Strike Handling and Contingency Planning PDF

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Lecture Notes on Strike Handling and Contingency Planning...

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I ndust r i alRel at i ons2 Topi c:St r i keHandl i ngandCont i ngencyPl anni ng Week10 I nt r oduct i on

Thi suni tdi scussedt hepr ocessesofhandl i ngs t r i kesi nor gani sat i onswhi ch i nc l ude cont i ngency pl anni ng.The s t eps i nvol ved i n deal i ng wi t h st r i ke act i on dur i ng and af t eri thas occur r ed wer ei ndi cat ed.Fi nal l y ,t he uni t pr ovi ded t he suggest ed model used t o effect i vel y handl e st r i kes i n or gani sat i ons.

Pr event i ngSt r i keAct i on

St r i kesar edi sr upt i vei n nat ur eandmaycauseconsi der abl edamaget ot he or gani sat i on.Thedamagescan bei nt hef or m offinanceand empl oyment r el at i ons .Ther ef or e,empl oyer sneedt oavoi dst r i kesatal lcost sbyensur i ng a peacef uland har moni ouswor ki ng envi r onment .The LabourRel at i ons support st hi s vi ew by maki ng provi si ons f or vari ous mechani sms whi ch hel ps t o effect i vel y handl e confli ctbet ween managementand l abour .The mechani sm i ncl udes negot i at i on,medi at i on,arbi t r at i on, t heest abl i shmentofbar gai ni ngand st at ut orycounci l saswel last he exi st enceofCCMA andot herpri vat el abourbodi es. I n addi t i on t odevel opi ngeffect i vedi sput er esol ut i on,or gani sat i onsneed t o ensur et hatt he yputi npl acepol i ci esandpr ocedur est hatenabl et hem t o manage confli ct i n t he wor kpl ace and communi cat i on bet t er wi t h empl oyees. I nvol vi ng empl oyees i n company deci si on maki ng may al l evi at esomeoft hepr obl emst hatmayl eadt oi ndust r i alact i on ( Nele t al2016: 315) .Empl oyee i nvol vementcr eat es a sense ofbel ongi ng t her eby mot i vat i ngempl oyeest obel oyalt ot heor gani sat i on. However ,despi t et hemeasur esempl oyer smayt ake,st r i kesar ei nevi t abl ei n or gani sat i ons.Ther ei snoor gani sat i on t hati sexempt ed f r om empl oyment r el at i ons pr obl ems i nt he pr esenti ndust r i alc l i mat e.The i ncr ease i nt he i nci dence ofl abourunr esti nt he Sout h Af r i can envi r onment ,l eadi ng t o i l l egalwor k st oppages,has l ed t ot he f or mul at i on ofpr opergui del i nes t o managest r i keact i ons. Pr epar i ngf orSt ri keAct i on

When deal i ng wi t h s t r i kes and ot her f or ms of i ndust r i al act i on, t he management ’ smai n obj ect i veshoul d bet omi ni mi set hedi sr upt i on caused and r et ur nt of ul lpr oduc t i on assoon aspossi bl e( Ponsand Deal e,2010) . Pr ol ongedst r i keshaveagr eat ereffectt ot heor gani sat i onandt hest r i ker s.I f a uni on st r i kef und i sweak and wor ker smoney r unsout ,wor ker swoul d havenochoi cebutt or et ur nt o wor k.St r i kescomet o an end when bot h par t i esr eachaconsensusandi fonest r ongerpar t ywi ns . When deal i ngwi t h st r i keact i on t hef ocusshoul d notbeon l egalr emedi es and,al t hough i ti si mpor t antt ounder s t andt hel egalst at usoft hedi sput e, t hi sshoul dnotbet hepr i mar yconsi der at i on.Themai n concer n shoul dbe t or esol ve t he st r i ke f or s t r i ki ng wor ker st o qui ckl yr et ur nt o wor k and cont i nue wi t h pr oduc t i on ( Nele t al2016: 316) .Enf or ci ng l aws i nt ot he mat t ermayf ur t herwor sen t hesi t uat i on.Forexampl e,br i ngi ngl aw t ot he i l l egalst r i ker smayescal at et heconfli ct .

