Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012

Thesis (LLM. (Labour Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / In Joseph v University of Limpopo & Others (JA14/09) [2011] ZALC 8 (13 May 2011) the Labour Appeal Court affirmed that there was unfairness in the process adopted by the employer in failing to renew the employee’s fixed term contract. This research paper examines the Labour Appeal Court’s reasoning in this case, with particular focus on the development of an implied term that each party to an employment contract owes the other a mutual duty of trust and confidence, and general reasonable behaviour. This paper further argues that mutual trust and confidence in the employment context protects the legitimate expectations of employees by serving as a bulwark against illegitimate conduct or acts of on the part of the employer designed or likely calculated to destroy the employer-employee relationship, thereby ensuring fuller protection of an employee’s constitutional rights. Joseph v University of Limpopo & others is of great significance. It indicates that the employer’s ability to rely successfully upon its prerogative not to renew fixed term contract where an employee has legitimate expectation of renewal may be contingent on its having acted in a manner consonant with mutual trust and confidence.

O presente estudo enfoca o trabalho penoso e as consequências nocivas à saúde dos trabalhadores que exercem atividades penosas, com evidência na reparação social dos danos e com fundamento nos princípios ambientais. Analisam-se o trabalho na sociedade atual, o processo de organização do trabalho, a globalização da economia, a precarização das relações de trabalho e os impactos sobre a saúde dos trabalhadores. Os princípios ambientais são estudados, bem como todo o arcabouço constitucional e legal de proteção ao direito à saúde no trabalho. Efetua-se o debate acerca do papel da sociedade civil, das entidades sindicais, dos empregadores, bem como dos poderes públicos, na fiscalização do meio ambiente de trabalho e na prevenção de doenças e acidentes do trabalho. A responsabilidade do empregador é examinada à luz da doutrina e da jurisprudência predominante nos nossos Tribunais. Realiza-se o estudo de doutrina sobre medicina do trabalho, em especial de ergonomia, psicologia do trabalho, bem como de textos de filosofia e sociologia do trabalho, economia e administração de empresas, para a caracterização da penosidade. Por fim, são debatidas formas de reparação dos danos, descartando-se a via da monetização do risco. Propõe-se a revogação de legislação em vigor, para que nova normatização efetivamente imponha aos responsáveis pelos danos causados aos trabalhadores, os empregadores que exigem tarefas ou condições de trabalho no limite do risco proibido, o dever de arcar com as despesas da reparação, de ressarcimento dos benefícios que serão gastos pelos cofres públicos. / This study approaches the unsafe or overly strenuous labor practises and its nocuous effects on workers health, especially the compensation of the social harms based on the environmental principles. An analysis of the work in the current society is undertaken, along with that of the work organization process, of the economic globalization, of the deterioration of the working conditions and the impacts on the workers health. The environmental principles are addressed, as well as the entire occupational health protection legal framework, along with the debate regarding the roles of society, trade unions, employers, as well as the role of the government on investigating the work environment and preventing labor accidents and diseases. The employers responsibility is examined, according to the prevailing doctrine and cases. There are the doctrine studies regarding occupational medicine, especially ergonomics, occupational psychology; including the study of texts relating to labor philosophy and sociology, economy and business management, in order to distinguish the laboriousness. Lastly, there is the discussion about the compensation of the damages, excluding the commodification of the risk. The proposition repeals the current act, in order for the new statute to effectively hold the employers accountable for the damages caused to the employees, through the burden of bearing the costs of the reparation, as well as the reimbursement of the expenses incurred by the Treasury.

The Department of Education, as part of the public sector, employs educators in terms of the Employment of Educators Act (EEA),1 whereas the rest of the public servants are employed in terms of the Public Service Act (PSA). If an educator is absent for more than 14 consecutive days without the permission of the employer, the educator is deemed to be discharged according to section 14(1)(a). With regard to the rest of the public sector, a similar provision is put in place, where section 17(5)(a) provides for the discharge of a public officer who is absent from his / her duties without the permission of the Head of Department for a calendar month (31 days). Sometimes long absent periods are caused by personal circumstances of the employee which are unforeseen. If the employee reports for duty after the dismissal, section 14(2) of the EEA provides that, the employee may be reinstated by the employer on good cause shown, after a post-dismissal hearing. If an employee in the public sector is discharged based on these deeming provisions, the employment is terminated by the operation of the law and there is no dismissal. This means that the employer is not responsible for the termination, meaning than there exists no option to review the dismissal. The supreme law of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) is the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (the Constitution).5 The question at hand is whether the deeming provision of section 14 of the EEA6 is constitutional. The Labour Relations Act (LRA) goes further by stipulating that every person has the right not to be unfairly dismissed, and not to be subjected to unfair labour practice.7 Section 23 of the Constitution provides that everyone has the right to fair labour practices. Furthermore, section 33 of the Constitution provides for fair administrative action. The question is whether these provisions, dealing with the dismissal of educators, limit the employee’s constitutional right to a fair labour practice.

