A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe

This study examined the role and challenges faced by the works council in addressing decent work deficits within the agricultural industry in Zimbabwe. The pervasiveness of decent work deficits in organisations within the agricultural industry in the global economy, including in Zimbabwe, remains...

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Main Authors: Moment Bhebhe, Prince Takaindisa
Other Authors: Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
Format: research article
Language:English
Published: AESSRA 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5287
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author Moment Bhebhe
Prince Takaindisa
author2 Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
author_facet Midlands State University, Zimbabwe
Moment Bhebhe
Prince Takaindisa
author_sort Moment Bhebhe
collection DSpace
description This study examined the role and challenges faced by the works council in addressing decent work deficits within the agricultural industry in Zimbabwe. The pervasiveness of decent work deficits in organisations within the agricultural industry in the global economy, including in Zimbabwe, remains of major concern. To address this, the research took a qualitative case-study approach in a selected Agribusiness in Zimbabwe. The study involved 18 purposively selected participants, all who are members of the works council (management and workers’ committee), including experts from the human resource and industrial relations department in the organisation. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with the management participants and a focus group discussion was held with all the workers’ committee members. The major study findings revealed the presence of decent work deficits in the organisation. The works council members confirmed that the agrarian employees in the organisation face indecent work conditions characterised by insufficient wages, long hours of work, a lack of adequate personal protective clothing and insecurities attached to temporary employment. In addressing these deficits, the works council was found to be incapacitated due in part, to: failure to regularly hold meetings; constant use of threats by management against members of the workers’ committee; and inadequate knowledge and skills particularly on the part of the workers’ committee. It is recommended that the human resources and industrial relations department plays a more active role to ensure the effective functioning of the works council.
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spelling ir-11408-52872022-12-16T09:37:47Z A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe Moment Bhebhe Prince Takaindisa Midlands State University, Zimbabwe Midlands State University, Zimbabwe Decent work deficits Works council Social dialogue Agricultural industry This study examined the role and challenges faced by the works council in addressing decent work deficits within the agricultural industry in Zimbabwe. The pervasiveness of decent work deficits in organisations within the agricultural industry in the global economy, including in Zimbabwe, remains of major concern. To address this, the research took a qualitative case-study approach in a selected Agribusiness in Zimbabwe. The study involved 18 purposively selected participants, all who are members of the works council (management and workers’ committee), including experts from the human resource and industrial relations department in the organisation. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with the management participants and a focus group discussion was held with all the workers’ committee members. The major study findings revealed the presence of decent work deficits in the organisation. The works council members confirmed that the agrarian employees in the organisation face indecent work conditions characterised by insufficient wages, long hours of work, a lack of adequate personal protective clothing and insecurities attached to temporary employment. In addressing these deficits, the works council was found to be incapacitated due in part, to: failure to regularly hold meetings; constant use of threats by management against members of the workers’ committee; and inadequate knowledge and skills particularly on the part of the workers’ committee. It is recommended that the human resources and industrial relations department plays a more active role to ensure the effective functioning of the works council. 9 4 219 227 2022-12-16T09:37:46Z 2022-12-16T09:37:46Z 2020-12-04 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5287 10.30954/2249-6637.04.2020.2 en International Journal of Social Sciences 2249-6637 open AESSRA
spellingShingle Decent work deficits
Works council
Social dialogue
Agricultural industry
Moment Bhebhe
Prince Takaindisa
A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe
title A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe
title_full A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe
title_fullStr A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe
title_short A Works Council’s Response to Decent Work Deficits Facing Agricultural Employees in Zimbabwe
title_sort works council’s response to decent work deficits facing agricultural employees in zimbabwe
topic Decent work deficits
Works council
Social dialogue
Agricultural industry
url https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5287
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