Abstract:
The labour unions and staff associations in the South
African Public Service are playing a vital role in promoting
healthy labour relations and scund public personnel
administration. Taking into account the fact that South
Africa was a colony of Great Britain, the establishment of
labour unions and staff associations in the Public Service
was a slow process. It was during 1902 that the first union
for public servants was established, viz. the Cape Postal
and Telegraph Clerk's Association. The unions and staff
associations that were established thereafter were mainly
for white public officials, especially during the period
1902 to 1920. The unions and staff associations played an important role
in the Public Service by submitting their representations
and inputs on behalf of their members for the promotion of
better condi t:i.ons of service and improvement of effective
public personnel practices.
Today the South African Public Service is having many labour
unions and staff associations which are non-racial and open
to all public servants. Because of the role and functions
of labour unions in the Public Service, the following major
changes took place :-
The promulgation of the Public Service ~abour
Relations Act, 1993 (Act No. 102 of 1993).
