Atypical employment in South Africa: The case of Wits
The nature atypical employment and implications for the industrial relations framework in South Africa: A Wits case study.
Introduction
In the advent of the new democratic dispensation, South Africa adopted the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy; this policy is based on neoliberal principles such as privatization, trade liberalization, borderless trade, deregulation, minimal state intervention etc. It is through this policy that local workers and businesses find themselves in competition with the rest of the world, and for this reason businesses have adopted the ideology of flexibilization as a strategy to stay competent and to ensure maximum profits. The adoption of this neoliberal policy contributed to a shift in the nature of employment. According to Theron (2003) there has been a significant increase in atypical employment since the adoption of GEAR. This paper will critically define what is meant by atypical employment. This paper will also explain how and why there has been a significant increase in atypical forms of work in South Africa, and growing levels of unemployment, externalization, and self-employment. This paper will also critically discuss the implications that atypical forms of work have on the South African industrial relations framework. In addition to the above this paper will critically analyze outsourcing at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to illustrate and elaborate on the challenges faced by the South African industrial relations framework. This paper will also argue that the South African industrial relations system has done nothing so far to mediate conflicts and problems that arise from atypical forms of work.
Atypical employment in South Africa:
What is meant by atypical employment?
According to Theron (2003) atypical employment refers to employment that is not usual or employment that is the direct opposite of typical employment. Typical employment or Standard Employment Relationship (SER) as known
Introduction
In the advent of the new democratic dispensation, South Africa adopted the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy; this policy is based on neoliberal principles such as privatization, trade liberalization, borderless trade, deregulation, minimal state intervention etc. It is through this policy that local workers and businesses find themselves in competition with the rest of the world, and for this reason businesses have adopted the ideology of flexibilization as a strategy to stay competent and to ensure maximum profits. The adoption of this neoliberal policy contributed to a shift in the nature of employment. According to Theron (2003) there has been a significant increase in atypical employment since the adoption of GEAR. This paper will critically define what is meant by atypical employment. This paper will also explain how and why there has been a significant increase in atypical forms of work in South Africa, and growing levels of unemployment, externalization, and self-employment. This paper will also critically discuss the implications that atypical forms of work have on the South African industrial relations framework. In addition to the above this paper will critically analyze outsourcing at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to illustrate and elaborate on the challenges faced by the South African industrial relations framework. This paper will also argue that the South African industrial relations system has done nothing so far to mediate conflicts and problems that arise from atypical forms of work.
Atypical employment in South Africa:
What is meant by atypical employment?
According to Theron (2003) atypical employment refers to employment that is not usual or employment that is the direct opposite of typical employment. Typical employment or Standard Employment Relationship (SER) as known
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