Labour brokers in southern Africa, who register job seekers and then match them to potential employers, are starting to feel the heat from the region's union movement, which is determined to stop the casualization of jobs.
Namibia's new Labour Act technically bans labour brokers, although this is under appeal; the election manifesto of South Africa's ruling African National Congress party frowns on the profession, accusing it of exploiting workers.
Marius Coleman, a director of Origin Consulting, a labour brokerage, said his profession was misunderstood, and maintained that the demands of competing in a global market, adhering to South African labour laws, and the array of skills available in the market, were some of the reasons that have driven the emergence of labour brokers. He talked to IRIN about the challenges.
"There's definitely a lot of misperceptions and bad-mouthing of the industry going on. Labour brokers have been defined by legislation as a temporary service provider, which has created the impression that they only provide short-term staff. The casual element [of staff selection] has been blown out of proportion.
"We try to avoid short-term forms of employment [and rather aim] for longer-term forms - the amount of work [we put in] is the same for long-term as for short term, so it's in our interest, and there are also benefits for the staff we contract. The majority of our staff are employed on longer-term assignments, or assignments that are indefinite in nature.
"Certainly there are some labour brokers - what I would call rogue elements - that might load up 20 people on a street corner and then drop them off at a client's premises.
"I think the industry is at the beginning stages of maturing. As it matures, I think that's where unscrupulous elements will be pushed out, alongside inefficient labour brokers.
"[Unions] really are using highly emotive and broad accusations to discredit labour brokers. One of the reasons companies employ us is the union culture in South Africa. Unions have come a long way, but many businesses have had bad experiences with militant or unruly unions.
"For employers, having a labour broker shifts dealing with the unions from their shoulders to us. We're used to dealing with unions, and we've learnt that if you treat staff fairly and pay the correct wages, you don't give any ammunition to the unions to shoot you with.
"The business world has never been as uncertain as it is right now. I think all of us, myself included, would like to go back to the days when you would be hired by a company and know that that company was going to take care of you and your family for the rest of your life.
"Unfortunately, that type of employment relation is fast becoming a thing of the past."
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Namibia's new Labour Act technically bans labour brokers, although this is under appeal; the election manifesto of South Africa's ruling African National Congress party frowns on the profession, accusing it of exploiting workers.
Marius Coleman, a director of Origin Consulting, a labour brokerage, said his profession was misunderstood, and maintained that the demands of competing in a global market, adhering to South African labour laws, and the array of skills available in the market, were some of the reasons that have driven the emergence of labour brokers. He talked to IRIN about the challenges.
"There's definitely a lot of misperceptions and bad-mouthing of the industry going on. Labour brokers have been defined by legislation as a temporary service provider, which has created the impression that they only provide short-term staff. The casual element [of staff selection] has been blown out of proportion.
"We try to avoid short-term forms of employment [and rather aim] for longer-term forms - the amount of work [we put in] is the same for long-term as for short term, so it's in our interest, and there are also benefits for the staff we contract. The majority of our staff are employed on longer-term assignments, or assignments that are indefinite in nature.
"Certainly there are some labour brokers - what I would call rogue elements - that might load up 20 people on a street corner and then drop them off at a client's premises.
"I think the industry is at the beginning stages of maturing. As it matures, I think that's where unscrupulous elements will be pushed out, alongside inefficient labour brokers.
"[Unions] really are using highly emotive and broad accusations to discredit labour brokers. One of the reasons companies employ us is the union culture in South Africa. Unions have come a long way, but many businesses have had bad experiences with militant or unruly unions.
"For employers, having a labour broker shifts dealing with the unions from their shoulders to us. We're used to dealing with unions, and we've learnt that if you treat staff fairly and pay the correct wages, you don't give any ammunition to the unions to shoot you with.
"The business world has never been as uncertain as it is right now. I think all of us, myself included, would like to go back to the days when you would be hired by a company and know that that company was going to take care of you and your family for the rest of your life.
"Unfortunately, that type of employment relation is fast becoming a thing of the past."
llg/oa/he
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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