Good day Grade 9s and welcome back to Timamena Teaching. You are tuned in for your first and only lesson in Term 4 for EMS. We are heading towards the last few months of a successful year.
Well done! As you know, EMS consists out of three sections. In this series, we will only have a look at the economy section of EMS.
If this is your first time tuning into our channel please go ahead and subscribe so that you are aware of all of the videos and all of the lessons we have to offer. My name is Shantae Emanuel and this is my contribution to Tumamina Teaching. In this term, we will have a look at trade unions in South Africa and we will cover all the content in this lesson video.
We will have a look at the following in this lesson. Remember, at the end of this lesson, go and complete the self-marking assessment so that you are sure you know everything we did today. Grade 9s, usually at the start of the year, the class would go ahead and elect a class captain to represent the class. Sometimes the class would like to sneak in an off period and they would send the class captain to go and ask the teacher. Am I right?
Grade 9s, in various industries and workplaces Employees need a body or a group of people to represent their employment needs or requests. We call this body or group of people trade unions. Trade unions are an organized association of workers in a trade, groups of a trade, or a profession that is formed to protect and further the workers'rights and interests. A trade union is controlled, managed and paid for by its members.
A well-known trade union in South Africa is COSATU, which stands for Congress of South African Trade Unions. A trade union negotiates with employees for their members and negotiates with employers to get the best deal for its members in terms of hiring, dismissals, Wages and working conditions. Oh boy, great night. We are in a time machine again. Buckle up and let's see.
where trade unions started. In the late 1800s to early 1900s, trade unions started to form in South Africa where workers, especially those in industries like mining and railways, began to organize to fight for better working conditions, fair wages and other rights. Years later, trade unions played a crucial role in the anti-apartheid struggle.
They organized strikes and protests which helped to put pressure on the apartheid government. Unions also supported the broader movement for democracy and equality. Today trade unions continue to play a significant part in South Africa. Let's go and have a look at the functions of a trade union. Trade unions represent the rights of employees in a particular industry and during disciplinary hearings.
They offer advice to employees on labour legislation such as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. They also participate in collective bargaining with employers on behalf of employees over issues such as better wages, benefits and working conditions. Collective bargaining. What does that mean?
Let's break the word up. Grade 9s, what is the term collective mean? Yes, that's right.
It means together or in a group. Well, what is the word bargaining? bargaining mean? That's also right! It means to negotiate.
While collective bargaining is when trade unions meet employers and they get together to negotiate about the basic conditions of workers in the workplace to try and improve it. We can also see that trade unions have a certain role to play in the business. They negotiate with the employers on behalf of its members and visit the workplace to meet with them. They can ask employers to deduct membership fees from the workers'wages. They also call protected legal industrial action, which means that striking workers cannot be dismissed or fired, but will not receive any remuneration while they are on strike.
We will have a look at various forms of industrial action shortly. As much as trade unions have various roles in the workplace, they also have certain responsibilities. Let's go and see what that is. they are.
Trade unions function as a non-profit organisation, which means that they cannot make any profits for personal gain. All profits must be used for the purpose of trade union activities. They inform members about how their membership fees are used.
They also ensure that members apply the rules about meetings and the election of office bearers or shop stewards. A shop steward is a representative that the employees in a workplace elect to act as the middleman between the employees and the trade union. Oh, I'm so thirsty now. I think it's time for some coffee.
Let's go to Ikasi Coffee Company to get some. What is all that noise about? Canva, your employees don't seem very happy about something.
Oh, now striking! That means I won't be able to get my coffee right now. It seems as though the employees are not happy about their long hours of work and very little remuneration.
Grade 9s, this is the worst. is an example of industrial action. There are two types or categories of industrial action, namely legal and illegal industrial action.
A legal strike or industrial action is when the following steps have been taken. One, a dispute or a grievance has been referred to a council or the commission of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. This is also known as the CCMA.
Secondly, a certificate stating that a dispute remains unresolved must be issued. And thirdly, 30 days must have passed since the referral. and 48 hours written notice of a strike is given to the employer. A strike is a form of protest to demand the employers to listen to their requests. We know that a protest should be a legal one which means that it complies with the various steps as listed in the law.
in the Labour Relations Act. If a strike is not legal, it is known as a wildcat strike, which is executed by unionised and ununionised workers who are not part of a trade union. Both these groups do not have the support nor approval to strike.
Grade 9s, very important. Do not participate in the strike. in an illegal strike or vandalize any property. Picketing, as we saw with IKC, is when workers stand outside the building and protest to gather support from other people for a potential strike. Go slows is when workers decide to work very slowly.
and therefore affects their productivity in the business. This in return affects the profit of the owner. Employers can also participate in industrial action.
A lockout is when there is a temporary work stoppage or denial of employment initiated by the management of a business during a labor dispute. Lockouts can only take place during an illegal strike by workers. Grade 9s, let's test your knowledge.
Let's see if you can match the following definitions to the correct industrial action term. It would be good for you to write down these definitions and the terms so that you can say you've already studied this content. We will put up the timer. so that you can complete this activity effectively. Are you ready?
Three, two, one. Sure, I hope that Kamva manages to solve this dispute between himself and the employees and trade unions. Employees'well-being should be protected and nurtured as they are very important to the success of the business.
We now see why trade unions play such an important role. They add to the sustainable growth of the country. They do this by making sure that employees earn enough wages or salary and are exposed to good work. working conditions so that they can be active economic participants in the country. Grade 9s, we have reached the end of the EMS lesson series.
I am so proud of you. Remember to complete the self-marking assessment. We hope to see you in the Accounting, Business Studies and Economics classes next year in Grade 10.