'All the workers?' Labour market reform and precarious work in post -apartheid South Africa, 1994--2004

This dissertation explored the political economy of labour market restructuring and the nature of labour market policies during South Africa's the first decade of democracy (1994 to 2004). It investigated the development of a new labour market regulatory regime, employment trends under the new regime, and trade union engagement with policy formation and employment shifts in the context of contradictory processes of democratisation and neoliberal economic restructuring. With specific reference to employment trends in South Africa's retail sector, the dissertation focused on understanding the impact of globalisation and national processes of restructuring on the spread of precarious work.;The dissertation also explored the promise and limitations of labour organising and engagement with labour market reforms. It suggested that the country's largest trade union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), has inadvertently facilitated the growth in precariousness by remaining narrowly focused on full-time workers in core sectors of the economy, and on tripartite structures and agreements aimed at protecting their members. The study concluded by arguing that, despite progress made in some areas, the government has been unsuccessful in addressing social and economic inequalities in the country. Therefore, while a transition to democracy took place under the ANC, a genuine democratic transformation---the restructuring of social and economic relations---did not take place.;The dissertation drew upon a number of legislative developments surrounding the drafting and implementation of new labour laws between 1994 and 1999, specifically those related to the introduction of the new Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), and processes leading to the adoption of the new sectoral determination (setting wages and employment standards) for the retail industry. The study found that post-apartheid labour market policies have reinforced pressures towards neoliberalism and precarious labour markets through the development of a framework of 'regulated precariousness'. Drawing on case study evidence from the country's retail sector, this study revealed that the nature and structure of regulation and shrinking sphere of effective coverage were key causes of segmentation. The overall result was a proliferation of precarious work and a steady decline in full-time, permanent, protected employment.