The existence of the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council (PHSDSBC), until 2007 known as the Public Health and Welfare Sectoral Bargaining Council, can be traced back to the Labour Relations Act, 1995, with section 37 stating: 

"The Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) may, in terms of its constitution and by resolution: - (a) designate a sector of the public service for the establishment of a bargaining council."