The impact of threshold agreements on the organisational rights of minority trade unions

Abstract

The rights of freedom of association, to organise and to bargain collectively are recognised internationally and form part of the constitutional framework of progressive and democratic states. The full enjoyment of these rights by trade unions often is hindered by the imbalance in the power relations between the employer and the representatives of the workers, hence the need for statutory intervention. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA of 1995) postulates a collective bargaining regime which is voluntarist in nature and strengthens its effectiveness through a set of organisational rights and the right to strike. Incidentally, the current statutory framework for the enjoyment of organisational rights has had a direct impact on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of association and the right to organise. It is accepted that possession of the right to collective bargaining is internationally recognised as the basis of the authority to set thresholds of representivity in the workplace. The organisational rights framework in this context has been directly impacted upon. It is this direct impact that necessitates an enquiry to determine whether South Africa’s framework on the acquisition of organisational rights conforms to international standards set by the ILO and the Constitution, 1996. This thesis argues that the policy choice of the South African labour relations system in respect of some of the consequences of majoritarianism insofar as representation in individual cases is concerned does not necessarily foster the ideals of the Constitution, 1996 and the principles of international labour standards. The model of democracy as envisaged in the Constitution, 1996 is not one that promotes exclusivity. However, the effect of section 18 of the LRA of 1995, which allows threshold agreements, arguably may foster such exclusivity in the workplace. This situation has resulted in industrial democracy being a terrain of endless conflict between employers and labour, even more among trade unions themselves. As a result, the rivalry between unions in workplaces is exacerbated. The original intent behind the organisational rights of trade unions and their right to strike was to bolster their capacity to bargain collectively. It was meant to get them to focus on collective bargaining gains they can secure and to bargain more effectively. However, the current framework that favours majority trade unions has the effect of minority trade unions generally finding their existence threatened and their being systematically excluded from the acquisition of organisational rights. This study questions the power of majority trade unions to enter a collective agreement with an employer in the workplace and set unjustifiable thresholds of representivity in respect of organisational rights. This arrangement creates a hurdle in respect of the provisions of the LRA that seek to promote industrial democracy, the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of association, to organise and to engage in collective bargaining. Recent amendments to the LRA of 1995 are an attempt to mitigate the effect of sections 18 and 20 on the enjoyment of organisational rights. The CCMA, inter alia, has been granted powers to grant organisational rights to trade unions that do not meet the set threshold in terms of the empowering provisions of the LRA of 1995 if they meet certain requirements. However, these amendments do not go far enough to prevent employers and majority trade unions from continuing to set unjustifiable thresholds that can have potential to replace the determinations of the CCMA. Therefore, the study discusses the question whether the provision in the LRA of 1995 on the setting of thresholds of representivity for the acquisition of organisational rights and the concomitant amendments are in line with the democratic model envisaged by the Constitution, 1996 and to international labour standards which recognise the rights to freedom of association of minority trade unions. This research concludes by advancing recommendations pertaining to threshold agreements and the rights of minority trade unions and to what extent it is justifiable to permit them to enjoy them.