Common law does recognise the concept of dismissal based on operational requirements. It recognises dismissals that are based on breach of expressed or implied terms of contract of employment. The concept of operational requirements has its roots in the Labour Relations Act 28 of 1956. This Act recognised termination of employment of a number of employees due to ability, capacity, productivity, conduct and operational requirements and needs of undertaking industry trade or occupation of the employer as legitimate. Under the 1956 LRA, employers were allowed to dismiss employees if employees refused to accept the proposed change to conditions of employment. The dismissal is called lock-out dismissal. This kind of dismissal entitled employers to dismiss employees on condition that the dismissal was temporary and the workers would be re-employed when they agree to the demands of the employer. After the contract of employment was terminated between the employer and employees, the employer was allowed to implement the changes using scab labour. The 1995 Labour Relations Act introduced section 187(1)(c) that was intended to re-enforce the abolishing of the lock-out dismissal. This section strictly forbids the dismissal of employees in order to compel them to accept demands of the employer in matters of mutual interest. Such dismissals are regarded as automatically unfair. In terms of section 64(4) of the 1995 LRA employers are not permitted to unilaterally effect changes to employees’ terms and conditions of employment. They are required to seek and obtain consent of the affected employees. If employees refuse to accept the proposed changes, the employer can use lock-out as defence. Firstly, the employer can initiate lock-out until employees accede to its demand. Secondly, the employer can lock-out employees in response to the notice of strike or strike of the employees. The employer can use scab labour during this lock-out period. Unlike the lock-out dismissal, lock-out under the 1995 LRA does not include termination of contract of employment. iv In contrast, employers are allowed to dismiss employees who refuse to agree to change to their terms and conditions of employment on the ground of operational requirements provided a fair procedure is followed. This reason for dismissal is not viewed by the courts as a dismissal to induce employees to accept the demand of the employer. The question that this study seeks to examine is the relationship between automatic unfair dismissal in terms of section 187(1)(c) of the Labour Relations Act and dismissal for operational requirements. A dispute between the employer and employees regarding change to terms and conditions of employment is a mutual interest dispute; and it therefore falls under collective bargaining. The same dispute can easily fall to rights dispute, because the reason for the proposed change to the production system and demand to the pursuit of improved efficiency and better achievement of profit objective related to operational requirement. There is obvious overlap between operational requirements and wage work bargaining. In Schoeman v Samsung Electronics, the court held that the employer is entitled to run its business in a prosperous way and this may entail affecting changes to terms and conditions of employment when the market forces demand so. In Mwasa v Independent Newspapers, the court held that change to terms and conditions of service of an employee can be proposed as a way to avoid retrenchment; dismissal of employees for refusing to accept the change is not covered by section 187(1)(c). In Fry’s Metals v Numsa, the court has rejected the notion that there is tension between section 187(1)(c) and section 188(1)(a)(ii). The court held that section 186(1) refers to dismissal or termination of workforce with the intention to end the employment contract and replacing the workforce with employees that are prepared to accept terms and conditions of employment that suit the employer’s operational requirements. The court argued further that the meaning of dismissal should be a v starting point when one wants to dispute the two sections. On the other hand, section 187(1)(c) was effected with a certain purpose, which is to prohibit the employer from dismissing employees in order to compel them to accept its demand in dispute of mutual interest. The court held that the dismissal in this case was final. The employer dismissed its employees because it did not need them anymore. This dismissal is in accordance with section 186(1). The court rejected that operational requirements is confirmed to saving business from bankruptcy. The court argued that the principle includes measures calculated to increase efficiency and profitability. The employer can dismiss and make more profit.

