Why do employers bargain at particular levels? : a longitudinal case study of Western Cape Clothing Employers' perceptions and behaviour with regard to levels of collective bargaining, 1991-1995

This dissertation examines a sample of Western Cape' clothing employers' perceptions with regard to different levels of collective bargaining The examination takes place at two points in time: in 1991, when bargaining ;took place at the regional level, and in 1995, when bargaining was taking place at the national level. The change in the level at which bargaining took place between these years allows for a retrospective examination of the reasons why employers agreed to engage in national bargaining. The objective of the research was to determine, from the perspective of employers' preferences, why collective bargaining comes to be situated at a particular level. The study relies primarily on a qualitative research method, namely in-depth interviews with employers. The focus is therefore on the subjective expression of interests and preferences with regard to alternative levels of bargaining, and the way in which employers make decisions about this issue. This approach differs from most other attempts to explain the determination of bargaining levels. Rather than attributing preferences to employers through an examination of the relationship between existing bargaining structures and factors such as industrial structure, trade union density, and the statutory framework for collective bargaining, the methodology used for this dissertation focusses on the role of employers as social actors that mediate between such environmental factors in developing their preferences for a particular level of bargaining. Particular emphasis is placed on the politics of collective decision-making by employers as an explanatory variable in the determination of the level of bargaining.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Sociology

Year dc:date.issued

1997

Author dc:creator

• Godfrey, Shane

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Maree, Johann

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13878

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/13878