Industrial Relations in South Africa¶
Anon. (n.d.). Industrial Relations in South Africa.
| Type | other |
| Scope | Economics and economic history of apartheid |
| Method | synthesis review |
| Period studied | 1983–1995 |
| Regions | South Africa |
| Themes | unions strikes, labour markets wages, methods data sources |
| Citation key | anonndd |
Argument¶
This is an unsigned set of research notes (about three pages), not a finished scholarly work. It lists sources for South African strike and work-stoppage statistics, mostly from the 1980s. It contrasts industrial-council bargaining with plant-level recognition agreements, using figures quoted from Bendix and Budlender et al. It also lists the variables, triggers and union-affiliation categories for classifying strikes, and ends with open research questions. It makes no sustained argument of its own.
Evidence and method¶
Quotations from Bendix (1983 review) and Budlender et al. (1984) on industrial councils and recognition agreements. A list of possible data sources: Work in Progress, Department of Manpower statistics, Indicator SA, FOSATU/CUSA records, Anglo American IR reviews, IIR, and Andrew Levy and Bendix datasets. No original data.
Findings¶
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In 1983 plant-level recognition agreements were growing in number, but industrial council agreements still covered far more workers, according to Bendix. (p. 1)
no fewer than 50 new plant-level recognition agreements were reported to have been concluded during 1983 […] in addition to the approximately 300 agreements in operation at the end of 1982.
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Industrial councils covered over a million workers, while plant-level agreements covered perhaps a tenth of that number. (p. 1-2)
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Minimum wages were mainly regulated through industrial council bargaining, with about 100 councils covering roughly 1.5m workers in 1983. (p. 2)
Approximately 100 ICs (covering 1.5m workers) as at 1983.
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Most industrial councils covered manufacturing, with a minority national in scope (Budlender et al. 1984). (p. 2)
of the 101 [ICs], 53 cover various manufacturing activities, a further 16 the construction industry, and 32 a variety of other economic activities […] 14 are national in scope while the others are provincial or local.
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Some firms located in the TBVC homelands to avoid minimum wage regulation. (p. 2)
Some companies would work in TBVC to avoid minimum wage laws.
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The notes propose classifying strikes by number of strikes, workers involved, man-hours lost, and average workers per strike. (p. 2)
Nr Strikes; Nr Workers involved in Strikes; Manhours lost; Average nr workers per strike
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The notes propose a typology of strike triggers. (p. 2)
Wages/remunerations; dismissal; general grievances; retrenchment; recognition; pensions; overtime; referendum (direct & indirect); safety; sympathy/solidarity with strikers at another company
Evidence ledger¶
Sources used¶
| Source | Kind | Period | How used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work in Progress (data 1983-1995) | newspapers periodicals | 1983-1995 | Listed as a source for statistics on strikes and work stoppages. |
| Official strike statistics, Department of Manpower | official statistical series | not specified | Listed as the official source of strike statistics. |
| Indicator SA reports (Industrial Relations in South Africa series) | newspapers periodicals | not specified | Listed as a strike data source compiled from press clippings. |
| FOSATU / CUSA records (annual reports) | union or movement records | not specified | Listed as union-side records on strikes and affiliation. |
| Anglo American Corporation Industrial Relations Department, Quarterly reviews of Industrial Relations | company records or reports | not specified | Listed as a company-produced source of strike statistics. |
| Institute for Industrial Relations, Review of Industrial Relations in South Africa | employer association records | not specified | Listed as a strike and industrial relations review source. |
| Andrew Levy's Industrial Relations Data | other | not specified | Listed as a private data source on strikes. |
| Bendix, Industrial Relations Trend Consultants: Industrial relations review 1983 and Prognosis 1984 | other | 1983-1984 | Listed as a strike data source; also supplies counts of plant-level recognition agreements vs industrial council agreements. |
| Industrial council wage agreements published in government gazettes | legislation gazette | c.1983 | Shows that IC wage agreements are publicly published and regulate minimum wages. |
| SALDRU (1984) Industrial Council Wage Rates | secondary literature compilation | 1984 | Flagged as an important compilation of industrial council wage rates. |
| Budlender et al (1984) on industrial council composition | secondary literature compilation | 1984 (data as at 1983) | Provides counts of ICs by sector and geographic scope. |
| National Manpower Commission, Report on an Investigation into the Levels of Collective Bargaining and Works Councils... | commission or official report | not specified | Listed as a reference on collective bargaining levels and the industrial court. |
| SAIRR, Annual Survey on Race Relations | official statistical series | annual, years not specified | Listed as a reference series. |
Inference¶
Quantification: Illustrative figures.
Research notes rather than an argument: an annotated list of data sources on strikes plus a few quoted figures on industrial councils and plant agreements. No analysis or inference is carried out.
Key claims¶
| Claim | Basis | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| In 1983, plant-level recognition agreements were more numerous than the new IC agreements but covered far fewer workers than IC agreements. (p. 1) | Bendix's Industrial Relations Trend Consultants review (1983), quoted. | Partial data |
| Around 1983 there were roughly 100 industrial councils covering about 1.5 million workers. (p. 2) | Budlender et al (1984) and the notes' own summary, with no direct primary source given. | Partial data |
| Most ICs cover manufacturing, a minority are national in scope, and some industries are regulated regionally. (p. 2) | Quoted from Budlender et al (1984). | Partial data |
| Minimum wages are regulated principally through collective bargaining in industrial councils registered with the Department of Manpower. (p. 2) | Asserted in the notes without citation. | Asserted |
| Some companies operated in the TBVC homelands to avoid minimum wage laws. (p. 2) | No source given. | Asserted |
The author's caveats¶
None stated. The notes only list possible sources and open questions; the strike/work-stoppage distinction is posed as a question and left unresolved.
Gaps in the evidence¶
The notes do not examine strike counts, the Department of Manpower series, or press-based compilations, so nothing can be tested against the data. Claims on TBVC wage avoidance and IC coverage need firm-level or gazette-based evidence, such as the gazetted agreements and Department of Manpower registrations. These sources existed at the time and are partly archived now. Comparing the strike series would also show how definitions and coverage differ between sources.
Replicability: Data poorly documented.