Gender disparity in healthcare sector leadership positions is a major problem among female healthcare professionals in Southern Ethiopia. This study explored gender disparities among healthcare professionals in healthcare sector leadership positions. The findings would be used to develop guidelines to reduce gender disparities in healthcare leadership in healthcare sectors to a minimum in Ethiopia. This study used exploratory and descriptive cross-sectional research design incorporating a mixed methods research approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously which were analyzed during the same phase of the research process. The quantitative survey data was collected using piloted structured questionnaire while qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interview guide containing open questions. Quantitative data was collected from a random sample of 414 healthcare professionals and qualitative data from a purposive sample of 21 healthcare professionals from seven districts having the experiences of gender disparity in healthcare leadership positions. Quantitative data had a compliance rate of 98% and it was entered into EpiData version 3.1 and exported to SPSS (version 24) for further analysis, and the qualitative data was coded and analyzed manually into thematic content. Quantitative findings of the study revealed that only 26% (n=108) of the participants reported that representation of women in healthcare sector leadership positions in the past few years has been increased. The majority of leadership positions assumed by study participants were at department head level while only 1.3 % were on chief excutive officers and 2.3% medical director positions respectively. Of these none was a female and 67%, n=264 of the participants do not have leadership role in a health service facility. Study participants having bachelor degree level of education were 2.3 times more likely to be represented in healthcare sector leadership positions than those participants having master’s degree and diploma [AOR=2.3, (95% CI: 1.289, 4.252)]. Challenges experienced by women health professionals regarding gender disparity in leadership positions in health service facility included family responsibilities, lack of support, lack of self-esteem or self-confidence, lack of career advancement, and cultural bias. The conclusions derived from the study was that women need all the opportunities, encouragement and support to allow them access to and success in healthcare sector leadership positions through informal and formal leadership training. / Health Studies / D. Litt et Phil (Health Studies)

Hoy en día, la sociedad tiene una tendencia a actuar de manera errónea en los casos de discriminación, inequidad y falta de oportunidades; observándose en diferentes ámbitos, pero en mayor preponderancia en el laboral (Alva et al. 2009). Esto se refleja en la tasa de desempleo que existe en las personas con discapacidad el cual triplica en 12.3% a la tasa de empleo general, según la ONU (2019). Para el caso de las personas con discapacidad, resulta importante ejecutar acciones que los integren, así como a otros grupos vulnerables que se encuentran excluidos (Muñoz y Barrantes, 2016). Por tal motivo, el objetivo de la investigación es determinar la relación que existe entre las prácticas laborales empleadas por el área de Recursos Humanos y la Diversidad, con la finalidad de comprender cuán diversas e inclusivas son las organizaciones en términos de sus políticas y prácticas lo que representa un paso fundamental para aprovechar los beneficios de poseer una fuerza laboral diversa, en beneficio de las personas con discapacidad (Polanco, 2020). Para lo cual, se elaboró un cuestionario para personas que trabajan en empresas de Contact Center en el Perú, dado que es el tipo de empresas que contrata mayor personal con discapacidad (Macera, 2019). En el Perú una de cada diez personas tiene una discapacidad (Valencia, 2018). Los resultados obtenidos evidenciaron una correlación positiva entre las prácticas laborales y la diversidad, lo que contribuye a afirmar que una fuerza laboral más diversa requiere que las organizaciones cuenten con prácticas laborales más efectivas para la gestión de la diversidad (Polanco, 2020). / Nowadays, society has a tendency to act erroneously in cases of discrimination, inequity and lack of opportunities; observed in different areas, but more predominantly in the labor market (Alva et al. 2009). This is reflected in the unemployment rate among people with disabilities, which is 12.3% higher than the general employment rate, according to the UN (2019). In the case of people with disabilities, it is important to implement actions that integrate them, as well as other vulnerable groups that are excluded (Muñoz and Barrantes, 2016). For this reason, the objective of the research is to determine the relationship between labor practices employed by the Human Resources area and Diversity, in order to understand how diverse and inclusive organizations are in terms of their policies and practices, which represents a fundamental step to take advantage of the benefits of having a diverse workforce, for the benefit of people with disabilities (Polanco, 2020). For which, a questionnaire was developed for people working in Contact Center companies in Peru, given that this is the type of company that hires the most personnel with disabilities (Macera, 2019). In Peru, one in ten people has a disability (Valencia, 2018). The results obtained evidenced a positive correlation between labor practices and diversity, which helps to affirm that a more diverse workforce requires organizations to have more effective labor practices for diversity management (Polanco, 2020) / Tesis

