The objective of this study is to conduct a survey concerning the perceptions of educators in the Queenstown education district of the labour dispute resolution system. The education department is one of the biggest departments in the Eastern Cape’s Provincial Administration system. The likelihood of disputes is high when there are many employees. The focus of the study therefore is on how educators perceive the role of the department in terms of ensuring that labour disputes with the department are resolved efficiently and speedily. The advent of a democratic dispensation resulted in the ushering in of progressive labour legislation such as Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995. The objective of this Act is to facilitate economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratization of the workplace. In other words this Act gave birth to the manner in which labour disputes should be resolved. The study was carried out not only to explore the perceptions of educators but also with a view to making recommendations on the findings in order to help contribute towards labour peace and productivity in the workplace. The attitudes of one hundred and forty-one educators were surveyed via questionnaires and six educators who have had labour disputes with the department were interviewed. The key findings of the study revealed that both the educators who were surveyed and those interviewed lack confidence in the effectiveness of the labour dispute procedures in the district; they perceive the system as being inaccessible to them; time taken to resolve disputes is too lengthy; the system lacks necessary independence from the department of education or government and the department is seen as not adhering to its own policies and legislation. Hence there are many disputes and there is a great need for more awareness and for improved training in handling labour dispute resolution systems for district officials and educators. The study recommends more awareness and training sessions for both district officials responsible for labour relations and educators at large. It also calls for an increasingly proactive role by teacher unions in partnership with the department of education to avoid labour disputes. Although the findings cannot be generalized toother districts of the province, they do however highlight critical areas in labour dispute resolution where attention can be paid and focus made in order to ensure labour peace in the workplace for improved productivity and effective teaching and learning.

Research report for the degree of Master of Arts in Industrial Sociology, submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg / This research paper studied the recent labour unrest in the East Rand as there has been a rise in the number of marches and demonstrations led by the precarious workers to several workplaces. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction] / 2017

This paper seeks to bring clarity to a number of issues that arise from a process resulting from the unilateral variation of terms and conditions of employment and the conflict management and dispute resolution processes. The variation of employment terms particularly when it is driven by one party to the employment relationship can cause instability, insecurity, confusion and uncertainty to the parties involved. The nature of work is not constant and therefore changes are inevitable. This then has an effect of bringing disorder not only to the employer-employee relationship but also to the labour relations balance. In many instances and depending on whether it is the employer or employee who propagates the changes, the reasons to alter the conditions are different. Employers usually cite operational or economic reasons that are meant for the survival of the business as the need to make the changes. From the employees’ side the changes are necessitated by reasons aimed at a move from protecting the favourable employment conditions already acquired to improving them or attaining more. In the event that the parties to the employment relationship do not agree to the changes proposed and implemented, a dispute usually arises. This results from the failure of a consultation process, negotiations, persuasion or collective bargaining in general. In essence such a dispute arises from absence of consent to the changes. The failure of a bargaining system requires the process to assume a new nature. The dispute resolution systems and the conflict management systems follow as both the appropriate and necessary steps. The bargaining power together with the intervention of the third party is at the centre of this phase. The parties, depending on the nature of the dispute, the conditions that iv are changed and who are affected by the changes, have choices on what dispute resolution mechanisms to employ. The choice made has a huge impact on both the outcome required in the form of recourse, how the dispute will be resolved or how the conflict will be managed. There is legislative intervention with regards to the resolution of the conflictual scenarios that arise from disputes on unilateral variation of terms and conditions of employment. There are also non-statutory measures available to the parties. The choices are vast as to when can the variation take place, the reasons for the changes, the parties involved, the possible dispute resolution mechanisms, what can be varied and whether the unilateral implementation can be viewed as fair.

