Management and Trade Union Strategies for Resolving Conflict at Alusaf Hillside Industry, South Africa
Abstract
This paper investigated the strategies used by both management and trade unions in resolving conflict in industries. The sample of 100 (35 females and 65 males) was drawn from a population of 1201 respondents consisting of employees and management working at Hillside industry in Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa using a simple random technique. The observation method was used in conjunction with simple random sampling to collect and solicit the necessary information for this research. In addition to this, the researcher made use of most of the official records and statistics that were made available to the researcher by the management at Hillside Aluminum Industry. Qualitative and quantitative research techniques were used because they were both found to be useful to the researcher. The questionnaire survey was also used in combination with the interview study method for the purposes of reaching a broad spectrum of the respondents. Quantitative data was analyzed using the chi-square test (x2) to generate descriptive statistics showing frequencies and percentages, while the qualitative data was analyzed manually by creating themes to generate results. The rationale for using statistical method, was to develop tests for assessing the level of rejection of a hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that if managers in organizations involve employees in decision making, positive relationships are enhanced. Eventually, new approaches of doing things develop. The study recommended that, companies should have a strong policy that prohibits any form of harassment or threatening behavior. Management and trade unions should take care when an employee exhibits any signs of work-related stress to collaboratively forestall industrial conflict and enhance peace and harmony. Therefore, the need for the establishment of a crisis management team to deal with violent incidents before, during, and after they occur.
References
Bendix, S. (2019). Labor Relations: A Southern African Perspective (7th ed). Juta Limited, South Africa.
CCMA (2018). CCMA Commentary and Input on ‘Understanding the Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Dispute Resolution System in South Africa’.
Chaykowski, R., Cutcher-Gerstenfeld, J., Kochan, T.A. and, Merchant, C.S. (2001) Facilitating Conflict Resolution in Union-Management Relations: A Guide for Neutrals. Cornell University, New York.
Clegg, H. A. (1979). “Pluralism in Industrial Relations”, British Journal of Industrial Relations: Vol. 13, November.
Crouch, S. and Housden, M. (2003). Marketing research for manager, Butterworth Keinemann: New York.
Coser, L. A. (2001). The functions of social conflict, Routledge Press: New York.
Cvenkel, N. (2020). Well-being in the workplace: Governance and sustainability insights to promote workplace health, approaches to global sustainability, markets, and governance. Springer Nature.
De Vos, A., Strydom, H., Fouche, C. and Delport, C. (2011). Research at Grass Roots: For Social Sciences and Human Services Professions. Van Schaik Publishers, Pretoria.
Edwards, P. (2009). Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice in Britain, Blackwell Publishers, Cambridge: USA.
Fox, R. (1984). Kinship and Marriage: An Anthropological Perspective, Penguin: USA.
Hill, C. W. L., Schilling, M. A. and Jones, G. R. (2016). Strategic Management: An integrated approach, Theory and Cases, Cengage Learning: USA.
Hyman, R. (1989). Strikes (4th Edition) Basingstoke, Palgrave McMillan Publishers Limited: London.
Korpi, W., and Shalev, M. (1979). Conflict Management and Industrial Relations, McGraw-Hill: New York.
Lakshmi, D.V., and Rani, P.S. (2019). Trade unions work together with the employees and the management for a common purpose in a cooperative spirit avoiding conflicting situations. International Journal of Business and Management Invention (IJBMI) Volume 8 Issue 12 Ver. IV || December 2019 || PP—01-04.
Lundy, B.D., and Darkwah, K. (2018). Measuring Community Integration of Lusophone West African Immigrant Populations Through Needs Assessment, Human Security, and Realistic Conflict Theory. Int. Migration & Integration 19, 513–526 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-018-0551-7.
Maoz, I. and Powell, B.M. (2014). Revisiting barriers to conflict resolution: Perspectives on power, relationships, and application to practice, Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict Volume 7:2-3. https://doi.org/10.1080/17467586.2014.979431.
Morley, I. E. and Stephenson, G.M. (2015). The Social Psychology of Bargaining, Psychology Press: London and New York.
Mukhopadhyay, N. (2020). Probability and Statistical Inference. eBook Published by Imprint CRC Press. Location Boca Raton, 31 August 2020. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429258336.
Mutegi, T.M., Joshua, P.M. & Maina, J.K. (2023). Workplace safety, Employee safety attitudes and employee productivity of manufacturing firms. SA Journal of Human Resource Management | Vol 21| a1989 | 28 February 2023.
Mutezo, M.E. (2015). Exploring the value of Realistic Conflict Theory and Social Identity Theory for understanding in-group giving in the Minimal Group Paradigm. A study submitted for Masters in Research Psychology (BSocSci), School of Applied Human Science, Faculty of Humanities, Development and Social Science, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
Nieuwmeijer, L. and Du Toit, R. (1994). Multicultural Conflict: Management in Changing Societies, HRSC Publishers, Pretoria: RSA.
Ngcongo, R. P. (1993). Conflict management and resolution in secondary schools in Kwa-Zulu: Ded. Dissertation (UZ): Kwa-Dlangezwa.
Olabiyi, O.J. (2022). A study of conflict resolution mechanisms and employment relations in multinational corporations in Africa: Empirical evidence from Nigeria and South Africa. SA Journal of Human Resource Management/SA Tydskrif vir Menslikehulpbronbestuur, 20(0), a1900.
Place, T. (2019). Common causes of conflict and how to avoid them. Retrieved form: https://www.vital-learning.com/blog/causes-of-workplace-conflict.
Piet, S., Nel, P. S., Van Dyk P. S. and Haasbroek, D. (2004). Human Resources Management, Oxford University Press: SA.
Powelson, J. P. (2015). Institutions of Economic Growth: A Theory of Conflict Management in Developing Countries, Princeton University Press, New Jersey: USA.
Pruit, D.G. and Kim, S.H. (2004). Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement (3rd edition), McGraw Hill: Boston.
Salamon, M. (2000). Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice, Financial Times Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs.
Segal, J., Ph.D., Robinson, L. and Smith, M. M.A (2023). Conflict Resolution Skills. HelpGuide.org.
Sherif, M. (1966). In Common Predicament: Social Psychology of Intergroup conflict and Cooperation, Houghton Mifflin, Boston.
Stewart, D., Jessop, N., and Watson-Thompson, J. (2021). Examining conflict mediation to prevent violence through multisector partnerships. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 27(2), 170–181.
The mercury reporter (1998). “Wages deal ends strike”, The Mercury, Thursday July 9: 5.
The Ministerial Legal Task Team, 1997. “Designation of the workplace forum”, Journal of African Law, Vol 41 No.1: 137.
Wheelen, T. L., and Hunger, J. D. (2012). Strategic Management and Business Policy: Toward Global Sustainability (13th ed.), Pearson: London.
Wilson, C.R., (2022). Conflict Resolution Strategies for the Workplace. Positive Psychology.com.
Zikhali, S.P.T. (2000). Workers’ perception towards the establishment of workplace forums in South African Industry: A study of Felixton Sugar Mill Industry in KwaZulu-Natal Province: Masters dissertation (UZ): Kwa-Dlangezwa.
Zikhali, S.P.T. and Twala, M.A. (2001). Study Guide: Introduction to labor relations (UZ): Kwa-Dlangezwa.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
