This research looks in particular at the unions in the manufacturing sector in an attempt to establish whether the trends that have affected other parts of the world have also affected the local territory. Interviews were held with both management and trade unions at the Hullett Aluminum plant in Pietermaritzburg.
LIST OF APPENDICES
LIST OF INTERVIEWEES
DEMISE OF THE NATION STATE?
This condition has been referred to as the expansion and weakening of the state by Beck (2000), and the internationalization of the state by others (see McGrew et al., 1992; Rousenau, 1990). All these changes in the role of the state in national affairs are crucial for the very effectiveness of trade unions.
SPACE IS BECOMING OBSOLETE
McLuhan's thesis on distancing was developed by Giddens and Harvey with their theories on the dissociation of time and space. Gidden's spatio-temporal distancing thesis was presented by Harvey (1989) in his spatio-temporal compression thesis.
LABOUR FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY OF CAPITAL
Thus, the implementation of policies such as privatization is seen as one way in which the state favors money capital over labor. This relieves manufacturers of a large part of managing the production process and greatly reduces production costs, especially labor costs.
IMPLICATIONS OF THESE GLOBAL TRANSFORMATIONS FOR LABOUR
This is particularly true in the case of the manufacturing sector, which has experienced a huge decline in employment in recent decades (see Naidoo, 2000). Ackers (1996) suggests that outsourcing of services in the public sector is more directly detrimental to unionism in the workplace.
CONCLUSION
Thus Hardt and Negri's (2000) argument that struggle in the context of the vaunted age of communication has become virtually incommunicable. Globalization, as shown in the discussion in the previous chapter, has implications for socio-economic and political systems in different parts of the world. An examination of the resulting impact of globalization on trade unions in South Africa would require a particular focus on economic globalization.
One of the most common ways to cut costs has been to cut jobs.
INTEGRATION OF SOUTH AFRICA INTO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY .1 GEAR: A HOME-GROWN SAP
This involves the development of the Skills Development Act, which functions as a framework for skills development. In addition to the decline in the formal non-agricultural sector, there has been an overall increase in unemployment. Nyman (2000) argues that financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank have greatly contributed to the increase in poverty in developing countries.
This was done by introducing new forms of work on the shop floor, such as subcontractors, temporary contracts and fixed-term contracts.
MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA
Crankshaw (1997) attributes most of the job losses in this sector to changes in the labor market, characterized by increased demand for a skilled workforce, thereby creating a surplus for unskilled workers. The increasing use of shift work, part-time, casual and temporary employment, home working and outsourcing of non-core functions are also contributing significantly to the decline of South Africa's manufacturing sector. This survey was conducted in the manufacturing sector of the economy focusing on, among others, the metals, engineering, textiles and clothing, chemicals, food processing and paper and printing subsectors (see Macun, 1997:3). .
As part of a broader strategy aimed at promoting growth, labor market measures are needed to facilitate job creation for unskilled and semi-skilled job seekers in order to increase the labor force absorption associated with economic expansion (GEAR, 1996).
INTRODUCTION
Research Design
Qualitative research and evaluation are situated towards the fictional end of the continuum without being fictional in the narrow sense of the term" (Eisner. This sentiment echoes that of Cronbach (1975) that "the special task of the social scientist in each generation the contemporary facts are written down, further he shares with the humanist scholar and the artist in the attempt to gain insight into contemporary relationships" (Cronbach. He further argues that statistical research is unable to fully account to do with the many interaction effects that take place in social settings.
They can be used to better understand a phenomenon about which little is known, and to gain new perspectives on things about which much is already known, or to gain more in-depth information that may be difficult to convey quantitatively.
Features of Qualitative Research
Qualitative research reports, typically rich in detail and insights into participants' experiences of the world, can be epistemologically in harmony with the readers' experience and thus be more meaningful (see Stake, 1978). Qualitative research has an emergent (as opposed to predetermined) design, and researchers focus on this emergent process as well as the outcomes or product of the research. Qualitative research is assessed using special criteria for trustworthiness (this will be discussed in some detail in a later section).
However, qualitative research proposals should specify primary questions to be investigated and plans for data collection strategies.
Data Collection Techniques
Patton (1990) points out that these are not "absolute characteristics of qualitative inquiry, but rather strategic ideals that provide a direction and a framework for developing specific designs and concrete data collection tactics" (p. 59). Because the researcher seeks to observe and interpret meanings in context, it is neither possible nor appropriate to finalize research strategies before data collection has begun (Patton, 1990). The particular design of a qualitative study depends on the purpose of the study, what information will be most useful, and what information will have the most credibility.
