1 Workers’ learning in the municipal workplace: who values it? Sandra van Niekerk Adult Education Masters Student University of Cape Town

2 Focus of research To what extent has workers’ informal learning and knowledge-generation in two municipal depots been valued and/or used by management, the union and by workers themselves? Over the last six year period During extensive process of workplace restructuring

3 Informal learning “Any activity involving the pursuit of understanding, knowledge or skill which occurs without the presence of externally imposed curricular criteria” (Livingstone; 2001)

4 Underlying assumption (Millar; Livingstone; Scribner) Valuable, of high quality and contributes to effective work process. Workplaces often rely heavily on workers informal/tacit learning Workers’ knowledge, generated through informal learning in workplace =

5 But Generally not valued by management (it is “denied, suppressed degraded or divided”) Often secretive Often not recognised by workers themselves Strength of union key to how workers recognise informal learning

6 Previous research focusing on workers knowledge in local government Cooper – research into how/what workers learn in their organisation ILRIG – three case studies – drawing on workers knowledge and understanding to understand service delivery problems Samson – three case studies of how privatisation affects workers, drawing on workers experience and perceptions SAME ORGANISATION – BUT DIFFERENT SITE LIMITED BY METHODOLOGY NOT EXPLICITLY LOOKING AT WHAT KNOWLEDGE WORKERS HAVE

7 Research design Case study approach 2 municipal depots in Cape Town municipality Basis on which depots chosen: –Access –Sympathetic management –Different geographical locations

8 Sites of research Depots: –Documentary analysis –Participant observation –Interviews with key individuals –Group interviews with workers –In-depth interviews with selected workers – to give as detailed and textured a sense of learning in workplace as possible (Livingstone) Union: –Participant observation at shopsteward committee meetings, branch executive committee meetings –Interviews with key individuals

9 What am I trying to uncover? Workers knowledge –Workers often not aware they have it, or realize they got it informally on job Workers learning secretive or openly acknowledged? –This will say something about how workers knowledge valued/used Stimulus for learning? Role of other workers? Leadership abilities demonstrated by passing on knowledge Extent of cross learning and who benefits from this

10 Conceptual approach Approach = “engaged class standpoint” which takes account of “the multiple oppressions experienced by subordinated people in capitalist societies in terms of class, race and age and their effects on social consciousness” (Livingstone and Sawchuk) Draw on situated learning approach; cultural-historical theory of adult learning

11 Why this research question for me? 1.Because of practical questions raised in my work in the South African Municipal Workers Union Policy approach which emphasises drawing on knowledge of workers at the coal face of delivery in order to transform service delivery But lots of questions unanswered How does learning take place? What knowledge do workers have? How to effectively and meaningfully draw on that knowledge?

12 Why this research question for me? (cont) 2. Interest in current process of restructuring in local government Need to understand what is going on Corporate model of service delivery ‘New managerialist’ approach What this means for workers learning and knowledge generation

13 Why this research question for me? (cont.) 3. Desire to understand the relationship between new work context, informal learning of workers, and knowledge workers carry of work process Do municipalities perceive themselves “learning organisations” in a knowledge society? To what extent are developments in public sector mirroring developments in private sector? Von Holdt study of surgical ward at Baragwanath Hospital - Argues public sector in South Africa has not responded in same way as private sector