Managementshoul dnotst ar tpl anni ngf orast r i keandpr epar ef ori twheni t i semi nent .St r i kesoccuratanygi vent i mei nt hewor kpl ace,andbecauseof i t spot ent i alcr i ppl i ngeffect ,i ti sessent i alf ormanagementt ohaveapl ani n pl ace t o effect i vel y dealwi t hi t .Suc h cont i ngency pl ans mi ni mi se t he negat i veeffect sofas t r i kei fi tdoesoccur . Sel ect i ngaSt ri keManagementTeam. The first st ep i n pr epari ng f or a st ri ke i s t o sel ect a st ri ke managementt eam.Thi sst agei nvol vest hesel ect i onoft hechai rperson and t he member s who wi l lbe cont act ed when a st ri ke occurs.The chai rperson shoul d be anyone wi t h a hi ghl evelposi t i on and good l eadershi p ski l l st o effect i vel y dealwi t ht he st ri ke.The chai rperson does nothave t o be t he human r esource manager or t he managi ng

di rect or.Fora manuf act ur i ngcompanyt hest r i kemanagementt eam may i nvol vet hef ol l owi ngmanager saspr ovi dedbyNele tal( 2016: 316) : Managi ngDi r ect or . Thi si s a per son t o whom al lot her wi l lr epor t and who wi l lact as spokesper son f ormanagementneedst obei dent i fied.Thi smanagershoul d notbei nt hef r ontl i nef ornegot i at i ngact i vi t i esoft heor gani sat i on. Oper at i onsManager . Themanagerhast her esponsi bi l i t yoft al ki ngt ot hes t r i ki ngempl oyeesand assumest hef ol l owi ngr esponsi bi l i t i essuch asdet er mi ni ngt her easonsf or t hest r i keact i on,enabl et hewor ker st ogeta spokesper son f ornegot i at i on pr ocesses,st r i vest ogetempl oyeesbackt owor kandnegot i at ewi t h st r i ki ng empl oyees.

Fi nanci alManager . Thi smanagerhast her esponsi bi l i t yofcont i nuousl yassessi ngt hefinanci al i mpl i cat i onsofa st r i ke .Thi si nc l udest hedet er mi nat i on ofcost ssuch as addi t i onalsecur i t ymeasur esandr epl acementl abour .Thi smembershoul d al ways pr ovi de accur at e financi ali nf or mat i on whi ch wi l lbe used i nt he col l ect i vebar gai ni ngpr ocess. HumanResour ceManagerorEmpl oymentRel at i onsManager . Themai nr esponsi bi l i t yoft hi sHR Manageri st o ensur et hatt her el evant l egalpr ovi si onsar eknown andappl i ed,andt hatmanagement ’ sact i onsar e

i nl i newi t h or gani sat i onalpol i ci es and pr ocedur es.Thi smemberensur es t hatgood management -wor kerr el at i onsar emai nt ai ned asf araspossi bl e f orpr operhandl i ngofanyst r i keact i on( Nele tal2016: 317) . Mar ket i ngManager 

Li ai sewi t ht hepr ess,new medi a,cl i ent sandcust omer s;andkeepi ng cust omer supt odat edur i ngandaf t ert hest r i ke.

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Ensur et hatmanagementandl abourar ei nst r uct edt hatt he yhaveno aut hor i t yt ospeakon behal foft heent er pr i se,butt hatt he ycan onl y r ef erenqui r i est ohi m orher .

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Make any st at ement st hat ar e necessar y and ensur et hat such st at ement scont ai nf act uali nf or mat i ononl yandnotopt i onst hatmay pr ej udi cenegot i at i ons.

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I ssuea st at ementi n wr i t i ng and avoi di ng di scussi ngt hest r i keover t het el ephone .

