Cosatu says it is more than willing to reach an out-of-court settlement with Western Cape Premier Helen Zille over the composition of her provincial cabinet.

The trade union federation has accused Zille of discriminating against women by appointing only male MECs to her provincial cabinet.

Cosatu's Tony Ehrenreich says he is pleased that the two parties are at least starting to see eye to eye on some issues.

"She has an obligation and she agrees with the Cosatu points so we think there's a possibility of a settlement. We, however, still have to define the difference between the obligations [which are] accrued to the premier on the Bill of Rights and her sense that she doesn't have to abide by that," says Ehrenreich.