The impact of Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (as amended) on the right to freedom of association

Abstract

he primary aim of this thesis is to inquire into the impact of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 as amended on the right to freedom of association. The thesis examines not only the constitutional and statutory context of freedom of association but also the contours of freedom of association as exemplified in seminal labour law cases of recent vintage. The right to freedom of association finds explicit expression in section 27 of the Interim Constitution and section 23 of the 1996 Constitution. It is important, however, to appreciate that section 23 is merely inclusive; it provides for some thought and not all the constitutional guarantees that go with a right to freedom of association. A preliminary task, therefore, would be to locate the other sources of the legal rules bearing on the right to freedom of association outside section 23(1). Insofar as the Constitution itself is concerned, one would need to consider, among other things, section 23(1) and (2) to the extent that they intertwine with section 23(3), (4) and (5) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995. One must also consider how the right to fair labour practices interacts and intersects with other fundamental rights such as the right to freedom of association, freedom of expression, right to assembly, and political rights, including the rights to citizenship and security and the right to be free from forced labour, servitude and slavery. Furthermore, the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 gives effect to the provision of the Constitution on freedom of association. Besides legislation, case law provides another vital source of legal rules bearing on the right to freedom of association. However, merely locating the indigenous sources of the rules pertaining to the right to freedom of association would not be enough. To obtain a broader and clearer scope of the impact of the Labour Relations Act on freedom of association, it is equally important to consider international instruments, International Labour Organization Conventions, Recommendations, and Bills of Rights of comparable jurisdictions that have attempted to articulate the attributes of freedom of association.

Die hoofdoel van hierdie proefsrkif is om navraag te doen oor die impak van die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge 66 van 1995 soos gewysig op vryheid van assosiasie. Die proefskrif ondersoek nie net die grondwetlike en statutêre konteks van vryheid van assosiasie nie, maar ook die kontoere van vryheid van assosiasie soos geïllustreer in onlangse seminale arbeidsregsake. Die reg op vryheid van assosiasie is uitgedruk in artikel 27 van die Tussentydse Grondwet en artikel 23 van die 1996 Grondwet. Dit is egter belangrik om te besef dat artikel 23 bloot inklusief is; dit maak voorsiening vir ʼn bietjie denke en nie al die grondwetlike waarborge wat met ʼn reg op vryheid van assosiasie gepaard gaan nie. ʼn Voorlopige taak sou dus wees om die ander bronne van die regsreëls wat betrekking het op die reg op vryheid van assosiasie buite artikel 23(1) op te spoor. Wat die Grondwet self betref, sal ʼn mens onder andere artikel 23(1) en (2) moet oorweeg in soverre dit met artikes 23(3), (4) en (5) van die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge 66 van 1995 verweef is. ʼn Mens moet ook oorweeg hoe die reg op billike arbeidspraktyke interaksie het en kruis met ander fundamentele regte soos die reg op vryheid van assosiasie, vryheid van uitdrukking, reg op vergadering en politieke regte, insluitend die regte op burgerskap en sekerheid en die regte om vry te wees van slawerny, knegskap en dwangarbeid. Verder gee die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge 66 van 1995 uitvoering aan die bepaling van die Grondwet oor vryheid van assosiasie. Benewens wetgewing verskaf regspraak die ander belangrike bron van regsreëls wat betrekking het op die reg op vryheid van assosiasie. Dit sal egter nie genoeg wees om bloot die inheemse bronne van die reëls rakende die reg op vryheid van assosiasie op te spoor nie. Om ‘n breër en duideliker omvang van die impak van die Wet op Arbeidsverhoudinge op vryheid van assosiasie te verkry, is dit ewe belangrik om internasionale instrumente, Internasionale Arbeidsorganisasie-konvensies, aanbevelings en handveste van regte van vergelykbare jurisdiksies wat gepoog het om die eienskappe van vryheid van assosiasie te verwoord, te oorweeg.