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Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members
Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2020
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| _version_ | 1867613870273593344 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Greenhalgh, Bradley Paul |
| author2 | Garbers, Christoph |
| author_browse | Garbers, Christoph Greenhalgh, Bradley Paul |
| author_facet | Garbers, Christoph Greenhalgh, Bradley Paul |
| author_sort | Greenhalgh, Bradley Paul |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109343 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:00.621Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publishDateRange | 2020 |
| publishDateSort | 2020 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109343 Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members Greenhalgh, Bradley Paul Garbers, Christoph Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Mercantile Law. Labor unions -- Law and legislation Labor union members Labor union members -- Legal status, laws, etc. Union security -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Trade union accountability UCTD Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: How do members hold their own trade unions accountable in South Africa? What legal mechanisms, if any, are available to assist union members in receiving adequate representation and service from their unions? This study approaches these questions through a comparative and historical examination of the regulation of the union member relationship in the UK, USA and the RSA. The study commences with an examination of what unions do, how they function and what benefits potentially accrue to their members, while the role played by unions in utilising collectivisation to offset the bargaining power of employers is demonstrated. The need for organised labour, by society in general, but South Africa specifically, is brought into sharp relief. This is, however, offset by the examination of 25 constitutions of broadly representative South African trade unions, where the lack of proper regulation of the union-member relationship is brought to the fore. This already means the common law and current judicial approach that is so reliant on the interpretation and implementation of trade union constitutions to address union-member disputes is unsuitable, certainly in those instances where the constitution is either silent or ambiguous, or where the nature of the relationship between the union and its member(s) mimics that of the constantly present imbalance of power and influence between employers and employees. The comparative examination of union accountability is undertaken against the backdrop of the common historical phases of proscription, acknowledgement/assimilation, and readjustment of and towards trade unions. The historical and contemporary regulation of the union-member relationship in South Africa is examined in the same way. The study demonstrates that purely statutory regulation of the union member relationship by means of punitive provisions and inter-union self-regulation measures are not feasible. A series of possible legal mechanisms – that draw from the comparative examination – are suggested, even though they are to be utilised in a collective (rather than individual) way. Even these suggestions, however, are subject to the challenges of cost-effectiveness, accessibility and efficiency of enforcement by (the) average union member(s). Three proposals are made to foster improved union member accountability: Firstly, the use of section 103A of the LRA by the Registrar so as to place unions that meet the appropriate criteria under administration, in order to restore accountable functioning and elevate the interests of the member(s) over that of the officials of the union; secondly, the introduction of a duty of fair representation – to be administered by the CCMA – to hold both union and employer accountable to members, and; thirdly, in conjunction with the first two proposals, the use of a package of further measures (and an associated information campaign), such as bolstering the financial/institutional capacity of the Registrar’s office, compelling the inclusion of accountability clauses within union constitutions, and minor amendments to the LRA with regard to balloting, reporting/transparency (and the enforcement thereof). If implemented, the expected outcomes are improved labour relations, increased accountability and professionalisation of trade union administration, a realignment of the employer-union divide and elevating the awareness of union member rights and concomitant obligations on trade unions – all of which are of critical importance in South Africa’s post-Marikana society. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoe hou lede hul eie vakbonde verantwoordbaar in Suid-Afrika? Watter regsmeganismes, indien enige, is beskikbaar om vakbondlede te help om voldoende verteenwoordiging en diens van hul vakbonde te ontvang? Die studie spreek hierdie vrae aan deur middel van ʼn vergelykende en historiese ondersoek na die regulering van die verhouding tussen vakbondlede in die VK, die VSA en die RSA. Die studie bestudeer die funksie van vakbonde en watter voordele die vakbond vir hul lede inhou. Daarmee saam word die rol wat vakbonde speel in die benutting/handhawing van kollektiwiteit om die bedingingsvermoë van werkgewers teen te staan, aangedui. Die algemene behoefte aan georganiseerde arbeid, in die besonder in Suid-Afrika, word veral op die voorgrond geplaas. Dit word egter opgeweeg deur die ondersoek van 25 grondwette van verskeie en verteenwoordigende Suid-Afrikaanse vakbonde, waar die gebrek aan behoorlike regulering van die verhouding tussen vakbonde en hul lede na vore kom. Dit beteken reeds dat die gemenereg en die huidige juridiese benadering wat afhanklik is van die interpretasie en implementering van vakbondgrondwette, om geskille tussen vakbondlede aan te spreek, onvoldoende is. Dit kom veral in gevalle voor waar die grondwet geen verwysing daarna het nie of onduidelik is, of waar die aard van die verhouding tussen die vakbond en hul lede juis die voortdurende wanbalans van mag en invloed tussen werkgewers en werknemers namaak. Die vergelykende ondersoek na vakbond verantwoordbaarheid vind plaas teen die agtergrond van die algemene historiese fases van vervolging, erkenning/assimilasie en heraanpassing van en teenoor vakbonde. Die historiese en kontemporêre regulering van die vakbond-lede verhouding in Suid-Afrika word op dieselfde wyse ondersoek. Die studie illustreer dat suiwer statutêre regulering van die vakbond-lede verhouding deur middel van strafbepalings en selfreguleringsmaatreëls tussen vakbonde, onuitvoerbaar is. ʼn Reeks moontlike regsmeganismes word uit die vergelykende ondersoek voorgestel, alhoewel dit op ʼn kollektiewe (eerder as individuele) wyse gebruik moet word. Selfs hierdie voorstelle is egter onderhewig aan die uitdagings van koste-effektiwiteit, toeganklikheid en doeltreffendheid van die gemiddelde vakbondlid(lede) se toepassing daarvan. Drie voorstelle word gemaak om die verantwoordbaarheid van vakbondlede te bevorder: Eerstens, deur die Registrateur se gebruik van artikel 103A van die WAV sodat vakbonde wat aan die toepaslike kriteria voldoen, bestuur kan word – ten einde verantwoordbare funksionering te herstel en die belange van die lede bo dié van die amptenare van die vakbond te plaas. Tweedens, die instelling van ʼn plig tot billike verteenwoordiging – wat deur die KVBA geadministreer moet word – om vakbonde sowel as werkgewers teenoor lede aanspreeklik te hou. Derdens, in samewerking met die eerste twee voorstelle, die gebruik van ʼn pakket met verdere maatreëls (en ʼn gepaardgaande inligtingsveldtog) insluit, soos die versterking van die finansiële/institusionele kapasiteit van die Registrateur se kantoor, die insluiting van aanspreeklikheidsklousules in vakbondgrondwette af te dwing, en geringe wysigings aan die WAV ten opsigte van stemming, verslaggewing/deursigtigheid (en die toepassing daarvan). Indien hierdie voorstelle geïmplementeer word, is die verwagte uitkomste verbeterde arbeidsverhoudinge, verhoogde aanspreeklikheid en professionalisering van vakbondadministrasie, ʼn herbepaling van die werkgewervakbondverdeling en ʼn verhoogde bewustheid van die vakbondlede se regte en gepaardgaande verpligtinge van vakbonde – wat van kritieke belang is in Suid-Afrika se post-Marikana samelewing. Doctoral 2020-12-01T11:01:51Z 2021-01-31T19:45:39Z 2020-12-01T11:01:51Z 2021-01-31T19:45:39Z 2020-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109343 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 1043 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Labor unions -- Law and legislation Labor union members Labor union members -- Legal status, laws, etc. Union security -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Trade union accountability UCTD Greenhalgh, Bradley Paul Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| title | Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| title_full | Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| title_fullStr | Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| title_full_unstemmed | Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| title_short | Historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| title_sort | historical and comparative perspectives on trade union regulation with specific emphasis on the accountability of trade unions to their members |
| topic | Labor unions -- Law and legislation Labor union members Labor union members -- Legal status, laws, etc. Union security -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Trade union accountability UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109343 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT greenhalghbradleypaul historicalandcomparativeperspectivesontradeunionregulationwithspecificemphasisontheaccountabilityoftradeunionstotheirmembers |