LRA306D – Labour Relations II

2024

UNIT 4: A - COLLECTIVE LABOUR RELATIONS

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Chapter 7: Mobilising and organising representation in
the workplace

▪ Themes
1) The state as the third party in the
relationship
2) Trade unions and employers’ organisations
3) Employer and employee representation in
South Africa
4) The South African trade union movement
Chapter 7: Mobilising and organising representation in
the workplace
▪ Introduction
➢ Unions initially arose because employees needed
to counter the power of employers, unions have
far wider objectives and use diverse strategies
➢ Unions also negotiate with employers for
additional rights
➢ The state, as the third party in the employment
relationship, plays a range of roles and executes
various functions
1. Define what a trade union is in terms of section 213
of the Labour Relations ACT 66 of 1996. (5). p 314.

▪ Trade Unions as Collective Organisations

➢ Definitions
✓ ‘an association of employees whose primary
purpose is to regulate relations between
employees and employers including any
employers’ organisation
2. Discuss the Industrial/sector trade unions with specific reference to the
rationale and their advantage. (10). p 317.

▪ Trade Union Classification

➢ Industrial or Sectoral Unions
1) Rationale
✓ To represent all the workers in a certain industry or sector, or
at least as many workers as possible in that industry
2) Advantages
a) leads to stronger unions
b) helps to eliminate inter-union competition
c) reduces the number of unions
d) facilitates correspondence facilitates centralised bargaining
e) leads to improved industrial/sectoral planning
➢ General Unions
3. Discuss the nature of General trade unions. (5). p 318.

General Unions allow virtually any type of worker to join as a

member, irrespective of sector, skill or occupation, (Klikauer &
Campbell, 2021)

General unions originate both from politically inspired idela of

organising the entire working class into one body and from the
need to represent the non-skilled workers without reference
to industry/sector or to form amalgamations of unions
operating in different industries or sector.
4. Discuss any five trade unions objectives (10) p. 318 – 319.

▪ Trade Union Objectives

➢ Major Goals
1) Wages
2) Employment security
3) Social policies
4) HIV/AIDS and pandemic-related work policies
5) Job regulation:
6) Equality of opportunity and treatment
7) Social security
8) Social justice
9) Training and development
4. Discuss any five trade unions objectives (10) p. 318 – 319. cont.

▪ Trade Union Objectives

➢ Major Goals
10) Advancement of ingenous people
11) A safe and healthy work environment and access to health
care
12) Equality in the workplace with regard to gender, parental
and other rights
5. Describe the methods trade unions use to achieve their objectives, (15
marks), page 319.

▪ Methods by which Unions Attempt to Achieve Their

Objectives
➢ Different Strategies
✓ Methods of achieving objectives:
1) collective bargaining with employers
2) collective action
3) representation and involvement in the undertaking
4) affiliations with other bodies
5) collective bargaining with government
6) representation on local, national and international bodies
7) representation on legislative and policy-making bodies
8) political involvement
9) representation on benefit funds
5. Describe the methods trade unions use to achieve their objectives, (15
marks), page 319.Cont..
rkplac
▪ Methods by which Unions Attempt to Achieve Their
Objectives
➢ The ‘Power’ Objective
✓ Union’s power will depend on:
1) the solidarity of its membership
2) the depth and extent of its organisation
3) the skill and expertise of the negotiators
4) the sympathy it gets from other bodies in both the labour
relations and sociopolitical spheres
5) its ability to influence government, business or even
international agencies
6. Describe the structure of trade unions from bottom upwards.
(10). p 320.
▪ The Organisation and Management of Trade Unions
➢ Trade Union Structure
✓ Bottom upwards
a) General membership
b) Shop stewards
c) Shop steward committees
d) Local branches
e) Regional committee
f) National committee
g) National congress
h) Federation
i) International bodies
7. Describe the duties of a shop steward. (15). p 324.
▪ The Shop Steward
➢ Shop Steward Duties
a) recruiting new members
b) assisting and representing members in grievance and
disciplinary procedures
c) consulting and negotiating with management on plant-level
matters
d) obtaining mandates from members before and during these
negotiations
e) assisting with the organisation of ballots, such as strike
ballots
f) ensuring that management adheres to wage and other
agreements
 7. Describe the duties of a shop steward. (15). p
324. Cont…
▪ The Shop Steward
➢ Shop Steward Duties
g) organising and attending union meetings at plant level and
branch level
h) participating in workplace forums or committees
i) participating in health and safety committees
j) advising fellow employees
k) keeping employees informed of union policies and plans
l) keeping the union informed of the situation in the
organisation
m) collecting trade union dues
n) working at branch level
8. Discuss the employers and employer’s organisations
(13 marks)
▪ Employers and Employers’ Organisations
➢ Management as Representative of Employers
➢ Employer Goals
➢ Attitude towards Unions
✓ Since unions are endemic to the pluralist system, employers
have had to accept them as such and have learnt to live with
them
➢ Collective Employer Bodies
8. Discuss the employers and employer’s organisations.
Cont.. (15 marks)
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➢ Employers’ Organisations
1) Reasons for Forming/Joining Employers’ Organisations
a) Balance the collective power of the unions
b) Standardise conditions of service in an industry
c) Put wages out of competition
d) Protect the interests of employers who may not be able to
afford high remuneration packages
e) Have negotiations conducted by persons with expertise
f) Have the employer’s interests represented at a macro-level
 9. Discuss the employers and employer’s organisations.
Cont.. (15 marks)
▪ Employers and Employers’ Organisations
➢ Employers’ Organisations
2) Functions of Employers’ Organisations
a) Provide a forum for the development of a coordinated
strategy
b) Negotiate with unions for the purpose of standardising
minimum wages
c) Assist members by providing them with information on
issues such as procedures, legislative changes Provide a
coordinated system of employee benefits such as pension
funds and medical aid schemes
d) Co-ordinate training and development in the industry
e) Liaise with trade union federations
f) Engage the media
9. Discuss the employers and employer’s organisations.
Cont.. (15 marks)
▪ Employers and Employers’ Organisations
➢ Employers’ Organisations
3) Organisation and Management of Employers’
Organisations
4) The Future Role of Employers’ Organisations
✓ Employers’ associations as bargaining bodies are becoming
less relevant
THANK YOU

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