Secur i t yManager The secur i t y manager needs t o pl an f or addi t i onal secur i t y measur es especi al l yi ft her ei s pot ent i alf or vi ol ence and dest r uc t i on ofcompany pr oper t y . Thi si si mpor t ant i ft he st r i ke i nvol ves a l ar ge number of empl oyees.Thei nt ervent i on ofpol i ceshoul d bet hel astal t er nat i veand i s onl ynecessary when t hesi t uat i on det er i or at est o an ext entt hati nj ur yt o per sonsandpr oper t ydamagesbecomesi mmi nent . Dr awi ngupaCont i ngencyPl an

Theai m ofacont i ngencypl ani st oensur econt i nuousser vi cedel i veryi nt he eventofst r i ke act i on.Nele tal( 2016: 318)pr ovi ded t he obj ect i ves ofa cont i ngencypl anasf ol l ows: 

Toensur et hatempl oyeesr emai natt hewor kpl aceorr et ur nt owor kat

t heear l i estpossi bl et i me.

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Toensur et hatmanagementr eact sl ogi cal l yand r at i onal l yaswel las

r et ai ni ngt hei ni t i at i vewhendeal i ngwi t hl abourunr est ,

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Tosetateaseempl oyeeswhoar enotengagi ngi nst r i keact i on.

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To put r el evant pol i ci es and pr ocedur es i n pl ace t hat serv es as

uni f or m gui del i nesf ormanagi ngst r i kesi nc l udi ngst r i ki ngwor kf or ce.

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Topr eventi nj ur i esandpr oper t ydamages.

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Topr ovi def ort hecont i nuat i onofgoodsandservi ces.

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To est abl i sh a negot i at i ng f or um and negot i at ewi t h empl oyeesonce

t her ealpr obl em i sknown.

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Toar r i veataset t l ementt hati saccept abl et omanagementandl abour , and t hatconc l usi vel y set t l es t he i ssue t hathas caused i ndust r i al act i on.

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Tomakenecessaryar r angement sf orempl oyeeson st r i ket or et ur nt o wor kf ol l owi ngt hest r i ke.

Management shoul d be wel li nf or med oft he f ol l owi ng aspect s as t hey i nfluencet hedur at i onofst r i keact i oni nt hewor kpl ace: 1.Thet ypeand t hecauseofst r i ke,i t s dur at i on.Unpr ot ect ed st r i kesar e usual l yshor t l i vedt han t hepr ot ect edst r i kes.St r i kesr el at i ngt owagesal so t endt ol astl ongert hanot heri ndust r i alr el at i onsmat t er s.Ther easoni st hat t hesest r i kest akepl acei n adeadl ock si t uat i on and i tt akesmor et omove t hepar t i esundert heseci r cumst ances. 2.Someyear shaveagr eat ers t r i kepr opensi t yt hanot her s.I ti svi t alt ohave asenseofwhe t hert hest r i ket r end l i nei si ncr easi ngordecr easi ng.I tal so i nc l udes t he f r equency ofdeadl ock i n negot i at i ons bei ng r ef er r ed t ot he CCMA,asyourown vul ner abi l i t ywi l lbeaffect edbywhati st aki ngpl acei n yourar ea. 3.Ther e ar e seasonalpat t er nsofst r i kes,i nt hatsome mont hs ar e mor e associ at edwi t hst r i keact i onst hanot her s,t hati s,st r i keseason.Thi si st he per i odwhen maj orbar gai nsi nt heeconomyt akepl acet hatsett ot r endf or al lot hernegot i at i onst hatwi l lf ur t hert akepl ace. Act i onDur i ngt heSt ri ke.

I nt hei ni t i alst ages oft he st r i ke,empl oyees shoul d be gi ven a chancet o f orwar dt hei rgr i evancest omanagement .Ne le tal( 2016: 321)pr ovi ded t he f ol l owi ngst epst obet akendur i ngst r i keact i on: 

The head of t he st r i ke t eam i nt he or gani sat i on shoul d cont act everybodyconcer ned.

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Thest r i ket eam mustfind outt her eason f ort hest r i keand shoul d at t emptt ogett hest r i ker st onomi nat esomebodywi t hwhom t heycan negot i at e.

