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Management of Disputes in the Public Service in Southern Africa

The article analyses the evolving approaches to the management of disputes in the public service in southern African countries. The article notes that while the thrust of public policy and the institutional frameworks for dispute resolution are generally in support of the organizational rights of workers to freedom of association and right to collective bargaining, there exists considerable incoherence in public policy, particularly with respect to the role of collective bargaining, the treatment of essential services and the right to strike in the public service. A dilemma exists, however: despite the lack of clear definition as to what constitutes an essential service, and various encumbrances on the right to strike, public services strikes have occurred regularly in the region. After identifying a number of notable differences in dispute management with respect to the distinction between `non-essential' and `essential' services, the article questions whether employers in the public service are truly committed to engaging workers in constructive negotiations over labour disputes.