The effective management of a strike is generally a challenging phenomenon which impacts on employers, employees and the general public. The main purpose of this study was to analyse the legal implications of employees’ participation in an unprotected strike. The study also explored requirements for a strike to be protected in compliance with the prescribed legislation. From the literary review, cases and legislation, it became clear that compliance plays a key role when a consideration is taken by employees to take part in a strike during dispute resolution. In analysing the legal consequences for participating in an unprotected strike, a finding was made that employers in the end have an upper hand in that when all due processes and procedures are followed, they are empowered to dismiss employees. Legislation and international standards form the cornerstone upon which dispute resolution mechanisms and the rights of employers and employees are derived from. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Labour law)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge verleen aan werknemers die reg om te staak. Die reg is egter nie onbeperk nie. Op grond van die voldoening aan wetlike vereistes, word stakings as beskermd of onbeskermd geklassifiseer. Beskermde stakers kan ontslaan word weens wangedrag tydens die staking of op grond van die bedryfsvereistes van die werkgewer. Die werkgewer se bedryfsvereistes sal ontslag regverdig indien sy /haar vlak van toleransie bereik is. Dit sal die geval wees indien die werkgewer se besigheid met ondergang gedreig word of onherroeplike skade gaan ly, sou die staking voortduur. Aile relevante faktore moet egter in ag geneem word. Daar is nie tans 'n vasgestelde toets in die verband nie en daar word ook aan die hand gedoen dat billikheid, met inagneming van al die relevante faktore en omstandighede, die belangrikste oorweging moet wees. 'n Vasgestelde toets vir die bepaling van die werkgewer se vlak van toleransie, word afgekeur. / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the Labour Relations Act give employees the right to strike. This right is, however, not unlimited. By reason of the satisfaction of statutory requirements, strikes are classified as protected or unprotected. Protected strikers may be dismissed for misconduct during the strike or by reason of the operational requirements of the employer. The employer's operational requirements will justify dismissal when his/her level of tolerance is reached. This will be the case when the employer's business is on the brink of extinction or about to suffer irreparable harm. All the relevant facts must however be taken into account. Currently there is no definite test in this regard and it is proposed that fairness, taking into account all the relevant facts and circumstances, be the overriding consideration. A specific test for the determination of the employer's level of tolerance must be rejected. / Economics and Management Sciences / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge verleen aan werknemers die reg om te staak. Die reg is egter nie onbeperk nie. Op grond van die voldoening aan wetlike vereistes, word stakings as beskermd of onbeskermd geklassifiseer. Beskermde stakers kan ontslaan word weens wangedrag tydens die staking of op grond van die bedryfsvereistes van die werkgewer. Die werkgewer se bedryfsvereistes sal ontslag regverdig indien sy /haar vlak van toleransie bereik is. Dit sal die geval wees indien die werkgewer se besigheid met ondergang gedreig word of onherroeplike skade gaan ly, sou die staking voortduur. Aile relevante faktore moet egter in ag geneem word. Daar is nie tans 'n vasgestelde toets in die verband nie en daar word ook aan die hand gedoen dat billikheid, met inagneming van al die relevante faktore en omstandighede, die belangrikste oorweging moet wees. 'n Vasgestelde toets vir die bepaling van die werkgewer se vlak van toleransie, word afgekeur. / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the Labour Relations Act give employees the right to strike. This right is, however, not unlimited. By reason of the satisfaction of statutory requirements, strikes are classified as protected or unprotected. Protected strikers may be dismissed for misconduct during the strike or by reason of the operational requirements of the employer. The employer's operational requirements will justify dismissal when his/her level of tolerance is reached. This will be the case when the employer's business is on the brink of extinction or about to suffer irreparable harm. All the relevant facts must however be taken into account. Currently there is no definite test in this regard and it is proposed that fairness, taking into account all the relevant facts and circumstances, be the overriding consideration. A specific test for the determination of the employer's level of tolerance must be rejected. / Economics and Management Sciences / LL.M.

This dissertation is a critical analysis of the provisions of sec 64(l)(b) and (c), 66(2)(b) and 77(l)(b) and (d) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 which prescribe notice of industrial action as a requirement of protected industrial action in South Africa. It traces the historical background of the requirement. It also addresses issues such as the purpose(s) of the notices, their scope of application, meaning, implications, who must give notice, to whom must notice be given, timing, computation, their duration, the consequences of failure to comply with them and various potential difficulties in the practical application of the notice requirement as well as the unintended consequences flowing from the provisions. Recommendations are made for the amendment of the Act in certain respects. The dissertation concludes that there is no justification for the inclusion in the Act of this requirement. The law is stated as at 30 September 2005. / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is gepoog om die sogenaamde "reg om te staak" aan die hand van nasionale en internasionale invloede te ontleed. Dit is veral die International labour Organisation se voorstelle wat 'n invloed gehad het om die Suid-Afrikaanse reg in lyn met die internasionale posisie te bring. Daar word egter gewys op die beperkinge van die reg om te staak, byvoorbeeld in die geval van noodsaaklike dienste en staatsdiensamptenare. Vervolgens is die Suid-Afrikaanse stakingsreg onder die loep geneem en is daar gekyk na die gemene reg, statutere reg en die gevolge van 'n staking. Die Suid-Afrikaanse reg is toe vergelyk met 'n aantal ILO-beginsels. Die moontlike invloed van die Grondwet, 200 van 1993 op die arbeidsreg is bespreek. Die ·studie konkludeer dat, alhoewel daar nie 'n absolute reg om te staak is nie, sodanige reg onder sekere omstandighede erken moet word. / The aim of the study was to analyse the so-called "right to strike" by looking at national as well as international influences on the subject. The suggestions by the International labour Organisation in particular had an influence on changing the South African position. The limitations on the right to strike were also scrutinized. The South African strike law was discussed. The common law position, statutory law as well as the consequences of a strike were analysed. The South African position was also compared with a few llO principles. The possible influence of the Constitution, Act 200 of 1993 on labour law was discussed. The study concluded that, althot:.Jgh there is not an absolute right to strike, such a right must be recognized in certain circumstances. / Mercentile Law / LL. M.