Thesis (MPhil (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The impact of globalisation can be found in every aspect of human life. Globalisation has also brought about changes in the world of work, such as the call for labour market flexibility, which has restructured the workplace. This study focuses on the implications of labour market flexibility for workers in South Africa and for trade unions, within the context of the introduction of a macroeconomic neoliberal policy in South Africa in 1996. The study examines the changing nature of employment and work in a company in the South African retail sector, namely Pick n Pay. Labour market flexibility comes about as companies try to compete and cut costs at the expense of workers. This implies a reduction of protection and benefits and has resulted in the creation of a ‘working poor’ labour segment. Trade unions have been ineffective in providing a voice and representation for the new working poor. This study argues that under conditions of economic globalisation, trade unions are disempowered and flexible labour market practices are introduced to cut costs in order to maintain market share and increase competitiveness. Economic globalisation has pressurised the South African government, and the African National Congress (ANC), to shift gradually to the right and to adopt a neoliberal macroeconomic policy. This has led to an increase in inequality, unemployment, new forms of insecure jobs and the creation of an informal economy. This study found that instead of creating jobs and alleviating poverty, the government’s Growth, Employment and Redistribution Strategy (GEAR) has resulted in retrenchments, downsizing and restructuring. The unemployed, retrenched and working poor find themselves in the ‘second economy’. The retail sector in particular makes use of labour market flexibility in order to compete for market share. Pick n Pay is an example of a retail company that increasingly makes use of flexible labour market practices. This study found that labour market flexibility has created a situation that trade unions find difficult to deal with, and that labour market flexibility has been accompanied by increasing inequality, which overlaps with race and gender identities. Furthermore, Pick n Pay maintains flexible employment under conditions of increased productivity and contrary to labour legislation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Impak van globalisering kan in elke aspek van mense se lewens waargeneem word. Globalisering het verandering in die wêreld van werk teweeggebring, soos die aandrang op arbeidsmarkbuigsaamheid wat tot die herstrukturering van die werkersmag gelei het. Hierdie studie fokus op die implikasie van arbeidsmarkbuigsaamheid vir werkers in Suid‐ Afrika, en die implikasie vir vakbonde in die konteks van die inwerkingstelling van ’n makroekonomiese neo‐liberale beleid in Suid‐Afrika in 1996. Verder ondersoek die studie die verandering in die aard van indiensneming en werk in ’n Suid‐Afrikaanse maatskappy in die kleinhandelsektor, naamlik Pick n Pay. Buigsaamheid in die arbeidsmag ontstaan wanneer besighede in ’n poging om kompeterend te wees, uitgawes ten koste van werkers besnoei. Dit bring die vermindering van beskerming en voordele mee, wat tot ’n arbeidsegment van ‘arm werkers’ lei. Vakbonde kon nie ’n stem en verteenwoordiging aan hierdie nuwe segment van arm werkers gee nie. Hierdie studie voer aan dat ekonomiese globalisering werkersunies magteloos laat terwyl buigsame arbeidsmarkpraktyke aangewend word om kostes te sny ten einde markaandeel en verhoogde kompetisie te verseker. Ekonomiese globalisasie plaas meer druk op die Suid‐Afrikaanse regering, die African National Congress (ANC), om ‘n verskuiwing na regs te maak en ’n neo‐liberale makroekonomiese beleid te volg. Dit het gelei tot verhoging in ongelykheid, werkloosheid, nuwe vorme van onsekere werksgeleenthede, en die skepping van ’n informele ekonomie. Die studie bevind dat die regering se Groei, Indiensnemings‐ en Herdistribusiebeleid (GEAR), wat veronderstel was om werk te skep en werkloosheid te verminder, eerder tot meer afdankings, afskaling en herstrukturering gelei het. Die werklose, afgedankte en armwerkerskorps bevind hulself nou in ’n ‘tweede ekonomie’. In die besonder maak die kleinhandelsektor gebruik van arbeidsmarkbuigsaamheid om vir ’n deel van die mark te kompeteer. Pick n Pay is ’n voorbeeld van ’n kleinhandelmaatskappy wat toenemend gebruik maak van arbeidsmarkbuigsaamheid. Die studie kom tot die slotsom dat arbeidsmarkbuigsaamheid ’n situasie geskep het wat vakbonde verlam het, en wat met ’n verhoging in ongelykheid wat verder met ras en geslagsidentiteite oorvleuel, gepaardgaan. daarby maak Pick n Pay gebruik van buigsaame indiensnemingspraktyke onder omstandighede van verhoogde produktiwiteit, in weerwil van arbeidswetgewing

