Industrial Relations in Africa

Edited by

Geoffrey WoodProfessor, School of Management, University of Sheffield, UK

and

Chris BrewsterProfessor, Henley Management College, UK

macmillan

Contents

List of Tables xi

List of Figures xii

List of Contributors xiii

1 Introduction: Comprehending Industrial Relations in Africa 1Chris Brewster and Geoffrey Wood

Comprehending industrial relations, and industrialrelations in Africa 1

The context - structural adjustment in Africa:deindustrialisation, informalisation and organised labour 2

The actors 4Employers and employment in the informal sector 7Individual national experiences and common trends - 8Conclusion 12

Part I Country Studies from East and Central Africa 15

2 The Dynamics of Industrial Relations in Eritrea:1991-2006 17Fitsum Ghebregiorgis and Luchien Karsten

Introduction - the Eritrean Context 17The historical development of trade unions in Eritrea 18The parties 20Employment relations 22Industrial disputes 23Civil society and citizenship behaviour 24Conclusion 24

3 The Development of Industrial Relations in Kenya 28George Hagglund

Introduction 28The colonial era 28The rise of Kenya's industrial relations system 31Conclusion 37

vi Contents

4 Industrial Relations and the Social Partners in Kenya 39Tayo Fashoyin

Introduction 39The economy and labour market challenges 39The legal framework for industrial relations 41Trade unions and employers' associations 43Collective bargaining, dispute resolution and the Labour Court 46Tripartism, social dialogue and development 49Conclusion 50

5 Industrial Relations in Malawi 53Lewis Dzimbiri

Introduction 53The country and context 53Origins and present state of trade union movement:

an overview 55Independence and trade union movement 55Industrial relations legislation 56New labour policy 57The Labour Relations Act 1996 " 57Employment Act 2000 58Present industrial relations practices 58Conclusion 63

6 Contemporary Issues in Industrial Relations:Uganda . 66Joy T. Kirenga

Introduction 66Uganda's historical context 66Overview of the economy 66Employment and employment trends 68Legal-framework 71Employers and their organisations 71Employees and their organisations 72Current challenges in industrial relations in Uganda 72The way forward 73

Part II Country Studies from Southern Africa 75

7 Industrial Relations in Conditions of Economic Stress:The Zimbabwe Case 77Lloyd Sachikonye

Introduction 77

Contents vii

The economy: stupid! 78Employment and the labour market 80Industrial relations: legal framework, stresses and strains 81An elusive social contract 83Conclusion 85

8 Trade Unions and Neo-Liberal Reforms in Mozambique:The 'Hollowing Out of Industrial Relations'? 87Edward Webster and Geoffrey Wood

Introduction 87Unions and democracy: issues and challenges 87The Mozambican political context 88The economic context 89Mozambican unions 90Mozambican unions in practice 91General issues 94Conclusion 95

9 Labour Regulation in Namibia: From 'ColonialDespotism'to'Flexible Taylorism' ' 98Gilton Klerck

Introduction 98Namibia under South African rule: migrants, masters

and the gendarmerie state 100Labour regulation in the first decade of independence:

'flexibility', globalisation and neo-colonialism 104Conclusion 107

10 Industrial Relations and Employment Insecurity in SouthAfrica: The Possibilities of Social Justice Unionism 111Pauline Dibben

Introduction 111The changing South African labour market, and the

union response 112The role of COSATU and employment legislation in

South Africa 113Defining 'Social Justice Unionism': a distinct concept 116COSATU: a 'Social Justice Union1? 116'Social Justice Union' in South Africa: a descriptive or

normative analysis? 120Conclusions: moving toward 'Social Justice Unionism'

in South Africa 121

viii Contents

11 The Emerging and Changing Industrial Relations Landscapein Botswana 125Thabo Lucas Seleke

Introduction 125Origins of trade unions in Botswana 125Botswana's political economy 126The Botswanan labour movement 127Labour laws and the changing industrial relations landscape

in Botswana 128The 2004 Trade Dispute Act 130Trade Union and Employers' Organisation Act 130Challenges facing unions in Botswana 131Conclusion 132

Part HI Country Studies from West and North Africa 135

12 Industrial Relations in an Emerging Morocco 137Mohamed Essaaidi

Introduction 137The legal context " 138Labour rights and their application 140Conclusions 145

13 The Development of Industrial Relations in Nigeria:1900-2006 147Sola Fajana

Introduction 147Origin and development of trade unions 148Evolution of industrial unionism in Nigeria 150The trade unions: further reforms 151Developments within labour centres 153Union-state relations 155Petroleum pricing and further reforms of trade unions 156Industrial conflict 158Future prospects and concluding remarks 160

14 Contemporary Industrial Relations in Nigeria 162Dafe Otobo

Introduction - the Nigerian context 162The industrial relations system 164Collective bargaining and wage bargaining in

the public sector 166

Contents ix

Emerging issues in the public sector 169Collective bargaining and wage bargaining in

the private sector 171Emerging issues in the private sector 173Institutionalised conflict regulation: disputes, strikes

and lockouts 174Explanations of disputes and strikes 176Institutionalised disputes settlement mechanisms 177Concluding remarks: the state, globalisation and

industrial relations 178

15 Industrial Relations in Ghana 182Garth Frazer

Introduction 182A brief history of industrial relations in Ghana 182The mechanics of industrial relations in Ghana 186Unions and unionisation in Ghana 191Trends in industrial relations in Ghana 193Conclusions 195

16 Industrial Relations in Francophone Africa -the Case of Niger 198Richard Croucher

Introduction 198History: dependence and independence 199The economy: from national construction to

impoverishment and dependence 201SAPs: consequences for unions 202Union responses, national and international 203Conclusion 204

Part IV Trans-Continental Trends and Issues 207

17 Organising the Informal Economy: Results and Prospects-the Case of Ghana in Comparative Perspective 209Richard Croucher

Introduction 209Defining the informal economy 210The informal economy: in need of extension or regulation? 210Unions and the informal economy 211Difficulties of unionising the informal economy 212'Informal sector' organisation in Ghana 213Conclusion 215

x Contents

18 Cross-Continental Trends and Issues in EmploymentRelations in Africa 219Frank Horwitz

Introduction 219The role of government 221Structural adjustment programmes 222African organisations and trade union density 222The State, collective bargaining and dispute resolution 224Public sector industrial relations 225Contemporary employment relations and labour markets 226Analysis and conclusion 230

Index 235