – Government Notice
GPSSBC – General Public Service Sectoral Bargaining Council
H
HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HOD – Head of Department
HOSPERSA – Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa
HR – Human Resources
HRWU – Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union
I
IBSA – Insurance and Banking Staff Association
IC – Industrial Court
ICHAWU – Independent Commercial Hospitality and Allied Workers Union
IDC – Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited
IIE – Independent Institute of Education
ILGM – Institute for Local Government Management of South Africa
ILJ – Industrial Law Journal
ILO – International Labour Organisation
IMATU – Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union
IMSSA – Independent Mediation Services of South Africa
IR – Industrial Relations
L
LAC – Labour Appeal Court
LC – Labour Court
LCD – Labour Court Digest
LGBTQIA+ – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual/aromantic/agender plus other sexual and gender identities
LIFO – Last-In-First-Out
LLD – Labour Law Digest
LRA – Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995
M
MAWU – Metal and Allied Workers Union
MD – managing director
MECSU – Municipal Employees and Civil Servants Union
MEIBC – Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council
MEC – Member of the Executive Council
MHASA – Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996
MIBCO – Motor Industry Bargaining Council
MIF – Motor Industries’ Federation
MISA – Motor Industry Staff Association
MRTAWU – Manufacturing, Retail, Transport and Allied Workers Union
MTWU – Motor Transport Workers Union
MWASA – Media Workers Association of South Africa
MWU – Mineworkers Union
N
NAAWU – National Automobile and Allied Workers Union
NACBAWU – National Construction, Building and Allied Workers Union
NACTU – National Council of Trade Unions
NACTWUSA – National Clothing and Textile Workers Union of South Africa
NASA – National Association of South African Workers
NASARIEU – National Sugar Refining and Allied Industries Employees Union
NASAWU – National Service and Allied Workers Union
NBCCI – National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry
NBCRFLI – National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry
NBCWPS – National Bargaining Council for the Wood and Paper Sector
NDCAWU – National Democratic Change and Allied Workers Union
NEASA – National Employers' Association of South Africa
NEDLAC – National Economic Development and Labour Council
NEHAWU – National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union
NETU – National Employees Trade Union
NEWU – National Entitled Workers Union
NIWUSA – National Industrial Workers Union of South Africa
NUCCAWU – National Union of Commerce, Catering and Allied Workers Union
NUFAWSA – National Union of Furniture and Allied Workers of South Africa
NUFBWSAW – National Union of Food, Beverage, Wine, Spirits and Allied Workers
NULAW – National Union of Leather and Allied Workers
NUM – National Union of Mineworkers
NUMSA – National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa
NUPSAW – National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers
NUPSW – National Union of Public Service Workers
NUTW– National Union of Textile Workers
O
OCGAWU – Oil, Chemical, General and Allied Workers Union
OHSA – Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993
P
PAWUSA – Public and Allied Workers Union of South Africa
PDA – Protected Disclosures Act 26 of 2000
PEPUDA – Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000
PETUSA – Professional Employees Trade Union of South Africa
PHSDSBC – Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council
PHWSBC – Public Health and Welfare Sectoral Bargaining Council
POPCRU – Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union
PPWAWU – Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union
PSA – Public Servants Association of South Africa
PSCBC – Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council
PSLRA – Public Service Labour Relations Act 102 of 1993
PTAWU – Professional Transport and Allied Workers' Union
R
RAWUSA – Retail and Associated Workers Union of South Africa
S
SAAWU – South African Allied Workers Union
SACCAWU – South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union
SACM – South African Custodial Management
SACTWU – Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union
SACU – South African Communication Union
SACWU – South African Chemical Workers' Union
SADTU – South African Democratic Teachers Union
SAEFA – South African Equity Employees
SAEWA – South African Equity Workers Association
SAFA – South African Football Association
SAFWU – South African Federal Workers Union
SALDCDAWU – South African Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Dyeing and Allied Workers Union
SALGBC – South African Local Government Bargaining Council
SALSTAFF – Salaried Staff Association
SAMWU – South African Municipal Workers Union
SANCA – South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
SANDF – South African National Defence Force
SAPS Act – South African Police Service Act 68 of 1995
SARHWU – South African Railway and Harbour Workers Union
SARPA – South African Rugby Players Association
SARU – South African Rugby Union
SASBO – South African Society of Bank Officials
SASTAWU – South African Scooter and Transport Allied Workers Union
SATAWU – South African Transport and Allied Workers Union
SATU – South African Typographical Union
SAWU – South African Workers Union
SEFA – Small Enterprise Finance Agency
SETA/SETAs – Sector Education and Training Authority/Authorities
SITA – State Information Technology Agency
SSSBC – Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council
STEMCWU – Steel, Mining and Commercial Workers Union
T
TAWU – Transport and Allied Workers Union
TAWUSA – Transport and Allied Workers Union of South Africa
TBC – Transnet Bargaining Council
TES – Temporary Employment Service
TEUSA – Technical Employees Union of South Africa
TGWU – Transport and General Workers Union
THORN – Transport, Retail and General Workers Union
TWU – Technical Workers Union
TWU – Textile Workers Union
TWU – Transport Workers Union
U
UAMAWU – United African and Motor Allied Workers Union
UASA – United Association of South Africa
UIA – Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001
UIF – Unemployment Insurance Fund
UNTU – United National Transport Union
UPSCO – Union for Police, Security and Corrections Organisation
UPUSA – United Peoples Union of South
V
VSP – Voluntary Severance Package
W
WESUSA – Workers Equally Support Union of South Africa
