Collective Bargaining

Delegates who debated at length the many shortcomings of the past delivered a detailed presentation on the practical skills needed to attain maximum premium from collective bargaining to a lively reception.

It was stressed that in-depth research was imperative before the union negotiating team went to the negotiating table with management. This was the only way to ensure that proposals for negotiations were solid.

Collective bargaining, as it were, was the heart and soul of trade unionism. A union that failed on this had no chance in hell to win confidence of its membership later alone potential members. Collective bargaining, a business of buying and selling needed to be approached with great tact, courage and wisdom.

Added to a well-researched proposal was the need for union leaders to make themselves well-versed with labour laws particularly the Industrial and Labour Relations Act which governs the relationship between employers, the union and workers inter se.

In this way, the union leadership will be able to understand the effect of the Recognition Agreements and Collective Agreements signed with different media companies where the ZUJ was recognised. It was pointed out here that the ZUJ has to undertake a process to review its Recognition and Collective Agreements to make them in tandem with the provisions of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act.

In line with this, a motion was moved to create more labour awareness in work places in order to make management adhere to signed legal documents that have been agreed upon with the union.