developing a diagnostic tool and policy instrument for the realisation of decent work
TRANSCRIPT
Recycling waste on the streets of Johannesburg
Photo: Alexia Webster
Outline of presentation
1. Definition of Decent Work and the problems in developing a global definition
2. Explanation of the diagnostic tool we developed to measure Decent Work
3. Suggest a way to implement the tool
Employment opportunities
Stability and Security at Work
Adequate Earnings and Productive Work
Decent Hours of Work
Combining Work, Family and Personal Life
Equal Opportunity and Treatment
Safe Work Environment
Social Protection
Promotion of Social Dialogue
Defining decent work: ILO
Potential tension between the first indicator, creating employment opportunities and the other eight indicators, that add costs to employment by demanding a series of worker rights.
These tensions can only be resolved by a series of negotiations at all levels of the economy and society with all stakeholders.
This will involve a series of trade-offs amongst all stakeholders.
It will involve an alternative developmental path that allows for
the goal of decent work to be realised over time through a series
of immediate, short , medium and long term goals
Negotiating the tensions within Decent Work
Research MethodPrivate security industry, agricultural labour and the
hospitality sector in Gauteng
Interviewed over 3000 workers
Quantitative surveys were supplemented with qualitative
in-depth interviews.
Distinctive research instrument because it focuses on
individual workers, in particular occupations, at sector
level.
Contrasts with the standard ILO Decent Work Index, which
is an instrument designed to measure decent work for the
country as a whole
Private Security Guards
Fastest growing industry and occupation in South Africa
First port of entry into the labour market for many who migrate into the city from rural areas and other African countries
The industry is very competitive and global, G4S.
“Boredom is our daily bread, it is a lonely job. So boredomis something you cannot run away from. Every-day I just
come and sit here. You can play music, but you get tired of it. The night is very lonely – 12 hours is a long time. You
just sit there and you think” (Sipho, 07/08/11).
0.02
0.50
0.40
0.36
0.45
0.08
0.40
0.73
0.63
0.34
0.33
0.64
0.61
0.52
0.17
0.52
0.74
0.61
0.34
0.31
0.72
0.66
0.55
0.15
0.51
0.75
0.63
0.42
0.33
0.70
0.70
0.50
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80
Social dialogue
Social protection
Safety
Equal opportunity & treatment
Work, family & personal life
Hours
Earnings
Stability & security at work
Employment opportunities
In-house employees Registered outsource Unregistered outsurce Self-employed
Nine Indicators for Measuring Decent Work amongst Security Guards
Farm Workers Farm workers declined from 1.1 million in 1993 to 796 806 in 2007
Shift from permanent workers to casual and seasonal
Low unionization – 3%
“He tells you to leave through the same gate you came in so Ijust hang in there just so I can stay here. I hang in there … Ihave tried telling him about the working conditions, but the
problem is the gate … The gate! You must just head straight for the gate. If you came in through it, leave through it that is what
he will tell you” (Interview, 25/03/2012).
Decent Work Index among Farm Workers, by type of Farming
0.48
0.50
0.38
0.44
0.46
0.83
0.66
0.17
0.01
0.50
0.47
0.34
0.45
0.46
0.91
0.65
0.12
0.02
0.51
0.56
0.38
0.53
0.45
0.89
0.66
0.24
0.03
0.44
0.56
0.36
0.49
0.47
0.81
0.64
0.16
0.02
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
Employment opportunities
Stability & security at work
Earnings
Hours
Work, family & personal life
Equal opportunity & treatment
Safety
Social protection
Social dialogue
Livestock Fieldcrops Horticulture Mixed
Hospitality industry25% non –South Africans (82% Zimbabweans)
Highly flexible labour market, employing a significant
number of casual workers and part-time workers of
whom many are students.
Shift work is widespread with many workers employed
at night
“When you leave the baby he’s asleep and when youcome home he’s asleep again” (Interview: 30/09/12)
Decent Work Index for Hospitality Sector per type of Establishment
0.49
0.71
0.72
0.53
0.53
0.83
0.78
0.59
0.15
0.52
0.53
0.57
0.49
0.43
0.88
0.78
0.33
0.05
0.58
0.58
0.57
0.50
0.66
0.91
0.83
0.33
0.05
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00
Employment opportunities
Stability & security at work
Earnings
Hours
Work, family & personal life
Equal opportunity & treatment
Safety
Social protection
Social dialogue
Hotel Restaurant Coffee shop
Workers’ benefits across the 3 sectorsBenefits Security Farm Labour HospitalityUIF Deductions 82 32 -Paid Annual Leave 62 17 -Paid Sick Leave 60 24 -Annual Bonus 54 40 58Pension Fund 23 8 30Medical Allowance 7.5 2 9Transport Allowance 7 4 29Housing Subsidy 4 2Funeral Benefits - 69 19
Comparison of Nine Decent Work Indicators for the Three Sectors
0.87
0.08
0.17
0.66
0.46
0.47
0.37
0.51
0.49
0.85
0.11
0.49
0.78
0.49
0.51
0.65
0.63
0.51
0.62
0.13
0.49
0.73
0.37
0.32
0.7
0.65
0.52
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Equal Opportunity & Treatment
Social Dialogue
Social Protection
Safety
Work, Family and Personal Life
Hours
Earnings
Stability and Security at Work
Employment
Security Hospitality Farms
Evidence-based Priorities for Policy Comparing the Three Sectors
Four of the decent work indicators load relatively strongly by virtue of their correlation with each other:
Stability and Security at Work
Earnings
Social Protection
Social Dialogue (less strongly).
3. A Strategy for a Practical Route for Monitoring Decent Work
The results of this research be presented to employers , unions (including other worker representatives ) in particular sectors and with government set goals to achieve decent work, and use system to monitor progress towards these goals