The recommendations will be given in terms of each of the themes which flow from the research questions as well as the interview schedule reflected in Annexure B.
6.6.1 Recommendation on the general view on the management and union relationship regarding OD
The City Manager should take charge and prioritise the process of ameliorating the management and union relationship and the employment relations climate in the municipality. Further, the City Manager should hold regular meetings with the principals and deal with issues of restructuring and other issues openly and on an ongoing basis.
The issue of management sabotage should also be put top of the City Managers’
agenda and in this regard, implement corrective measures including re-training of managers and instituting disciplinary procedures if such practices persist.
6.6.2 The influence of the relationship between management and unions on flatter and non-hierarchical structures in the municipality
The recommendations in this regard are as follows:
The City Manager needs to revisit the existing OD framework to allow for the effective restructuring of the municipality. The OD framework must not only address sections of the structure like the 2nd page of the Organogram, but must be used by the City Manager as a vehicle for holistic restructuring from the top most levels to the lowest levels. This process must be owned and driven by the City manager as S.22 of the MSA dictates.
It is however felt that, notwithstanding the above recommendation, a proper model of restructuring for a world class organisation is a massive issue that will require proper investigation using appropriate benchmarks and best practices which are not readily available. It is recommended that this part is beyond the scope of this study and should form part of future research.
The City manager must also convene an Employment Relations Indaba where all issues affecting the management-union relationship, ineffective LLFs, etc. can be addressed. This will provide a smooth passage of organisational structures during consultations at the LLF level, and open doors for more effective and successful restructuring.
6.6.3 The extent to which the management and union relationship affects productivity measurement and improvement
The recommendations in this regard are as follows:
The productivity measurement and improvement strategy and policy should be crafted, approved and implemented as an instrument to enforce the measurement and monitoring of productivity in the municipality.
The unions must be trained in OD methodologies and tools, especially when massive OD programmes like Quality Circles, BPR are implemented. This will facilitate buy-in and quicker and effective implementation of OD programmes aimed at improving productivity and service delivery.
6.6.4 The influence of the relationship between management and unions on the continuous upgrading of education and training of employees
The following recommendations are made in this regard:
The municipality through its Training Unit (EMA) should upgrade the courses on the WSP as a matter of priority to enhance the development of municipal employees.
The training of shop stewards in the management techniques through the rolling out of management courses like MDP to labour should be implemented without delay as this will enhance labour’s understanding of critical management issues thereby allowing labour to operate at the same level as management.
The training of managers in labour relations is also critical and should be implemented as a matter of urgency to enhance management’s understanding of labour legislation which will enable them to deal effectively with their counterparts in LLF meetings.
The Training Unit (EMA) should be provided with an adequate budget to implement training in the municipality.
6.6.5 The extent to which union cooperation with management will contribute to a world class organisation
In this regard, the recommendation is as follows:
eThekwini must create a societal corporatist structure where it is in partnership with unions where they will become partners in social dialogue enabling them to be partners in decision making meaning they should also be involved in strategic planning jointly. It is accepted that this cannot be done overnight but as our theory has proven, it can be done albeit as a phased in processes. The employment relations Indaba recommended above can be a good starting point.
6.6.6 The influence of the relationship between management and unions on fewer grades in the municipality’s grading system
The recommendation in this regard is as follows:
The Task Grading System is based on the existing restructuring processes and models. The existing OD restructuring framework has been declared inadequate for delivering the flatter, non-hierarchical structures required by world class organisations. Notwithstanding other recommendations made above in terms of the City Manager taking charge and drawing the restructuring in terms of S. 22 of the MSA, the issue of a restructuring model for a world class organisation has been recommended above by this researcher as a subject of further research.
Concomitantly, as grading follows restructuring, the issue of inadequacy of the Task Grading System will be recommended as a subject for further research.
6.7 RECOMMENDATION ON THE RESPONDENTS OWN RECOMMENDATIONS