Abstract: | The last decade has seen the beginnings of a radical transformation of the labour process in industrialized countries. The need for high productivity and the opportunities occasioned by developments in technology prompted the emergence of autonomous work groups and flexible working systems. This article examines the implications of these trends for workers and their trade unions in the industrialized countries, and thereafter, in South Africa. Contents: Background - Focus on productivity, management strategies in the eighties - Changes in management structure and function - The response of trade unions - What is happening in South Africa? - Conclusion. Ref. |