On 16 August 2012, the South African Police Service fired upon striking miners in Marikana, South Africa, resulting in the death of 34 mineworkers. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of protracted violent industrial labour disputes on socio-economic development in South Africa. The study explores the root causes of labour disputes in Marikana and considers strategies that can be employed to avoid similar violent and destabilising strikes in the mining and other industries. This research confirms that presumably the pursuit of wage increase is still the primary cause of violent strikes in the country. Furthermore, the research shows clearly that working hours, work conditions, sympathy, and demands from employees and trade unions are major causes of labour disputes. The findings also show that amongst other things participation of employees in work related issues like policy formulation can reduce prevalence of labour disputes. The study also reveals that communication between workers and employees in work places can help both parties to discuss issues before extreme measures are taken.

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Phil. (Industrial Psychology) / The primary purpose of this exploratory research study was to qualitatively explore industrial psychological perspectives regarding labour unrest within the South African mining sector from the period 2008 - 2011. This was done owing to the lack of literature pertaining to the field of industrial psychology in this regard. In order to achieve the above objective, semi structured interviews were conducted with industrial psychologists working in practice and associated directly with the mining sector. Additionally, semi structured interviews were conducted with industrial psychologists working in academia, which served as a peer review, hence making the outcome of the study more credible. The interviews were recorded and transcribed and thereafter, thematic content analysis was conducted in order to identify prominent, recurring themes associated with industrial psychological perspectives regarding the subject matter ...

