Die invloed van swak werkplekveiligheidsbestuur op arbeidsverhoudinge
Abstract
The title of this study indicates that poor safety management could have a notable effect on sound labour relations in the future. The objectives of the study are as follows: the militant trade unions are rapidly expanding their decision making power and now include the safety of the employee on the bargaining agenda; - management, on the other hand, is applying reactive instead of proactive techniques regarding employee safety by not training subordinates for their repective positions; and - management does not follow requirements stipulated in labour law in order to make the workplace safe. Since the removal of demarcating labour laws after the recommendations
of the Wiehahn- and Riekert Commisions in the late seventies, there has been an upsurge in militant trade unions in the South African labour arena. Since 1979 the efforts of rising trade unions have been concentrated on bread and butter' issues. It was however inevitable that the more militant trade unions would take affairs, and it is also important have enhanced their efforts during a leading role in labour
to note that these unions the past 2 to 3 years. Their efforts are no longer restricted to matters like wages and hours of work, but there is an increasing demand to share decision making in other areas with the management. Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, General Secretary of the National Union of Mine workers, expressed the following objective during 1985; "We must start organising people at the workplace;
thereafter it will automatically start spilling over into other issues." (Anonymous, The Star ca. 1985.) The present black political scene taken into account, it can be accepted that the more militant trade union federations like Cosatu, will use their resources in the SACP, the ANC and the Mass Democratic Movement to expand their bargaining power. The militant trade unions are currently endeavouring to gain as much international coverage as possible for their plight if the video material uncovered by the South African Police, can be cited as proof. In the majority of the cases, the safety of the employee was mentioned in no uncertain terms. Safety in the workplace has now, after the Helderberg and recent Sappi Disasters, acquired significance as the safety is no longer limited to the micro-environment, but also includes the macro-environment. The second indicator of the rising importance of workplace safety is to be found in the changes to the laws regarding safety representatives on the shop floor. Management has allowed illiterate employees to be appointed in these positions despite the fact that safety representative are required to complete certain documentation on a regular basis. Each safety representative has the right to make complaints to the Inspector of Mines and Works without consulting the management. The results in the questionnaire ment was forced by the unions also indicate that manageto declare a safety policy, thus resolving to reactive management. Furthermore, most of these representatives in the target population, are members of militant trade unions. In order to prove the above mentioned hypothesis, the following research methods were used; - a study of relevant literature; and - an empirical investigation. Literature used includes work of internationally-acclaimed authors in the safety area. The Loss Control System of Escom
was used as a basis. Furthermore, newspaper reports, company publications and extensive television reports were studied. The findings were rated against the requirements of all relevant labour laws pertaining to safety and labour relations. A total of 30 476 employees were included in the empirical study. Companies were divided into three categories namely small, medium and large companies. The empirical investigation revealed the following: - in the case of medium companies the management was forced in 56% of the target population to formulate and negotiate a safety policy after being requested by trade unions; - in the case of large companies this figure amounted to 61%; that 6 205 employees in the target population were involved in accidents during the last two years and 53 of these were killed in workplace accidents; only one of all the companies was intent on proactive training programmes and supplied 88% of all the safety training in their company over a period of two years; and literally no on-the-job safety training was given by the other remaining companies in the target population. The management can thus expect to be confronted on a number of sides. The effect on the labour relations in the company could however be devastating. By using proactive methods, the management can however soften the effect of the confrontation.