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The t eam shoul d find out whe t her t he st r i ke r evol v es ar ound a par t i cul arper son andhi sorherconduct .I fso,t heper son shoul dbe r emoved f r om t he pr emi ses t ot hwar tt he s t r i ke.The t eam shoul d make i tcl eart hathi s orherposi t i on wi l lbe di scussed ata mor e conv eni entt i me.

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Thepol i ceshoul di nt erveneonl ywheni ti snecessar yt odoso.

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Anypr omi sesr equest edbyt hest r i ket eam shoul dbehonour ed.

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Anysugges t i ont ot hest r i ker smustbel i nkedt oat i meschedul e.

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The i mage oft he empl oyerand managementi s vi t al ,and t her ef or e fir m andgoaldi r ect edact i oni si mpor t ant .

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St r i ker s mustbe gi ven t i me t o consi dersuggest i ons pr ovi ded.Thi s per i odi sr egar dedasacool i ng–offper i od.

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Do dealeffect i ve l ywi t ht hemedi a,somebodymustbebr i ef ed on al l t hedet ai l sconcer ni ngt hest r i keact i on.Managementshoul d beari n mi nd t hatt he i mage oft he ent er pr i se i s atst ake,and a wr i t t en memor andum shoul dbepr epar ed,however ,i tshoul dbeshor tandt o t hepoi nt . Empl oyeeson st r i keshoul dbei nf or medt hatt he ywi l lnotbepai df or t hedur at i on oft hest r i ke,butt r ans por tandaccommodat i on f aci l i t i es wi l lnotbewi t hdr awn. Secondar yi ssueswhi c hi ncl uder ecogni t i onorr egi st r at i onofauni on, shoul d notbecomean i ssueofdi sput ei nt her esol ut i on oft hewor k st oppage,unl esst hest r i kei saboutr ecogni t i on. Fi nal l y ,t hegol den r ul ei st o ensur et hatt hest r i ker shaveadequat e oppor t uni t yt of or war dt hei rpr obl ems.I nt hi swayt hei ssuemaybe r educed t o a si ngl epr obl em,and a sol ut i on possi bl ybef ound mor e easi l y .

Act i onaf t erast r i ke.

Thef ol l owi ngar ei ssuest opayat t ent i on t o,i mmedi at el yaf t erst r i keact i on asf ol l ows: 

Pr omi ses t hatwer e made dur i ng st r i ke act i on mustbe deal twi t h i mmedi at el y .

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Managementmustbe car ef ul l y br i ef ed and r equest ed t o be t act f ul wi t houtsacr i fici ngessent i alcont r ol s,such aspr ompt ness,f r om t he second day when wor ker s cl ock i n, and adher ence t ol egal and ci vi l i sed or der s.I ft hi si somi t t ed,al lt hepr evi ous effor t smay have beeni nvai n,andt hest r i kecoul dst ar tagai n.

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Al l empl oyees not on st r i ke must be i nf or med about what has t r ans pi r ed, and r esponsi bl e act i on and l oyal t yt ot he ent er pr i se emphasi sed

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Managementshoul dqui ckl ypayat t ent i on t oi ssuessuch ast het i me and causeoft hest r i ke,t her ol eand effect i venessofcommuni cat i on, t hemi st akest hatwer emadeandt hel essonst hatcan bel ear ntf r om t hej ustendedst r i ke.

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Someempl oymentr el at i onspol i ci esand pr ocedur esmay havet o be r evi ewedandshoul dbedonebyt hr oughcol l ect i vebar gai ni ng.Thi si s done t o ensur e agr eementand buyi nf r om al lst akehol der s orr ol e pl ayer s.

Concl usi on St r i kes ar ei nevi t abl ei n or gani sat i ons and or gani sat i ons shoul d al ways pr epar ef ort hem ast heycan bede t r i ment alt ot heor gani sat i on.I n some cases,pr oduct i on shoul d go on dur i ngst r i keact i on,and t hi scan onl ybe necessar yi for gani sat i ons have an effect i ve cont i ngency pl an.However , or gani sat i ons shoul d pr epar et he t ask t eam t hat deal s wi t ht he s t r i ke, bef or e,dur i ngandaf t eri thasoccur r ed....