Die grondwetlikheid van die vasstelling van maksimum werkure ingevolge die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes
| dc.contributor.advisor | Pretorius, J. L. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Marais, Maria Elizabeth | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-10-29T07:02:12Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2015-10-29T07:02:12Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2009-11 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2009-11 | |
| dc.date.submitted | 2009-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: The purpose of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is to advance economic development and social justice by fulfilling the primary objects of the Act which are to give effect to and regulate the right to fair labour practices conferred by section 23(1) of the Constitution, and to comply with obligations incurred by the Republic as a member state of the International Labour Organisation. Section 9(1) read with section 10(1) of the Act has the effect that employees covered by the sections are not allowed to work for the same employer for more than 55 hours per week. This does not prevent employees from working longer hours in total in terms of employment agreements with different employers, an option that entails certain disadvantages. The study investigates the constitutionality of the limitation of the opportunity to work for longer hours for the same employer. Reference to comparative law focuses on the legal position in America, Germany and Canada. Throughout the study the notion that work involves more than a trade agreement in terms of which labour is sold, is a basic theme. Constitutional perspectives on the concepts human dignity and freedom, with reference to freedom of the person as well as freedom of contract, are discussed. A direct relationship between work and employment, and the development of personality and human dignity, is indicated. The discussion leads to a conclusion that the relevant articles limit the rights to human dignity and freedom of the person, including freedom of contract, of the employees concerned. Human dignity is also discussed within the context of the entrenchment of socioeconomic rights. The relevant provisions are substantively assessed in terms of the reasonableness standard set by the Constitution. The conclusion is reached that the provisions cannot be accounted for on this basis. A third fundamental constitutional principle, equality, is considered. A substantive assessment in terms of the applicable test established in Harksen v Lane NO reveals that the provisions have the effect of reinforcing the disadvantaged position, owing to past discrimination, of black people and women with regard to job opportunities, which supports a conclusion that the relevant provisions constitute indirect unfair discrimination based on race, gender and socio-economic status. It furthermore appears that, although the provisions pass the rationality test that applies to provisions that regulate trade, occupation or profession, the fact that the regulating effect of the provisions violates fundamental constitutional rights, constitutes a violation of the right to freedom of trade, occupation or profession, protected by section 22 of the Constitution. The study also focuses on section 23(1) of the Constitution that determines that everyone has a right to fair labour practices, as well as on section 23(5) that confers a right to engage in collective bargaining. It appears that the provisions have a negative effect as far as work security is concerned, and therefore are unfair. The position with regard to section 23(5) is that the bargaining options of union members and employers are limited by the determination of minimum standards. The study concludes with an application of the section 36 test for the justification of limitations of constitutional rights. The adverse effects and the objects of the relevant provisions, taking into account the extent to which the provisions effectively promote the objects, are weighed up proportionally. Less restrictive means by which the objects can be promoted, are discussed. A conclusion is reached that the infringement of the constitutional rights of employees who are adversely affected by the relevant provisions, cannot be justified. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Die doelwit van die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes is om ekonomiese ontwikkeling en maatskaplike geregtigheid te bevorder deur aan die Republiek se verpligtinge as lidland van die Internasionale Arbeidsorganisasie te voldoen, en deur uitvoering te gee aan die reg op billike arbeidspraktyke wat in artikel 23 van die Grondwet verskans word. Artikel 9(1) gelees met artikel 10(1) van die Wet het die effek dat werknemers op wie die artikels van toepassing is nie langer as 55 uur per week vir dieselfde werkgewer mag werk nie. Dit verhoed die werknemers nie om in totaal langer vir verskillende werkgewers te werk nie, ʼn opsie wat bepaalde nadele inhou. Die studie ondersoek die grondwetlikheid van die beperking van die geleentheid om langer ure by dieselfde werkgewer te werk. Regsvergelykend word op die regsposisies in Amerika, Kanada en Duitsland gefokus. Dit is deurgaans ʼn grondliggende tema dat werk meer behels as ʼn handelsooreenkoms ingevolge waarvan arbeid verkoop word. Grondwetlike perspektiewe op die begrippe menswaardigheid en vryheid, met verwysing na vryheid van die persoon en die vryheid om te kontrakteer, word bespreek. Daar word aangetoon dat werk en die diensverhouding direk met persoonlikheidsontwikkeling en menswaardigheid verband hou. Die bespreking lei tot ʼn gevolgtrekking dat die vermelde bepalings op die betrokke werknemers se menswaardigheid en vryheid van persoon, waarby vryheid om te kontrakteer inbegrepe is, inbreuk maak. Die bespreking van die menswaardigheidsvraag geskied verder ook in die konteks van die verskansing van sosio-ekonomiese regte in die Grondwet. Die ter sake maatreёls word substantief gemeet aan die redelikheidsmaatstaf wat die Grondwet stel met betrekking tot die vraag of maatreёls gevolg gee aan die verpligting wat die Grondwet op die staat plaas om sosio-ekonomiese regte te beskerm en te verwesenlik. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die maatreёls nie op hierdie basis verantwoord kan word nie. ʼn Derde fundamentele grondwetlike waarde, naamlik gelykheid, word bespreek. ʼn Substantiewe ontleding ingevolge die toepaslike toets wat in Harksen v Lane NO ontwikkel is, lei tot ’n gevolgtrekking dat die vermelde bepalings ingevolge artikel 9 van die Grondwet indirekte onbillike diskriminasie op grond van ras, geslag en sosioekonomiese status daarstel. Die maatreёls versterk naamlik met betrekking tot werksgeleenthede die swakker posisie van swartmense weens diskriminasie van die verlede. Alhoewel die maatreёls die rasionaliteitstandaard waaraan beroepsregulering ingevolge artikel 22 van die Grondwet moet voldoen, handhaaf, maak dit inbreuk op fundamentele grondwetlike regte, en is die regulerende effek van die maatreёls op hierdie basis ongrondwetlik, onderhewig aan regverdiging ingevolge artikel 36. Die studie fokus ook op artikel 23(1) van die Grondwet wat bepaal dat elkeen ʼn reg op billike arbeidspraktyke het, asook op artikel 23(5) wat ʼn reg op kollektiewe bedinging verleen. Daar word aangetoon dat die maatreёls ʼn negatiewe effek op werksekuriteit het, en derhalwe onbillik is. Met betrekking tot artikel 23(5) is die posisie dat die bedingingsopsies van vakbondlede en werkgewers buite bedingingsrade deur die vasstelling van minimum standaarde beperk word. Die studie word afgesluit met ʼn toepassing van die artikel 36-toets vir die regverdigbaarheid van beperkings van grondwetlike regte. Die benadelende effek van die ter sake maatreёls en die doelwitte van die maatreёls, met inagneming van die mate waartoe die maatreёls die doelwitte effektief bevorder, word proporsioneel opgeweeg. Minder beperkende wyses waarop die doelwitte bevorder kan word, word bespreek. Die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat die inbreuk van die ter sake maatreёls op die grondwetlike regte van werknemers wat negatief daardeur geaffekteer word, nie geregverdig kan word nie. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1481 | |
| dc.language.iso | af | af |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertation (LL.M. (Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law))--University of the Free State, 2009 | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Hours of labor -- Law and legislation -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Profession | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Occupation | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Freedom of trade | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Fair labour practices | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Equality | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Human dignity | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Freedom | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Constitutional rights | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Maximum working hours | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Die grondwetlikheid van die vasstelling van maksimum werkure ingevolge die Wet op Basiese Diensvoorwaardes | af |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |