6.2 Discussion of results
6.2.1 Factors influencing labour unrest
6.2.1.1 Employee benefits and labour unrest
Employee benefits are assessed in terms of remuneration, medical care, pension contributions, availability of health and wellness programs, retirement benefits, disability insurance and overtime remuneration.
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Remuneration
In the study, poor remuneration was found to have the greatest influence on labour unrest at the URICS. Similarly, Bhorat et al. (2014) noted that under the collective agreement between the parties, construction employees are entitled to be remunerated in terms of benefits as long as they tender service and carry out the duties expected from them. The study conducted by Wilfred et al. (2014) also discovered that the failure to remunerate construction employees in terms of benefits causes dissatisfaction and therefore leads to labour unrest. Failure from the employers to remunerate their employees may lead to labour unrest because employees may feel that they are being exploited and do not get benefits which they deserve. Furthermore, Hanson (2012) found that dissatisfied employees are not productive which causes the decline in the production sector; therefore, good remuneration make employees feel satisfied and be productive in the construction industry. “Decent remuneration improves not only productivity but also the employee morale” (Bussin, 2012, p. 105). Contrary to this, Brassey (2013) also found that good remuneration is not considered a significant factor that keeps brilliant and strategic employees but it is the drive, willingness and interest that employees display on their duties even if they are not paid higher remuneration; therefore, such employees cannot embark on a strike because of poor remuneration if they are interested in their duties.
Retirement benefits
In the current research, poor retirement benefits had the second highest influence on labour unrest at the URICS. Similarly, Hansen (2010) found that it is significant that construction employees are provided with retirement plans that will carter for their needs even after the completion of the contract. The deal between construction employees and their employers at the URICS was that they will be given bonuses towards the end of the project, which they were not given; as a result, they concluded that the retirement benefits at the URICS were poor. Likewise, Fitzpatrick (2015) discovered that no employee wants to be poor when their contract is terminated and employees who perceive that the retirement benefits are poor quit their jobs to find jobs with better retirement benefits. However, Brassey (2013) states that younger employees still do not cite their retirement benefits plans as the major factor that determines their stay with current employers. However, both employers and employees are encouraged to save for retirement or employers can automatically enroll employees into a retirement fund. Du Plessis and Fouché (2015) argue that due to the high rate of
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unemployment and inflation faced by the country, poor retirement benefits cannot be considered the major factor that contributes to labour unrest.
Overtime remuneration
The lack of overtime remuneration was found to have the third highest influence on labour unrest at the URICS. Rasmussen (2015) states that construction employees cannot be compelled to work overtime unless there is a contract agreement compelling employees to work overtime signed by both employers and employees in employment and be remunerated for such overtime because the failure to do so lead to labour unrest. “When employees work overtime, they need to be remunerated for those hours they have worked” (Ioannides et al., 2014, p. 75). However, if employees agree to work more than normal hours (overtime), the employee must not work excessively more than:
Three hours overtime daily or
Ten hours overtime weekly
“The lack of overtime remuneration according to the BCEA 75 of 1997 constitutes unfair labour practice” (Burchill, 2014, p. 103). However, Collins et al. (2012) found that the lack of overtime remuneration is considered the least factor that contributes to labour unrest since employment relationships are characterised of other major issues that need to be dealt with accordingly.
Disability insurance
In this study, the lack of disability insurance was found to have the fourth highest influence on labour unrest at the URICS. Poor work performance have different causes and is defined as the inability of the employees to perform their duties in a satisfactory manner. Similarly, Von Wachter et al. (2011) indicated that incapacity caused by injury at the workplace is deemed compensation/disability insurance by the employer. However, incapacity on the grounds of injury may be temporary or permanent and if an employee is temporarily not able to perform his or her duties, the employer must investigate the extent of injury before any disability insurance is concluded. Furthermore, French and Song (2014) found that employers are compelled to think of possible means of adapting the work of the employee in order to accommodate that injured employee. This requires that employers consult with employees and examine the extent of disability and how it impacts on the performance of the
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employee. “Any form of insurance can be awarded to employees for the fact that the disability occurred on the workplace” (Maestas et al., 2013, p. 75).
Availability of health and wellness programs
Poor availability of health and wellness programs was found to have the fifth highest influence on labour unrest at the URICS. Likewise, Arena et al. (2013) found that health and wellness programs are related to higher productivity in the workplace with lesser absenteeism. It is the duty of the employers to provide health and wellness programs to its employees. Furthermore, Eldredge, Markham, Kok, Ruiter, and Parcel (2016) found that employers must encourage their employees to focus on the main health behaviours such as physical exercise, eating healthy, lesser stress and ceasing drugs. The logic behind encouraging wellness programs is that increasing healthy habits now can decrease the risks of bad health later. Osilla et al. (2012) and Arena et al. (2013) also found that health and wellness programs that include promoting preventive care, encouraging exercise, promoting health education, company doctors made available immediately, ways of managing stress wisely and healthy meals improve health and wellness programs within the organisation.
However, Ioannides et al. (2014) found that poor health and wellnes programs cannot be associated with organisational production since, for example, some mining industries are able to meet targets having poor health and wellness programs.
Pension contribution
In the current research, the lack of pension contribution was found to have the sixth highest influence on labour unrest at the URICS. Similarly, Hanson (2012) found that if employees are guaranteed their pension contributions, they fully devote their services to the organisation.
These employees do not retire early because they believe the longer their services, the higher the retirement benefits especially in formal sectors. However, Habermas (2015) states that contract construction workers do not necessarily strike for pension contributions as long as they are remunerated well every month.
Medical care
Medical care was found to have the least influence on labour unrest at the URICS. In contrast, Hanson (2012) found that the medical care of employees is significant since employees cannot work/perform on their best ability if there is poor medical care.
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Furthermore, Grogan (2014) stated that employees who are medically looked after are productive and carry out their activities in a satisfactorily manner. Employers must medically take care of their employees in order to reduce the risks of bad health at a later stage.