Bibliography: pages 83-87. / This study analyses participation of workers within two human service organisations, within the education field in the Western Cape. It also examines the reasons, degrees and levels of participation as well as the impact it has on individual workers and the organisations as a whole. The case study method was used with the major research techniques being observation, unstructured interviews and the analysis of primary sources of information such as, documentation. A stratified random sample of sixteen workers were selected for interviewing. The data was analysed on the basis of the literature review and placed within the context of relevant theoretical perspectives of democracy, bureaucracy and management science. It was found that both organisations made use of participatory methods in organising themselves. However, the reasons, degree and conditions facilitating it differed considerably, despite the fact that the levels of participation were similar. The study concludes, with a reflection on the processes required to achieve greater participation within the organisations studied and human service organisations in general.

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Arbetsmiljölagen ger anställda och deras representanter, skyddsombuden, rätt att delta i det systematiska arbetsmiljöarbete som arbetsgivaren har skyldighet att arrangera. Forskning om deltagande har i stor utsträckning varit fokuserad påstrukturella och organisatoriska förutsättningar för anställdas deltagande. Mycket tyder dock på att anställda inte utnyttjar sina starka rättigheter. Avhandlingens analyserar arbetsmiljödeltagandet genom en fallstudie på ett pappersbruk med väl etablerade organisatoriska strukturer för deltagande i syfte att förklara deltagandets grunder bortom de strukturella villkoren. Syfte är att förstå varför anställda inte i avsedd omfattning utnyttjar de möjligheter till arbetsmiljöinflytande som lagstiftning och goda strukturella villkor ger. Avhandlingen visar hur anställda i stor utsträckning handskas med arbetets risker och belastningar genom sin kollektivt utvecklade kompetens, förståelse och ansvar för varandra och i mindre utsträckning genom att interagera med arbetsgivaren genom arbetsmiljödeltagande. Etienne Wengers begrepp ”praktikgemenskaper” används i avhandlingen tillsammans med Paavo Bergmans analys av lagarbete och betydelsen av processpecifik kompetens för att klarlägga de sociala processer för meningsskapande som betingar anställdas deltagande i arbetsmiljöarbetet. Med Lysgaards begrepp ”arbetarkollektivet” visar också avhandlingen på betydelsen av maktrelationerna mellan operatörer och arbetsgivare för möjligheterna att etablera en gemensam kunskapsprocess kring arbetsmiljö genom de former för arbetsmiljödeltagande som var etablerade på pappersbruket. / Swedish law gives employees, and their representatives, rights to participate in the employer’s systematic occupational health and safety management. Research  on worker participation in OHSM has mainly focused on structural conditions for participation such as organisational arrangements, industrial relations, or union support. There are however indications that employees do not use their strong legal rights. The aim of the present thesis is to understand the prerequisites and conditions for worker OHSM participation, seen here as a joint knowledge process for work environment issues. More precisely, the thesis aims to analyse the significance of workers’ local and situated knowledge, the construction of participative practices, and the problems and advantages of representative participation. The thesis also aims to explain the paradox that favourable structural conditions for participation are only partly used by the workers, despite evident risks at work. The empirical basis is a case study at a paper mill. The mill was chosen as its OHSM to a large extent fulfils what research claims are necessary structural conditions for effective participation. To understand the possibilities and problems of such participation, the analysis uses a combination of three theoretical perspectives on work and (situated) knowledge: Etienne Wenger’s (1998) approach to communities of practice; Paavo Bergman’s (1995) analysis of teamwork in the process industry; and Sverre Lysgaard’s (1961) theory of the workers’ collective.

Assurer l’efficacité du processus décisionnel tout en y associant les salariés : telle est l’équation que s’attache à résoudre le système français de représentation du personnel. Les réformes successives qu’il a connues traduisent bien des incertitudes quant au meilleur moyen d’y parvenir. Fruit d’une lente maturation, la création d’une instance unique, le comité social et économique, est de nature à affecter durablement les relations sociales. Parce qu’elle concentre des pouvoirs jusque-là disséminés, dans les entreprises d’au moins cinquante salariés, entre les délégués du personnel, le comité d’entreprise et le comité d’hygiène, de sécurité et des conditions de travail, cette instance nouvelle constitue a priori un vecteur de simplification des procédures de participation. Favorisant le dialogue, le « nouveau » droit de la représentation du personnel est susceptible d’entraîner de profonds bouleversements. Laissant une large place au contrat collectif, il comporte de multiples facettes. Une analyse systémique est possible, à condition d’identifier les traits saillants d’un déploiement susceptible de remettre en cause, lorsque l’instance est métamorphosée en conseil d’entreprise, la place accordée à la représentation syndicale. / Combining an effective decision-making process with worker participation: such an issue is central in the French representation system. A series of reforms emphasized a state of doubt when it comes to the best way to resolve it. Resulting from a slow maturation, the creation of a single representative body, the economic and social council, shall significantly affect labour relations. Concentrating powers previously spread, within companies having at least fifty employees, among staff delegates, the works council and the health and safety committee, this new representative body shall at first glance be a medium of simplification. Stimulating cooperation, the “new” staff representation law will likely produce radical changes. Encouraging collective bargaining, it carries various aspects. A systemic analysis is feasible provided that the key points of its implementation are identified. If this body is transformed into a company council, the situation of the union representation may be challenged.