As we are now in the midst of strike season 2013, we are probably going to see more and more violence and illegal strikes.  Over and above this Parliament seems hell bent on ensuring that Unions can go on strike without having to balance the membership.

It is interesting to see that our constitution does provide for the right to strike but this obviously is subject to a peaceful strike.

Our Labour Court has had a lot to say about violent strikes and unprocedural and illegal strikes.  In a recent court case the Labour Court ruled that a Union would be responsible for it’s members bad behaviour.  The Labour Court fined the Union with an enormous fine of half a million rand, over and above this the Union had to pay the company’s legal costs.  This case will set the trend for the future and employers are emboldened to demand that their workers do not damage company property, don’t stop people entering the premises and don’t make threats or harass other staff.