One of the key agreements reached with business at Nedlac was that no worker should have their wages or benefits suppressed or reduced by employers in anticipation of the National Minimum Wage. This was to protect more than six million vulnerable workers from abuse of employers. The date set for this protection was 1 May 2017. Protection of workers was incorrectly cross referenced in the final Bill as amended by Parliament. It means that workers now no longer have the key protection backdated to 1 May 2017. That is why it is important for the ANC to push this amendment through as soon as possible.