CHAPTER 15

(LABOUR RELATIONS: A SOUTHERN PERSPECTIVE)

WORKPLACE DEMOCRACY AND

WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
 WORKER PARTICIPATION

PARTICIPATION: IS DESCRIBED AS THE INDIRECT INVOLVEMENT OF ONE GROUP OF

EMPLOYEES (NON-MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES) THROUGH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE
DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF THE ORGANISATION.

WORKER PARTICIPATION: REFERS TO MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES THAT GIVE EMPLOYEES THE

OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME INVOLVED OR TAKE PART IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES
RELATED TO THEIR DAILY WORK AND THE OPERATIONS OF THE ORGANISATION IN GENERAL.

• WORKER PARTICIPATION IS SUPPORTED THROUGH POLICY AND LEGISLATION.

 PRINCIPLES OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION

WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION ENTAILS THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEE IN:

 THE ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING OF THE WORK PROCESS
 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCEDURES AND FUTURE PROCESSES
 DECISION-MAKING AT VARIOUS LEVELS
 MANAGEMENT AND POLICY MAKING BODIES OF THE ORGANIZATION.
TRADE UNION REPRESENTATION VERSUS WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
TRADE UNION
REPRESENTATION WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
• TRADE UNION REPRESENTATION USUALLY • WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION TENDS TO PROMOTE
PLACES EMPHASIS ON THE EMPLOYER- COOPERATION.
EMPLOYEE CONFLICT
• WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION IS BASED ON
• TRADE UNION REPRESENTATION RESTS ON THE CONSENSUS AND THE PERCEPTION OF A SOCIAL
BARGAINING RELATIONSHIP. AND ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.
• COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RECOGNIZES THE • A SYSTEM OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
RIGHT OF THE EMPLOYER TO MANAGE AND TO PRESUPPOSES OR ACCEPTS THAT THE RIGHT OF
TAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS; UNIONS ONLY EMPLOYEES TO SHARE IN THE DECISION
CHALLENGE THESE DECISIONS. MAKING PROCESS IS ACCEPTED
 FORMS OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION

• DIRECT AND INDIRECT PARTICIPATION

• INFORMATION SHARING
• INDEPENDENT WORK ORGANIZATION
• PLANT LEVEL COMMITTEES OR COUNCILS
• JOINT DECISION MAKING SUPERVISORY BOARDS
 FORMS OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
DIRECT AND INDIRECT PARTICIPATION
• IN DIRECT PARTICIPATION, THE EMPLOYEES THEMSELVES ARE INVOLVED IN THE ACTIVITY OR PROCESSES.

• IN CASE OF INDIRECT PARTICIPATION, THE EMPLOYEES INVOLVEMENT OCCURS THROUGH ELECTED

REPRESENTATIVES.

INFORMATION SHARING
• BY INFORMATION SHARING IS MEANT THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION FROM
MANAGEMENT TO EMPLOYEES AND FROM EMPLOYEES TO VARIOUS LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT..

• THE CONTINUAL TWO-WAY FLOW OF INFORMATION ALLEVIATES THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN ON PART OF THE
EMPLOYEES AND LEADS TO GREATER ACCEPTANCE, INVOLVEMENT AND COMMITMENT.
 FORMS OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
1. INDEPENDENT WORK ORGANISATION
• THE PURPOSE OF INDEPENDENT WORK ORGANISATION IS TO MOTIVATE THE EMPLOYEES TO BECOME INVOLVED
IN THEIR TASKS, TO GAIN SATISFACTION FROM THEIR WORK AND TO BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE.

• THE MOST COMMON METHOD OF ACHIEVING THESE AIMS ARE:

 JOB ENRICHMENT

 JOB ENLARGEMENT

 JOB ROTATION

• IN ALL OF THE ABOVE THE WORKFORCE IS DIVIDED INTO INDEPENDENT WORK GROUPS.

• IF INDEPENDENT WORK GROUP IS PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED, IT COULD:

 INCREASE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

 ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCRETION

 LEAD TO IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK

 GIVE THE EMPLOYEE THE FEELING OF HAVING MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOTAL PROCESS

 CREATE A CLIMATE FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION

 FORMS OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
2. PLANT LEVEL COMMITTEES OR COUNCILS
• PLANT LEVEL COMMITTEES MANY FORMS

LIAISON COMMITTEES
• LIAISON COMMITTEES CONSIST EQUALLY OF MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES AND ESSENTIALLY
CONSULTATIVE IN NATURE.

• THEY ARE INTENDED TO PROMOTE INTERACTION BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES.

WORKERS’ COMMITTEES
• WORKERS; COMMITTEES COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED BY THE EMPLOYEES.

• THE ISSUE DEALT WITH BY A WORKERS’ COMMITTEE ARE DETERMINED BY ITS CONSTITUTION.

• WORKERS’ COMMITTEES WHICH HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE WORKFORCE COULD EXERT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
PRESSURE ON EMPLOYERS/ MANAGEMENT.
 FORMS OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION
3. SAFETY COMMITTEES
• MANAGEMENT AND THE EMPLOYEES MAY DECIDE TO FORM ANY KIND OF COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC ISSUES.

• THE MOST TYPE OF COMMITTEE THAT ARE FORMED DEALS WITH MATTER RELATED TO HEALTH AND SAFETY.

• THE LAW REGULATED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SAFETY COMMITTEES AND PRESCRIBES THE POWERS OF WORKER
REPRESENTATIVES.

4. SHOP STEWARD COMMITTEES

• SHOP STEWARDS ARE THE TRADE UNION APPOINTEES AT A PLANT LEVEL, THEY ARE ALSO ELECTED THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF A MAJORITY OF EMPLOYEES.

• WHERE THERE IS STRONG SHOP STEWARDS PRESENCE, MANAGEMENT TENDS TO CONSULT WITH THE SHOP STEWARDS’
COMMITTEE BEFORE TAKING ANY MAJOR DECISION AFFECTING THE EMPLOYEES, ONLY TO PREVENT REPERCUSSIONS
FROM THE UNION.

• SHOP STEWARDS WILL ALSO PRESENT EMPLOYEES’ GRIEVANCES AND PROBLEMS TO MANAGEMENT FOR DECISION AND
JOINT PROBLEM SOLVING.
 WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
CONCEPT OF WORKPLACE FORUMS
MATTERS FOR CONSULTATIONS
• A WORKPLACE FORUM IS ENTITLED TO BE CONSULTED ON PROPOSALS RELATING TO ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING MATTERS:
 RESTRUCTURING OF THE WORKPLACE

 INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND WORK PROCESSES

 CHANGES IN THE ORGANIZATION OF WORK

 PARTIAL OR COMPLETE PLANT CLOSURE

 MERGERS AND TRANSFER OF PROPERTY RIGHTS, IN SO FAR AS THESE AFFECTS THE EMPLOYEES

 DISMISSALS OF THE EMPLOYEES BASED ON ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

 JOB GRADING

 EDUCATION AND TRAINING

 EXPORT PROMOTION