O direito fundamental à liberdade sindical, consagrado no ordenamento jurídico brasileiro não apenas na Constituição Federal, mas também nos mais importantes Pactos Internacionais de Direiros Humanos ratificados pelo Brasil, possui, a despeito de sua conceituação aberta e aparentemente imprecisa, um conteúdo histórico-institucional que pode ser objetivamente delineado e que, por tal razão, condiciona a atuação dos órgãos estatais e dos atores particulares nas situações concretas de aplicabilidade. Demonstrar-se-á, nesse sentido, que o conteúdo institucional da liberdade sindical foi talhado não só pelo contexto fático presente no momento histórico de seu surgimento, como também pelas vicissitudes ocorridas ao longo de seu desenvolvimento espaço-temporal, de modo a ensejar como consectário lógico, dentre os diversos aspectos individuais e coletivos a ele inerentes, a tutela dos trabalhadores e de suas entidades representativas contra as condutas antissindicais e antirrepresentativas praticadas pelos empregadores, pelo Estado e pelos próprios sindicatos. Para além disso, a tese buscará elencar, de modo objetivo, (i) os sujeitos titulares da proteção contra os atos antissindicais e antirrepresentativos subjacente ao conteúdo histórico-institucional do princípio da liberdade sindical, (ii) as circunstâncias sob as quais estes últimos encontram-se amparados, (iii) os parâmetros objetivos a serem observados pelo legislador ordinário, bem como pelo Poder Judiciário e pelo Poder Executivo quando da concretização, da aplicação e da regulamentação dos dispositivos do ordenamento jurídicos a consagrarem o direito fundamental à liberdade sindical e (iv) os mecanismos de tutela de que dispõem dos trabalhadores e de suas entidades em face daquelas práticas.Ao cabo de tal análise, ter-se-á o delineamento objetivo da tutela emanada do princípio da liberdade sindical consagrado no ordenamento jurídico pátrio em relação aos atos antissindicais e antirrepresentativos passíveis de serem praticados contra os trabalhadores e suas entidades e das diretrizes a vincularem os agentes públicos na implementação prática de tal tutela. / The freedom of trade unions association, as an human right recognized by the Brazilian law not only in the text of the Federal Constitution, but also in the most important International Human Rights Conventions signed by Brazil, own, despite its open and apparently imprecise definition, an historic content that can be defined in objective lines and which terms links the public authorities and the private actors to its lines in the concrete situations. The study intend to demonstrate, on that sense, that the institutional content owned by the freedom of trade unions association was defined not only in the historical moment when these right has arrived, but also in the situations occurred during its development as an institutional right. The evolution faced by the freedom of trade unions association lead us to understand the protection of the workers and its collective bodies from the acts against the labor organization (as known as unfair labor practices) promoted by the employers, by the public authorities or by the trade unions itself as a matter inherent to these institutional right. Moreover, the study will try to describe objectively (i) the subjects of the protection against those unfair labor practices, (ii) the circumstances under which these subjects are protected, (iii) the objective terms to be followed by the authorities of the Legislative, Judiciary and Executive in the task of giving practical sense to the freedom of trade unions association as an instrument of protection against the unfair labor practices and (iv) the protection mechanisms which the law offers to the workers and its bodies in order to protect them from those unfair practices.After all, it will be possible to describe the objective terms of the protection that the freedom of trade nunions association recognized by the Brazilian law as an autonomous institution give to workers and its organizations against those unfair labor practices.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-02T21:42:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jose Wiliam Mattioli.pdf: 1419558 bytes, checksum: 934767351aeae5c32e2aefd7cda222f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-12-18 / A Responsabilidade Social Empresarial representa um dos destaques das discussões sobre o papel das empresas e seu compromisso com os diversos públicos com a qual se relacionam. Por isso mesmo, este tema tem demandado esforços e a atenção das empresas e de diferentes setores da sociedade e do governo implicando, desta forma, numa concepção de Responsabilidade Social para além do que determina a lei tendo, ainda, as empresas que atuar de maneira responsável com todos seus stakeholders. Um dos aspectos do compromisso social se refere ao público interno como um diferencial competitivo das empresas no processo de gestão. Desta forma, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo identificar se empresas de pequeno porte do ramo industrial desenvolvem práticas internas de Responsabilidade Social Empresarial. Este trabalho, de caráter qualitativo, foi delineado por meio de pesquisa descritiva realizada em empresas localizadas na região do Grande ABC, selecionados a partir do Guia ABCD. Para tanto, utilizou-se de questionário estruturado, adaptado do instrumento de coleta de dados desenvolvido pelo Instituto Ethos de Responsabilidade Social Empresarial em parceria com o Sebrae, como instrumento de coleta. O questionário foi aplicado em 14 empresas do Grande ABC do ramo industrial. Os resultados demonstraram que as empresas pesquisadas possuem, em sua maioria, práticas de responsabilidade social interna, principalmente, as práticas que não necessitam de grande investimento ou são determinadas pela lei. Outras empresas que não possuem as referidas práticas estão em processo de conscientização.