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / Some digitised pages may appear cut off due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment explores the issues surrounding conflict resolution in the South African Public Service and the expression of organised conflict with reference to the 1999 Public service wage dispute and strikes. The public service being part of the generic framework of the public sector is, in terms of employment, South Africa's single, largest employer. National Departments and Provinces reflect almost 70% of the Public Sector. Employment in the public sector used to be considered relatively stable and secure. Public sector employees were thus not seen as requiring protection from retrenchment. Employees had no bargaining rights and functioned outside the ambit of the Labour Relations Act (No 24 of 1956). In 1994, the Government of National Unity realized the importance of the South African public service, the major role it had to play in the reconciliation, reconstruction and development process in South Africa and thus the need for administrative transformation. The Public Service Labour Relations Act 1994 was replaced by the new Labour Relations Act (No 66 of 1995) in 1995. This Act now covers both the private and the public sector workers. The new legislation was an important step towards the creation of a machinery for collective bargaining. The Act made provision for the establishment of a Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council and provided a model for collective bargaining, based on effective negotiating structures. According to the International Labour Organization, mediation and conciliation procedures are still the most frequent methods for settling economic disputes in the public service. In South Africa, the new Labour Relations Act introduced the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. Since 1994, several problems have beset most public service workers because of the transformation process and workers started showing increasing interest in unionisation, mostly for the protection and the fulfillment of their needs. Wages were the single most important factor causing labour action and in 1999, a total of 3,1 million man-days were lost due to labour action. According to Ms Geraldine Fraser- Moleketi, minister of the Public Service and Administration, government and the unions should share the process to design a more suitable and manageable system of remuneration policy to prevent disputes such as the 1999 wage dispute in the future. The negotiations on the 1999 wage dispute took place over a record of 140 days. Public service unions rejected government's wage offers several times until the minister unilaterally implemented government's final offer of an average of 6,3% increase. This sent a tremor through the alliance and prompted joint action by Cosatu and Fedusa affiliated unions. Unions were caught completely unaware and dropped their demands from a 10% increase to 7,3%. Public servants took industrial action again, but the government still did not make a new offer. Minister Trevor Manuel warned that the government could not afford further increases. By September, union leaders still had faith that president Thabo Mbeki would indicate that talks would be resumed, but doors for future negotiations did not open. Ms Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi maintained that the government had gone out of its way to ensure a settlement. At the time of writing, the dispute is still continuing. Note: As most of the information regarding the Public Service Wage strike was obtained from the press, all articles referred to are included as an appendix. To facilitate the reference to these articles, a specific form of reference, namely 'PC n', was used in the relevant sections, the prefix 'PC' denoting that a press cutting has been referred to and the subscription 'n' denoting the relevant page number of the article contained in the appendix. The sources of the press cuttings (PC) are contained in the list of sources. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk ondersoek die aangeleenthede rondom konflik hantering in die Suid-Afrikaanse Staatsdiens en die uitdrukking van georganiseerde konflik met verwysing na die 1999 Staatsdiens Salaris Dispuut en Stakings. In terme van indiensneming is die staatsdiens in Suid-Afrika as deel van die publieke sektor die grootste enkel werkgewer. Nasionale Departemente en Provinsies reflekteer ongeveer 70% van die Publieke Sektor. Arbeid in die publieke sektor was voorheen redelik stabiel en verseker; dus was daar geen nut vir die beskerming van amptenare teen afdanking. Werkers het geen onderhandelingsregte gehad nie en het buite die raamwerk van die Arbeidswetgewing (No 24 of 1956) gefunksioneer. In 1994 het die nuwe regering van nasionale eenheid die belangrikheid van staatsamptenare en die rol wat hulle moet speel in die rekonstruksie en ontwikkelingsproses in Suid-Afrika besef en dus ook die behoefte vir transformering van die diens ingesien. Die Staatsdiens Arbeidswetgewing van 1994 is vervang deur die nuwe Arbeidswetgewing (No 66 van 1995) in 1995, wat beide staatsamptenare sowel as die privaatsektor insluit. Dit was ook 'n belangrike stap in die bevordering van kollektiewe bedinging. Die wet het voorsiening gemaak vir die vestiging van die Staatsdiens Koordinerings Bedingings Raad en 'n model vir kollektiewe bedinging, gebasseer op effektiewe onderhandelingsstrukture. Volgens die Internasionale Arbeidsorganisasie is mediasie en konsiliasie prosesse steeds die mees algemene metodes vir die hantering van ekonomiese dispute in die staatsdiens. In Suid-Afrika het die nuwe Arbeids Wetgewing voorsiening gemaak vir die instelling van die Kommissie vir Konsiliasie, Mediasie en Arbitrasie. Sedert 1994 het verskeie probleme vir staatsamptenare ontstaan as gevolg van die transformasie proses en amptenare het meer en meer belangstelling getoon in unie lidmaatskap om hulle belange te beskerm. Salarisse is dié belangrikste enkel faktor wat arbeidsonrus veroorsaak. In 1999 het daar 'n totaal van 3,1 miljoen werksdae verlore gegaan as gevolg van stakings. Die 1999 salaris dispuut en onderhandelings het oor 'n tydperk van 'n rekord getal, naamlik 140 dae, geduur. Unies wat staatsamptenare verteenwoordig het op verskeie geleenthede aanbiedinge van die regering van die hand gewys, totdat die minister 'n eenparige besluit geneem het om die finale aanbod van 6,3% salarisaanpassing in te stel. Dit het 'n skudding in die alliansies veroorsaak en het tot die gesamentlike aksie van Cosatu en Fedusa geaffillieerde unies gelei. Die unies is onkant betrap en het hul versoek van 'n 10% verhoging na 7,3% verminder. Staatsamptenare het weereens oorgegaan tot arbeidsaksie; terwyl die regering by hul finale aanbod gebly het. Minister Trevor Manuel het gewaarsku dat die regering nie meer kon bekostig nie. Teen September was vakbondleiers nog steeds hoopvol dat president Thabo Mbeki 'n aanduiding sou gee om met onderhandelings voort te gaan, maar die deure vir onderhandelings was gesluit. Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi het volgehou dat die regering uit hul pad gegaan het om 'n ooreenkoms te bereik. Ten tye van skrywe was die geskil nog nie opgelos nie. Nota: As gevolg van die feit dat die meeste inligting aangaande die 1999 Staatsdiens Salaris Dispuut en Stakings uit die pers verkry is, word die artikels waarna verwys word, ingesluit as 'n bylae. Om die verwysing na hierdie artikels te vergemaklik, is 'n spesifieke formaat van verwysing gebruik, naamlik 'PC n'. In hierdie verwysing verwys die voorskrif 'PC' na 'n media artikel. Die letter 'n' verwys na die relevante bladsy nommer wat aan die artikel toegeken is. Die bronne van die persartikels verskyn in die bronnelys.