In the first section of the dissertation, strike law in the Netherlands is focused upon. The following issues are inter alia dealt with: the historical background of the strike phenomenon, the right to strike and restrictions on this right, the reluctance of the Dutch legislature to legislate in the field of industrial action, and the directly applicable provisions of the European Social Charter. The second section of the dissertation deals with South African strike law and also starts off with a discussion of the historical background thereof, whereafter the provisions of the 1995 Labour Relations Act are analysed and discussed. The third and last section highlights some of the major differences and points to some similarities between the two legal systems. It concludes that the detailed South African labour legislation does not provide more certainty than the Dutch judge-made law in respect of the law relating to strikes. / Law / LL.M.

This dissertation is a critical analysis of the provisions of sec 64(l)(b) and (c), 66(2)(b) and 77(l)(b) and (d) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 which prescribe notice of industrial action as a requirement of protected industrial action in South Africa. It traces the historical background of the requirement. It also addresses issues such as the purpose(s) of the notices, their scope of application, meaning, implications, who must give notice, to whom must notice be given, timing, computation, their duration, the consequences of failure to comply with them and various potential difficulties in the practical application of the notice requirement as well as the unintended consequences flowing from the provisions. Recommendations are made for the amendment of the Act in certain respects. The dissertation concludes that there is no justification for the inclusion in the Act of this requirement. The law is stated as at 30 September 2005. / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is gepoog om die sogenaamde "reg om te staak" aan die hand van nasionale en internasionale invloede te ontleed. Dit is veral die International labour Organisation se voorstelle wat 'n invloed gehad het om die Suid-Afrikaanse reg in lyn met die internasionale posisie te bring. Daar word egter gewys op die beperkinge van die reg om te staak, byvoorbeeld in die geval van noodsaaklike dienste en staatsdiensamptenare. Vervolgens is die Suid-Afrikaanse stakingsreg onder die loep geneem en is daar gekyk na die gemene reg, statutere reg en die gevolge van 'n staking. Die Suid-Afrikaanse reg is toe vergelyk met 'n aantal ILO-beginsels. Die moontlike invloed van die Grondwet, 200 van 1993 op die arbeidsreg is bespreek. Die ·studie konkludeer dat, alhoewel daar nie 'n absolute reg om te staak is nie, sodanige reg onder sekere omstandighede erken moet word. / The aim of the study was to analyse the so-called "right to strike" by looking at national as well as international influences on the subject. The suggestions by the International labour Organisation in particular had an influence on changing the South African position. The limitations on the right to strike were also scrutinized. The South African strike law was discussed. The common law position, statutory law as well as the consequences of a strike were analysed. The South African position was also compared with a few llO principles. The possible influence of the Constitution, Act 200 of 1993 on labour law was discussed. The study concluded that, althot:.Jgh there is not an absolute right to strike, such a right must be recognized in certain circumstances. / Mercentile Law / LL. M.

In the first section of the dissertation, strike law in the Netherlands is focused upon. The following issues are inter alia dealt with: the historical background of the strike phenomenon, the right to strike and restrictions on this right, the reluctance of the Dutch legislature to legislate in the field of industrial action, and the directly applicable provisions of the European Social Charter. The second section of the dissertation deals with South African strike law and also starts off with a discussion of the historical background thereof, whereafter the provisions of the 1995 Labour Relations Act are analysed and discussed. The third and last section highlights some of the major differences and points to some similarities between the two legal systems. It concludes that the detailed South African labour legislation does not provide more certainty than the Dutch judge-made law in respect of the law relating to strikes. / Law / LL.M.

The effective management of a strike is generally a challenging phenomenon which impacts on employers, employees and the general public. The main purpose of this study was to analyse the legal implications of employees’ participation in an unprotected strike. The study also explored requirements for a strike to be protected in compliance with the prescribed legislation. From the literary review, cases and legislation, it became clear that compliance plays a key role when a consideration is taken by employees to take part in a strike during dispute resolution. In analysing the legal consequences for participating in an unprotected strike, a finding was made that employers in the end have an upper hand in that when all due processes and procedures are followed, they are empowered to dismiss employees. Legislation and international standards form the cornerstone upon which dispute resolution mechanisms and the rights of employers and employees are derived from. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Labour law)