LARM 111 Leereenheid 6 / Study unit 6 Kollektiewe response op werk / Collective Responses to work

Wat is ‘n Vakbond? / What is a Trade Union?

Organisation whose membership consists of workers and union leaders, and whose principal purposes are to (1) negotiate wages and working condition terms, (2) regulate relations between workers (its members) and the employer, (3) take collective action to enforce the terms of collective bargaining, (4) raise new demands on behalf of its members, and (5) help settle their grievances.

Hoekom het mense vakbonde nodig Hoekom het mense vakbonde nodig? / Why do people need labour organisations? Werkers organiseer hulself in vakbonde om kollektief te beding met werkgewers oor spesifieke griewe/probleme in die werkplek / workers organise themselves into unions to bargain collectively with employers over specific grievances in the workplace Hierdie griewe/probleme sluit in: Onvoeldoende salarisse en voordele / inadequate wages and benefits Pas van werk wat te vinnig is / work that is too rapidly paced Onregverdige afdanking en bevordering / unfair retention and promotion practices Uitsluiting wanneer daar besluite geneem word / exclusion from decision making

Vakbond lidmaatskap / union membership Watter tipe werkers behoort aan vakbonde? / what kind of workers belong to unions? Lidmaadskap verskil in terme van industrie, beroep, ouderdom en ander kenmerke / membership varies by industry, occupation, age, and other characteristics Werkers werksaam in vervoer, regering, vervaardiging, myne en konstruksie is meer geneig om deel te wees van vakbonde as werkers in handel en dienste / Workers in transportation, government, manufacturing and mining, and construction are more likely to be union members than workers in trade and services Handearbeiders is meer geneig om deel te vorm van vakbonde as ander werkers / Manual workers are more likely to be union members than are other workers

Vakbond lidmaatskap / union membership Werkers wat ouer is as 25 is meer geneig om deel te vorm van vakbonde as jonger werkers, juis omdat hulle so toegewyd is tot hul werk / because of greater commitment to their jobs, workers 25 and older are more likely to be members than younger workers Mans is meer geneig om lede te wees as vrouens / men are more likely than women to be members Swart mense is meer geneig om lede te wees as wit mense, Spaanse mense en Asiërs / black workers are more likely to be members than are whites, Hispanics or Asians Voltydse werkers is meer geneig om lede te wees as deeltydse werkers / full-time workers are also more likely to be union members than are part-time workers

Vakbonde in die 21ste eeu / labour unions in the 21st century The stryd van die vakbonde het baie voordele vir werkers / The struggles of the labour movement have produces many gains for working people Hierdie voordele sluit in: Hoër salarisse / higher wages Korter werksure / shorter hours Veiliger werkskondisies / Safer working conditions Verhoogde tweesydige beheer van die werksplek deur onderhandelde reëls eerder as bevel van die bestuur / increased bilateral governance of the workplace by negotiated rules rather than management fiat

Vakbonde in die 21ste eeu / labour unions in the 21st century CONGRESS OF SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE UNIONS (COSATU), was established as early as 1985. COSATU is a federation of a group of South African trade unions. Their active participation in the struggle for political and economic change in South Africa led to the fact that COSATU joined the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) as a partner in the 1994 election campaign. Today COSATU is still part of the three party partnership that governs South Africa.

Vakbonde in die 21ste eeu / labour unions in the 21st century FEDUSA is the second largest union federation FEDUSA consists of 28 affiliated trade unions with a paid up membership base in excess of 530 000. FEDUSAs affiliates organize in a variety of sectors and industries across the South African Economy. FEDUSA is a non-racist, gender-sensitive federation FEDUSA is not associated with any political party FEDUSA has representation on all of Nedlac's main structures including the Executive Council, Management Committee, Labour Market Chamber, Trade and Industry Chamber, Public Finance and Monetary Policy Chamber and the Development Chamber.

Vakbonde in die 21ste eeu / labour unions in the 21st century Vakbonde vervul ‘n verskeidenheid van rolle: Kollektiewe bedinging / collective bargaining Stemwerwery / Lobbying Verbetering van die beeld van vakbonde / Improving the image of unions

Kollektiewe bedinging / Collective bargaining Kollektiewe bedinging ooreenkomstes is oop kontrakte wat amper enigiets kan insluit waarop beide partye (organisasie en vakbond) ooreenkom / collective bargaining agreements are open contracts that can include almost anything to which both parties agree Kontrakte tussen organisasie en vakbonde sluit in / contracts between organisation and unions include: Salarisse en voordele / wages and benefits Oortyd- en skof premies / Overtime and shift premiums Bevorderingprosedures / Promotion procedures ‘n Formele prosedure vir die hantering van werkers se griewe en disiplinere verhoor/ A formal procedure for handling workers’ grievances and disciplinary hearings Erkening / Recognition

Stakings / Strikes Stakings en deur te dreig om te staak is die mees belangrikste meganismes wat vakbonde kan gebruik om voordeel te trek / strikes and the threat of strikes are the most important mechanisms through which unions press their claims Stakings vind nie gereeld plaas nie en is ook nie altyd suksesvol nie / however, strikes themselves are quite infrequent and are not always successful In onlangse jare is werkers huiwerig om te staak omrede hul vrees dat die bestuur hul werk permanent sal wegskuif / in recent years workers have been increasingly reluctant to strike because of fears that management will permanently move their jobs elsewhere Hierdie vrees forseer vakbonde om na ander alternatiewe as stakings te kyk soos politiese stemwerwery en eienaarskap aan werkers / this fear has forced unions to look for alternatives to strikes such as political lobbying and worker ownership

Bevordering van veiligheid en gesondheid / Promoting safety and health Werkers se veiligheid en gesondheid is ‘n prioriteit vir vakbonde / Worker safety and health have gained increasing attention as union priorities Die belang in veiligheid en gesondheid ontstaan as gevolg van verhoogde gebruik van skadelike chemikalieë in die werkplek sowel as verhoogde publieke bewusmaking van gesondheidskwessies / This concern results from both increased use of hazardous chemicals at the workplace and increased public awareness of health issues

Steunwerwing / Lobbying Vakbonde wend politiese mag aan deur stemmers te registreer, veral lae-inkomste en werkende klas stemmers, en deur hulle aan te moedig om te stem / Labour unions exert political power by registering voters, especially low-income and working-class voters, and by encouraging them to vote Hul werf dan steun vir wetgewing wat werkers sal bevoordeel / Finally, they lobby for legislation favourable to workers COSATU en FEDUSA op NEDLAC

Verbetering van die beeld van vakbonde / improving the image of unions Vakbonde probeer om hulle beeld te verbeter by die publiek en by hulle lede / To revitalize the union movement, unions seek to improve their image with the public and with their own members Tydens die 2de helfte van die 20ste eeu het baie mense gevoel dat vakbonde nie meer nodig was nie / The prosperity of the second half of the 20th century led many people to feel that unions were no longer necessary Meer onlangse ekonomiese stilstand het veroorsaak dat daar meer belang gestel word in werksekuriteit en salarisse / More recent economic stagnations has reawakened concerns about job security and wages

Verbetering van die beeld van vakbonde / improving the image of unions Vakbonde probeer om hul beeld te verbeter deur aandag te gee aan algemene kwessies / unions have sought to improve their image by adressing issues of general interest Hierdie kwessies sluit in / These issues include: Veiligheid en gesondheid / safety and health Aanlegte wat toemaak / plants closing beleide / policies Onderrig / eduction