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

History and Background: The history of statutory labour dispute resolution of South Africa dates back to 1909, when the Transvaal Disputes Prevention Act of 1909 was promulgated which applied only to the Transvaal. The Industrial Conciliation Act of 1924 established industrial councils and ad hoc conciliation boards and excluded black workers from the statutory definition of employee and this resulted in a dual industrial relations system that existed up to 1979. The history of statutory labour dispute resolution of Swaziland dates back to 1980 when the first Industrial Relations Act of 1980 was promulgated which established the first Industrial Court. Research Findings: The dispute resolution systems of South Africa and Swaziland contain both similarities and differences. Lessons for Swaziland include combining general and specific dispute resolution procedures, providing the right of a referring party to apply for condonation for late referral of a dispute, using conciliation-arbitration, making arbitration proceedings public hearings, influence of parties on the appointment of arbitrators, court adjudication, pre-dismissal arbitration, court adjudication by judges only, establishment of a constitutional court, full protection of protected strikes/ lockouts from interdicts, legalization of sympathy strikes, and removal of strikes/ lockout ballot. Lessons for South Africa include plural representation of parties at conciliation and arbitration, re-direction of some disputes by the Labour Court to the Commission for arbitration, reporting of labour disputes direct to the Head of State for determination.

The purpose of the study is to compare the dispute resolution systems of Uganda and South Africa. The historical developments of both systems were discussed so as to understand the factors that contributed to their growth or demise. From the study, it is clear to see that the Ugandan system’s development has been greatly affected with every regime change, between 1894 to the present. The developments that were tackled are closely related to various historical and political phases through which Uganda has passed and these significant periods are 1894- 1962 (pre-independence), 1962-1971 (Obote 1), 1971-1979 (Amin), 1980-1985 (Obote II), 1986- 2006 (NRM) and 2006 to the present Multi-party system. The South African system on the other hand is divided into four eras with the first one beginning from 1870 to 1948, the second era from 1948 to 1979, the third from 1979-1994 and the last era from 1994 to the present date. The South African system has been greatly influenced by the past government’s move to create a dual system of labour relations that was eventually removed. The two systems were compared using a framework created basing on literature by ILO (2013), Brand, Lotter, Mischke, & Steadman (1997) and Thompson (2010). The framework for comparison outlines the elements of a dispute resolution which include the nature of the dispute, coverage, processes, avenues and human resources. It further presents the criteria and possible indicators to evaluate the performance of the system which are legitimacy, efficiency, informality, affordability, accessibility, a full range of services, accountability and resources. The comparison highlighted the various differences between both countries. The study established differences in the nature of disputes as the Ugandan system does not differentiate between the different types of dispute unlike the South African system which differentiates them and has different avenues for their settlement, the fact that the South African system has a number of avenues to cater to the different types of disputes unlike the Ugandan system which only has one route beginning with the Labour officers and the Industrial court if unresolved. An evaluation of the performance of both systems brought to light the number of changes the Ugandan system has to undergo so as to meet the expectations of the International Labour Organisation and have an effective system. The South African system proves to be more legitimate, efficient, informal, affordable, and accessible than the Ugandan system. Further still the South African system provides a full range of services is more accountable and has enough resources when compared with the Ugandan system. Recommendations have been proposed at the end of the study, mainly for the Ugandan system as the South African system appears to be more advanced and more effective in dispute resolution by international standards. The recommendations suggested are creating an independent dispute resolution system, mass sensitisation on labour rights, accreditation of private agencies, create a separate dispute resolution system for the informal sector, proper routing of disputes, creation of an independent body to monitor the national system, encouraging the creation of more democratic workplaces, re-establish the industrial court and finally, employing and training more labour officers.