Reporting of Strikes, Lockouts or Protest Action The Department of Employment and Labour has formally requested the assistance of the Bargaining Council to disseminate the attached Form LRA 9.2 to its affiliates. LRA-9.2-FORM.pdf This request is made in accordance with Section 205 (3) (a) and (b) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995, which requires an employer to keep a record of the prescribed details concerning any strike, lockout, or protest action involving its employ

Migration of Council’s Accounts System: Billing Over the last couple of months, the Council has been moving over to the new IT system. As indicated in previous Chronicles, we encountered technical issues and requested that you notify the Council of any discrepancies. The Council staff have been working with the IT Developers as well as with establishments to rectify the technical issues and the discrepancies. We trust that the next billing run will be a smooth process. Ho

Migration of Council’s Accounts System: Billing In the April Chronicle, we advised that the Council was in the process of moving over to a new IT system. Unfortunately, we did encounter technical issues, which caused some discrepancies in the billing. Please see the notice that was circulated and published in this regard. Notice-to-Industry-April-2026-Monthly-Returns.pdf The Council regrets the inconvenience caused and remains hopeful that the May billing run will be free o

Council IT System The Council is in the process of moving over to a new IT system. You may notice an improvement in the information provided in the body of the email under the cover of which Returns are submitted! Please contact your Credit Controller should you have any queries concerning your Return. The details of the Credit Controller will be included in the covering email. Remittance Advice/Written Documents to Accompany Payment Establishments are reminded to submit

Important Reminders Wage Schedules Effective from 1 March 2026 The Wage Schedules have been updated to include the increase in terms of the collective agreement entered into between the parties and have been posted on the Council’s website. Downloads | HCSBC Membership Fees – UASA & EOHCB The EOHCB and UASA Membership Fees may be accessed via the Council’s website • EOHCB Fees 2026 (with effect from 1 January 2026) • UASA Fees 2026 (with effect from 1 February 2026)

NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE FROM 1 MARCH 2026 The Minister of Employment and Labour has, by Notice (No. R 7083) in the Government Gazette (No. 54075, dated 3 February 2026), amended the National Minimum Wage from R28.79 per hour to R30.23 per hour , with effect from 1 March 2026 . The amounts applicable to Learners have also been amended. Gazette-NMW-1-March-2026.pdf The minimum wage and learnership allowances prescribed by the National Minimum Wage Commission are adhered to as a

Following the negotiations conducted during 2025, the Employers’ Organisation for Hairdressing Cosmetology and Beauty (EOHCB) and UASA - the Union, concluded a collective agreement towards the end of 2025. Duration The duration of the agreement is for one year, commencing on 1 March 2026 and terminating on 28 February 2027. The agreement provides that the negotiation teams will continue with negotiations in 2026 to address: A review of the administration and rules of the Sick

PENSION FUND FORMS The Financial Services Tribunal has warned prospective retirees to review their paperwork carefully, as errors can lead to substantial losses. In a recent case, a member’s retirement was processed as a withdrawal instead of a retirement because the member had incorrectly used a withdrawal form. This error resulted in a significant loss to the member as the tax deductions made were based on a withdrawal, not a retirement. The Pension Fund Adjudicator found t

PENSION FUND ARREARS The Main Collective Agreement provides that membership of the HBSI Pension Fund is compulsory for employees in the industry. In the absence of an exemption, it is a legal requirement that employers submit payment of the required contributions to the Council for payment to the Fund. A failure to pay over contributions as required is not only a contravention of the Pension Fund Act and a criminal offence, but also potentially leaves employers exposed to