The  Labour  Relations Act provides for the self-regulation  of Industries through the medium of centralised bargaining within Bargaining Councils. NBCEI is a Bargaining  Council as  envisaged in  the Act  whose  mission  is  to  create  and maintain industrial peace and stability in the Electrical Industry. It provides the following services

• Forum and facilities for Collective Bargaining,  

• Settlement of Labour Disputes,  

• Provision of Social Benefits for the upliftment of all persons falling within the Industry, i.e. Pension, Provident, Leave Pay Fund and Sick Pay Fund 

• NBCEI consists of representatives from both Employers’ and Employees’ Organisations and has equal representation from both groups.

• The Agreements negotiated are, where necessary, extended by the State to include the entire Electrical Industry once satisfied that the Parties to the Council are in the majority. It is for this reason that all Employers and Employees falling within the Electrical Industry resort under the jurisdiction of NBCEI.

• Bargaining Councils are not funded by the State and all Employers and their Employees pay a Council levy towards the funding of the Council.

The LRA provides for the appointment of Agents  "..to enforce any collective agreement concluded in that Bargaining Council"–Labour Relations Act, Section 33

THE ROLE OF AGENTS IN NBCEI

The following processes are used to enforce the Collective Agreements in the Electrical Industry: