Dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Industrial Sociology at the University of Zululand, 2000. / The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception of workers towards the establishment of workplace forum at Felixton Sugar Mill Industry in South Africa. In this study both management and employees were selected to participate. This involves visiting participants in the workplace for the purposes of privacy and concentration. This helped the researcher to have an access of meeting all the respondents. In this research 30 respondents were selected from 230 employees using a simple random technique. The cluster system was also used to divide the industry into departments from which the final respondents were selected. Although 30 respondents may not be sufficient for a research of this capacity, the observation method was also used to collect and solicit the necessary information for this research. In addition to this, the researcher made use of most of the official records and statistics that were made available to her. The central view held by this study was that, workplace forums are very useful in achieving efficiency in the workplace and that they help in improving trade union activities. The critical view of the study was that there are few workplace forums established in South African industries. This has earlier been confirmed by the HRSC surveys conducted in 1997. This showed that, the industries should provide some possible measures for the establishment of the workplace forums in order to reduce industrial unrest. But the problem is that trade unions did not encourage this because they see workplace forum as a threat to them. Special attention was on workplace forum because it was taken as a second channel of representation which intended to be one of the primary instruments of the Act to democratise the workplace. The following recommendations were made: Workplace forums should be established in all industries. Trade unions should be involved in the workplace forums. There should be the prevention of the establishment of other forums within one organisation. Management and workers should work together in order to prevent impending conflict. The researcher was able to propose the following solutions for the purpose of reducing conflict in the workplace: Companies should train managers so that they can handle conflicts and maintain harmony in the workplace. The plan should be communicated and every worker should be involved. A supervisor should be concerned when an employee shows signs of serious personal stress. Companies should have a strong policy that prohibits any form of harassment or threatening behaviour. Companies should develop a crisis management team to handle violent incidents before, during and after they occur. It is hoped that the above recommendations and solutions if implemented, will bring some changes in the workplace. When that happens, the rate of conflict will show a significant decline. This will contribute towards the general enhancement of the quality of working life in industries.

The relationship between workers and employers in South Africa is governed by various labour statutes such as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA). The Basic Conditions of Employment Act regulates the working conditions of employees, including working hours, leave, particulars of employment and remuneration and termination of employment, etc. The purpose is to ensure that employees are not exploited and that they do not have to negotiate for these basic conditions of service. The BCEA does not prescribe the minimum remuneration that an employer must pay an employee, so the BCEA empowers the Minister of Labour to make sectoral determinations for sectors or areas of the economy that are typically in a weak bargaining position or not well organised by trade unions. Sectoral determinations are a means to protect vulnerable employees by fixing conditions of employment as well as minimum wages of employees that would otherwise have to be secured through collective bargaining. Employers and employees as well as their representatives are fully consulted during the process of making sectoral determinations. These consultations are held occasionally and the employers and employees can participate in the making of a sectoral determination that will regulate their employment relationship, either by making written submissions to the Department of Labour or by giving input at the public hearings that are usually held by the Department. The Minister is also advised in this regard by a body called Employment Conditions Commission (ECC), which is an independent statutory body established in terms of section 59(1) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. The Minister of Labour, after consultation with NEDLAC appoints the commissioners. The ECC’s mandate is a broad one, with its primary function being to advise the Minister of Labour on various matters concerning the BCEA. These include among others, the making of sectoral determinations, monitoring trends in collective bargaining for their possible impact on the BCEA. The issues highlighted above will be dealt with in detail in this paper.

<p><font size="3" face="Arial"><font size="3" face="Arial"> <p align="left">In this study, I will look at the common law principle of offset to see whether it can be applied to employers making deductions against employees for loss or damage. Notice is a quantifiable amount and is a legal debt / therefore. it should be able to be applied as an offset. Two subsections deal with deductions / after looking carefully at the wording of theses subsections I will try to determine whether the one is alternate to the other, or whether the narrow interpretation that the Department of Labour gives to the statute is accurate. A narrow interpretation of the law states that the employee must sign an acknowledgement of debt. However, employees often refuse to sign an acknowledgement of debt, thereby frustrating the law. Could this possibly have been the intentions of the drafters? Surely not, yet the Department of Labour, by having a narrow interpretation of the law, see it as such and as a result the employer is left out of pocket. In this mini-thesis, I will look at the way the law should be interpreted and the way it should be applied in practice.</p> <p>&nbsp / </p> </font></font></p>

<p><font size="3" face="Arial"><font size="3" face="Arial"> <p align="left">In this study, I will look at the common law principle of offset to see whether it can be applied to employers making deductions against employees for loss or damage. Notice is a quantifiable amount and is a legal debt / therefore. it should be able to be applied as an offset. Two subsections deal with deductions / after looking carefully at the wording of theses subsections I will try to determine whether the one is alternate to the other, or whether the narrow interpretation that the Department of Labour gives to the statute is accurate. A narrow interpretation of the law states that the employee must sign an acknowledgement of debt. However, employees often refuse to sign an acknowledgement of debt, thereby frustrating the law. Could this possibly have been the intentions of the drafters? Surely not, yet the Department of Labour, by having a narrow interpretation of the law, see it as such and as a result the employer is left out of pocket. In this mini-thesis, I will look at the way the law should be interpreted and the way it should be applied in practice.</p> <p>&nbsp / </p> </font></font></p>

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / Sectoral Determination 9,1 Wholesale and Retail Sector echoes the wording found in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act2 when it comes to the section pertaining to deductions from employees’ remuneration. It is unclear how an employer may lawfully make a deduction (other than those required by law) from an employee’s remuneration in order to recover costs such as till shortages, stock losses and improper notice. Loss and damages are common problems faced not only by retailers but by all employers, yet the two governing bodies, that is, the Department of Labour and the CCMA, fail to offer any assistance to the employer in this regard. The law is unfairly biased against the employer, who may be financially unable to recover from losses caused by an employee and may face closure should it be unable to recover losses suffered. The two remedies available to the employer are civil action and criminal action against the employee. However, both have proven to be inadequate for recovering losses incurred. Furthermore, the employer will have already incurred losses and therefore can ill afford the money or the time to pursue these options. The Small Claims Court does offer some relief to a smaller employer wanting to claim to a maximum of R7000, but companies are excluded from this mechanism as the rules of the Small Claims Court specifically exclude them from using this forum. In this study, I will look at the common law principle of offset to see whether it can be applied to employers making deductions against employees for loss or damage. Notice is a quantifiable amount and is a legal debt; therefore. it should be able to be applied as an offset. Two subsections deal with deductions; after looking carefully at the wording of theses subsections I will try to determine whether the one is alternate to the other, or whether the narrow interpretation that the Department of Labour gives to the statute is accurate. A narrow interpretation of the law states that the employee must sign an acknowledgement of debt. However, employees often refuse to sign an acknowledgement of debt, thereby frustrating the law. Could this possibly have been the intentions of the drafters? Surely not, yet the Department of Labour, by having a narrow interpretation of the law, see it as such and as a result the employer is left out of pocket. In this mini-thesis, I will look at the way the law should be interpreted and the way it should be applied in practice. 1 Sectoral Determination 9: Wholesale and Retail Sector, Government Gazette No. 24207 2 The Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 What problems does this ambiguity create? Some problems could include a higher case load for the Department of Labour, demotivated employees, increased tension in the workplace and frustrated employers. I also consider comparative labour law to see if other countries faced with similar situations have made any allowances for such circumstances. Aims of this mini-thesis: 1. To highlight the problems and ambiguities in the interpretation and application of section 34 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)3 and section 8 of the Sectoral Determination 9(SD9)4 2. To recommend, propose and encourage a practical solution for employers to implement in the workplace 3. To improve the situation for employers under the current structure. 4. To lead the legislature drafters to amend or redraft these sections

M. Tech. Strategic Communication / The aim of this research is to analyse the perceived effectiveness of communication with visually impaired employees in the South African workplace. Moores (2002) model of social information needs of communication was used as a framewrok for the research.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les changements observés sur le marché amènent les organisations à améliorer leurs conditions de travail afin d’être en mesure d’attirer et de retenir des travailleurs performants. Les PRH n’y font pas exception. En effet, les PRH présentent des attentes bien précises et développent un contrat psychologique qui leur est propre. Cette recherche porte sur l’intention de quitter des PRH. Plus précisément, elle vise à identifier à travers la théorie du contrat psychologique, les conditions d’emploi et d’exercice de la profession qui, lorsqu’elles ne sont pas respectées, influencent positivement l’intention de quitter des PRH. Il ressort de nos analyses statistiques que la violation du contrat psychologique, notamment des conditions d’emploi et des conditions d’exercice de la profession, influence positivement l’intention de quitter des PRH. Nos analyses nous ont permis d’identifier les différentes conditions d’emploi et d’exercice de la profession qui ont une influence sur l’intention de quitter des PRH. En ce qui concerne les conditions d’emploi, il s’agit de celles reliées au développement de carrière, à l’atmosphère au travail et au contenu de l’emploi. Du côté des conditions d’exercice de la profession, il s’agit du rôle d’agent de changement et de partenaires d’affaires qui ont une influence positive, tandis que le rôle d’expert fonctionnel influence négativement les intentions de quitter des PRH. Nos analyses mettent en évidence l’importance du respect des conditions d’emploi comparativement à celles associées aux conditions d’exercice de la profession. En effet, on constate que les trois conditions d’emploi qui ont une influence positive sur les intentions de quitter des PRH peuvent, sans contredit, être associées au développement professionnel, une valeur importante chez les PRH. / During the last decade, many changes have been observed in the labor markets which have lead organizations to review their work conditions. By improving the work environment, organizations have been able to attract and retain good workers. Human resource professionals (HRP) are not an exception. Indeed, HRP have specific expectations, they also develop their own psychological contract. This research attempts to understand the intent to quit of a HRP. Specifically, this research seeks to identify the conditions of employment and of professional practice through the theory of psychological contracts. When these conditions are not met, they positively influence the intent to quit of a HRP. According to our statistical analyses, psychological contract breach of the conditions of employment and of the conditions of professional practice positively influences the intent to quit of a HRP. More specifically, the conditions of employment which influence the intent to quit of a HRP are related to career development, social atmosphere and job content. Moreover, the role of a change agent and a strategic partner are the conditions of professional practice that influence negatively the intent to quit of a HRP. However, the role of an administrative expert influences positively the intent to quit of a HRP. Finally, our analysis highlights the importance of respecting the conditions of employment compared to those associated to the conditions of professional practice. Indeed, we find that the breach of three conditions of employment that have a positive influence on the intent to quit of a PRH can be associated to career development, which is a value that is more and more important for a PRH in current times.

Tout employeur qui fournit l'accès Internet au sein de son entreprise a intérêt à surveiller l'usage qui en est fait par ses employés, que ce soit pour maximiser les avantages ou pour réduire les risques liés à l'utilisation d'Internet au travail. Tout employeur a d'ailleurs le droit d'exercer une telle surveillance, sous réserve toutefois des droits des personnes surveillées. La mise en place d'une surveillance de l'utilisation d'Internet au travail peut porter atteinte à la vie privée des employés ou à leur droit à des conditions de travail justes et raisonnables, et peut également porter atteinte au droit à la vie privée des tiers indirectement visés par la surveillance. Dans ce contexte, afin de s'assurer que la surveillance est exercée dans les limites de ses droits, l'employeur doit franchir deux étapes de réflexion essentielles. L'employeur doit en premier lieu déterminer le niveau d'expectative raisonnable de vie privée des personnes surveillées, lequel niveau s'apprécie à la lumière d'une série de facteurs. L'employeur doit par ailleurs respecter les critères de rationalité et de proportionnalité. Ces critères requièrent notamment que l'employeur identifie les motifs sous-jacents à la surveillance ainsi que la manière dont la surveillance sera exercée. Une fois ces deux étapes franchies, l'employeur sera en mesure d'identifier les obligations auxquelles il est soumis dans le cadre de la mise en place de la surveillance. / All employers providing Internet access to their employees should implement Internet monitoring in the workplace, to increase the benefits and reduce the risks related to Internet use at work. Employers have the right to implement this kind of monitoring subject, however, to the rights of employees and third parties. The implementation of Internet monitoring within the workplace can affect employees' privacy and the right to fair and reasonable conditions of employment, as well as the rights of third parties who may be indirectly subject to monitoring. In this context, the employer should go through two steps of reasoning. The employer should first determine the level of reasonable expectation of privacy of all individuals monitored, which level is assessed in the light of numerous factors. The employer must also meet the criteria of rationality and proportionality. These criteria require that the employer identifies the reasons behind monitoring, and how monitoring will be exercised. After these two steps, the employer will be able to identify the obligations to which he is submitted through the implementation of Internet monitoring.