In keeping with the flexible nature of qualitative research designs, interview guides were adapted over time to draw attention to areas of particular interest, and the questions that were unproductive to the aims of the research (see also Lofland and Lofland, 1984).
Data Analysis
Although the guide is designed to ensure that essentially the same information is obtained from each person, there are no predetermined answers and the interviewer was free to probe and explore further. Interview guides ensure good use of limited interview time, they make interviewing of several subjects more systematic and comprehensive, and they help keep the interactions focused (see Hoepfl, 1997).
Validity and Reliability of the Research
Sample
Delimitations of the Research
The research therefore makes use of secondary data to further check the validity of the data from interviews.
THE CASE STUDY OF HULLETT ALUMINIUM
HULLETT ALUMINIUM
Hullett Aluminum decided to improve manufacturing processes and invest heavily in new and improved hardware, and most importantly, they decided to accelerate the development of their people. 34;Hullett Aluminium's success in competing in the international and global market has only been made possible through the collective commitment of our entire team, by equipping our employees with the appropriate knowledge and skills, we are able to maximize the necessary competence, accountability by flexibility required to deliver internationally competitive performance and products complemented by high levels of service" (see Hullett Aluminum Newsletter, 2000).
NATIONAL UNION OF METALWORKERS OF SOUTH AFRICA (NUMSA)
- HulJett Aluminium - Duncan Madlala (HR Manager)
- Fana Dlamini, NUMSA Local Chairperson- Hullett Aluminium
- Philip Dladla, Local Organiser - NUMSA Pietermaritzburg
- Thulani Ngubane, Regional Chairperson- NUMSA Kwa-Zulu-Natal
One of the most critical points that came out of Madlala's interview is that there is a skills shortage in South Africa. One of the changes that has occurred at Hullett Aluminum since NUMSA's inception is centralized bargaining agreements. Like Dlamini, Dladla claims that one of the main challenges currently facing NUMSA in Hullett Aluminum is reducing the pay gap.
He also highlights that the "push and pull" concept in most companies, especially companies like Toyota, has been one of the new developments.
DATA ANALYSIS
These trends are believed to have a negative impact on the way unions are organized. On the contrary, the unions are still negotiating about the work itself, while working conditions and other important issues are not being considered. The above argument is strongly linked to the reflection on capital mobility, as it is pointed out that Hullett Aluminum is competing in international markets.
One of the challenges facing the industry, as highlighted by Madlala, is the intense competition in the markets.
DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES
The Skills Development Strategy traces its origins back to the labor movement of the early 1970s. According to Lambert and Webster (2002), this is one of the challenges that trade unions are currently facing. He comes to the conclusion that under the conditions of the network society capital is globally coordinated, labor is individualized.
An effective fight against globalization as previously mentioned requires an understanding of the global processes and in the past this has proven to be one of the reasons why unions fail to engage effectively with globalization.
CONCLUSION
Of course, these organizations reflect many of the problems castell alludes to, for example, for some membership has fallen dramatically with the advent of globalization. Because all unions are looking for ways to develop "concrete action against globalization" by sharing information on organizing and mobilizing methods and ways to rethink how to strengthen union organization, SIGTUR is seen as a tool to build an organization of strong local and to promote the capacity to resist. global restructuring, which was seen to be destroying the security and conditions of workers across the region (see Lambert and Webster, 2002). The question remains, will unions be active in the coming decades if people who are likely to join a union lose their jobs and the type of workforce that is creative is in the service and skill intensive sector.
While labor internationalism, dynamic efficiency, education and development may be some of the strategies that can be useful for union survival, it is still clear that much remains to be done to generate union militancy against everyday global pressures that continue to challenge its very existence of trade unions.
- CONCLUSION
Gorz (1982) testifies to the above by saying that unions will only avoid becoming a sectionalist, neo-corporatist force if the segmentation of society and the marginalization of a growing percentage of the population can be prevented. A global consensus is emerging that one of the keys to a productive and competitive economy in the next millennium is a well-educated and adaptable workforce (see ILO World Work Report, 1998-99). The report of the September commission on the future of the trade unions to the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
Past experiences, future challenges and implications for the role of Ubuntu value system, A paper presented at the annual South African Sociological Association conference, 2000 held at the University of the Western Cape.
