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Question 1
RELATIONS GONE BAD
Makelotsomoney is a medium-sized retail company with a few stores in the rural areas of the Western
Cape, including Wellington, Calendon, Swellendam and Montagu, Bredasdorp and Prince Albert. The
managers of each store meet every Monday via a WhatsApp call to share sales updates and ideas, as
they do not meet physically due to the cost of fuel. The company upgraded its technology in its stores
a few months ago because it wanted to achieve greater efficiency. Joe, the chief shop steward of the
Retail Workers’ Union (RWU) (which has been recognised for collective bargaining purposes for a
few years) and Frank, an active union member, both based at the company’s main store in Paarl, have
been employed by the company for many years as packers and general labourers. Both are quite
ambitious and, although it was not their job to operate computer terminals, they slowly taught
themselves how to operate the terminals in the store as they were keen to improve their skills and
educational level. They did so well that after a few months, they had mastered the computer in the
store and were performing the jobs of computer operators by voluntarily helping out as and when
needed, as the company was short-staffed. They felt that they should receive some recognition and
perhaps some additional remuneration for their efforts and willingness to learn. Joe then approached
the store supervisor and asked that the company regrade him and Frank upwards as he maintained that
they were now performing work of a higher grade. The store’s supervisor, having been able to rely on
Joe and Frank’s skills, had not himself mastered the terminal. He feared that Joe and Frank were trying
to replace him, so he said he would look into the matter but, despite numerous reminders to him, he
did nothing.
Joe and Frank then approached the factory manager and demanded that he immediately regrade them
upwards as they were now performing the job of computer operators. He said that he would consider
their demand and come back to them. He was willing to recognise their efforts but was worried about
the cost of doing this. He then spoke to the company’s general manager. His attitude was that
recognition might have been due to Frank and Joe, but that job grading was a management prerogative.
He feared that if they talked to Joe, as senior shop steward, about job grading, this would set a
dangerous precedent and would constitute a victory for the union in its pursuit of greater workplace
control. He believed that the demand was a union-inspired attempt to dictate to management. Although
the factory manager wanted to discuss the matter with the workers to find a satisfactory outcome, the
general manager decided that it would be best not to respond to Joe and Frank because any response
would constitute a concession to negotiate about a management prerogative.
Joe and Frank eventually decided that if the company was not prepared to regrade them, then they
would stop using the computer and revert to the manual method they had used in the past. On the first
day of their refusal, they received an oral warning for failing to use the computer and they were
instructed by their supervisor that they should use the computer in future. Joe and Frank were
convinced that they could not be forced to use the computer and were determined to pressurise the
company into giving them the recognition they demanded. They knew that the company needed their
computer skills, and they believed that if they withheld them, the company would be forced to
concede. They therefore continued with their refusal. The company then gave them written warnings
for failing to obey reasonable instructions, as it hoped this would persuade Joe and Frank to resume
