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LRT811S - Labour Relations Theory - 2nd OPP - JUN 2023 |
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nAmlBIA unlVERSITY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCESAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOR OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR RELATIONS HONOURS
QUALIFICATION CODE: 08BILR
LEVEL: 8
COURSE CODE: LRT811S
SESSION: JULY/ AUGUST 2023
COURSE NAME: LABOUR RELATIONSTHEORY
PAPER: THEORY
DURATION: 3 HOURS
MARKS: 100
2ND OPPORTUNITY/SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
EXAMINER(S) Mr Elias Kandjinga
Ms Penehafo Johannes
MODERATOR:
1. Answer ALL the questions.
INSTRUCTIONS
2. You are expected to apply your subject knowledge to the questions.
3. Write clearly and neatly.
4. Number your answers clearly.
1. Pen
2. Ruler
PERMISSIBLE MATERIALS
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF PAGES (Including this front page)
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Section A (Answer all the questions)
[SO marks]
Question 1
Read the following case study and answer all the following questions.
Imagine you are the new HR director of a company involved in the manufacturing of
heavy equipment that are used to build roads. Part of your brief as HR Director is to
come up with suggestions on how to increase profitability and decrease staff turnover.
Your discussions will form part of a strategic planning session that will focus on how
,to turn the company around. Poor economic circumstances and general
,mismanagement of staff has led to very little pay increases, and staff turnover is at a !
record high. The company functions within a strong unionised environment, and you
,have only been in your new position for one day when you were told in no uncertain
terms that "things need to change, or staff will engage in strike action to force the
,boss's hand".
1.1. You strongly believe in involving the employees in decisions that affect them.
Compile a possible action plan on items to discuss with the unions and staff on
matters that need changing. The focus of the initiatives should be employee
participation and involvement.
(10]
1.2. Consider how you will approach the unions on these matters as you know from
experience that the unions may view these plans with skepticism. You want their
buy-in in any new plans and want to assure them that you are not trying to erode
their power base.
(10]
1.3. Critically analyse the differences between the "tripartite" and "multipartite"
perspectives of the employment relationship.
(10]
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1.4. Discuss the four various approaches to collective bargaining.
[12)
1.5. Describe any four common causes of conflict in an employment relationship.
[8]
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Section B (Answer all the questions)
[SO marks]
Question 1
Read the following case study and answer all the following questions.
, Discrimination (or not)?
A few weeks after being employed by Four T Accountancy, a firm of accountants, Julia
disclosed to a colleague that she suspected that she was pregnant. A month later her :
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; doctor confirmed this. She subsequently informed her manager {Ms Perley) that she t
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: would take her statutory maternity leave from November that year (4 months hence). :
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: She did not receive a reply from her.
' A few weeks after disclosing her pregnancy to Perley, the Julia was issued with a :
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I written warning for three alleged instances of non-performance: two incidents
! concerned the employee's failure to return the calls of two important clients (who i
: both subsequently complained to Perley about it) while the final incident concerned '
. the late filing of a client's tax returns. A month-and-a-half before going on maternity :
, leave the Julia received a final written warning for a further incident of alleged non- :
!I performance,
this time
for arriving
an hour late for work
and not informing
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her 1
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: employer that she would arrive late (this was due to morning sickness).
i Two weeks later the employee suffered cramps at the workplace and informed Perley i
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that she had to seek medical treatment. She consulted her doctor and was admitted !
l to hospital on account of suspected pre-term labour. She phoned Perley en route to '
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; the hospital to inform her of this. The following day she informed Perley that she had :
, been booked off sick until the commencement of her maternity leave.
A large amount of correspondence thereafter followed in which Perley, among others, i
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requested Julia to provide her with a medical report of exactly when her maternity i
leave would commence, and she would return from maternity leave. The employee ,
did not respond to Perley's last request and was then dismissed in her absence for, ,
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i among others, insubordination (in that she had failed to provide the required medical 1
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i report}, neglect of duties, and 'failure to disclose critical information at time of 1
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: application of employment regarding pregnancy'. The employee had been unaware at l
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, that stage that she was pregnant.
Source: Ne/ at al., 2020 i
1.1. A formalised employment relationship also means a prefix 'Tripartite'
employment relationship. Based on the above case, coherently summarise this
'Tripartite' employment relationship including all possible eventualities. Be
hypothetic in your discussion you are not limited to the case study narrative. [12)
1.2. Identify and justify three (3) Namibian Labour legislative applicable in the case
above.
[6]
1.3. Having Identified the Namibian labour legislations above, discuss in detail how
each of the three legislations impacted the employment relationship between Julia
and her manager.
[12)
1.4. Define the term collective bargaining and discuss the nature the collective
agreement, how it is formed and how it ends.
[10)
1.5. In a short summary, how did the Labour Relations Theory (LRT811S)as a course
shape your understanding of the employment relationship in contemporary
organisations? Do you foresee applying what you have learned thus far, how? Here,
you are required to express your understanding in your own words and not listing
topics or themes appearing in your prescribed course materials. Also, please note
that this question is twofold, the latter requiring you to relate theory to practice.
[10)
End of Paper!
Good Luck!
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