Tout employeur qui fournit l'accès Internet au sein de son entreprise a intérêt à surveiller l'usage qui en est fait par ses employés, que ce soit pour maximiser les avantages ou pour réduire les risques liés à l'utilisation d'Internet au travail. Tout employeur a d'ailleurs le droit d'exercer une telle surveillance, sous réserve toutefois des droits des personnes surveillées. La mise en place d'une surveillance de l'utilisation d'Internet au travail peut porter atteinte à la vie privée des employés ou à leur droit à des conditions de travail justes et raisonnables, et peut également porter atteinte au droit à la vie privée des tiers indirectement visés par la surveillance. Dans ce contexte, afin de s'assurer que la surveillance est exercée dans les limites de ses droits, l'employeur doit franchir deux étapes de réflexion essentielles. L'employeur doit en premier lieu déterminer le niveau d'expectative raisonnable de vie privée des personnes surveillées, lequel niveau s'apprécie à la lumière d'une série de facteurs. L'employeur doit par ailleurs respecter les critères de rationalité et de proportionnalité. Ces critères requièrent notamment que l'employeur identifie les motifs sous-jacents à la surveillance ainsi que la manière dont la surveillance sera exercée. Une fois ces deux étapes franchies, l'employeur sera en mesure d'identifier les obligations auxquelles il est soumis dans le cadre de la mise en place de la surveillance. / All employers providing Internet access to their employees should implement Internet monitoring in the workplace, to increase the benefits and reduce the risks related to Internet use at work. Employers have the right to implement this kind of monitoring subject, however, to the rights of employees and third parties. The implementation of Internet monitoring within the workplace can affect employees' privacy and the right to fair and reasonable conditions of employment, as well as the rights of third parties who may be indirectly subject to monitoring. In this context, the employer should go through two steps of reasoning. The employer should first determine the level of reasonable expectation of privacy of all individuals monitored, which level is assessed in the light of numerous factors. The employer must also meet the criteria of rationality and proportionality. These criteria require that the employer identifies the reasons behind monitoring, and how monitoring will be exercised. After these two steps, the employer will be able to identify the obligations to which he is submitted through the implementation of Internet monitoring.

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les changements observés sur le marché amènent les organisations à améliorer leurs conditions de travail afin d’être en mesure d’attirer et de retenir des travailleurs performants. Les PRH n’y font pas exception. En effet, les PRH présentent des attentes bien précises et développent un contrat psychologique qui leur est propre. Cette recherche porte sur l’intention de quitter des PRH. Plus précisément, elle vise à identifier à travers la théorie du contrat psychologique, les conditions d’emploi et d’exercice de la profession qui, lorsqu’elles ne sont pas respectées, influencent positivement l’intention de quitter des PRH. Il ressort de nos analyses statistiques que la violation du contrat psychologique, notamment des conditions d’emploi et des conditions d’exercice de la profession, influence positivement l’intention de quitter des PRH. Nos analyses nous ont permis d’identifier les différentes conditions d’emploi et d’exercice de la profession qui ont une influence sur l’intention de quitter des PRH. En ce qui concerne les conditions d’emploi, il s’agit de celles reliées au développement de carrière, à l’atmosphère au travail et au contenu de l’emploi. Du côté des conditions d’exercice de la profession, il s’agit du rôle d’agent de changement et de partenaires d’affaires qui ont une influence positive, tandis que le rôle d’expert fonctionnel influence négativement les intentions de quitter des PRH. Nos analyses mettent en évidence l’importance du respect des conditions d’emploi comparativement à celles associées aux conditions d’exercice de la profession. En effet, on constate que les trois conditions d’emploi qui ont une influence positive sur les intentions de quitter des PRH peuvent, sans contredit, être associées au développement professionnel, une valeur importante chez les PRH. / During the last decade, many changes have been observed in the labor markets which have lead organizations to review their work conditions. By improving the work environment, organizations have been able to attract and retain good workers. Human resource professionals (HRP) are not an exception. Indeed, HRP have specific expectations, they also develop their own psychological contract. This research attempts to understand the intent to quit of a HRP. Specifically, this research seeks to identify the conditions of employment and of professional practice through the theory of psychological contracts. When these conditions are not met, they positively influence the intent to quit of a HRP. According to our statistical analyses, psychological contract breach of the conditions of employment and of the conditions of professional practice positively influences the intent to quit of a HRP. More specifically, the conditions of employment which influence the intent to quit of a HRP are related to career development, social atmosphere and job content. Moreover, the role of a change agent and a strategic partner are the conditions of professional practice that influence negatively the intent to quit of a HRP. However, the role of an administrative expert influences positively the intent to quit of a HRP. Finally, our analysis highlights the importance of respecting the conditions of employment compared to those associated to the conditions of professional practice. Indeed, we find that the breach of three conditions of employment that have a positive influence on the intent to quit of a PRH can be associated to career development, which is a value that is more and more important for a PRH in current times.