A purposeful multi-stakeholder learning dialogue (PMSLD) approach to mitigate high-conflict collective bargaining

Abstract

Strikes and labour issues have caused havoc both locally and globally over the last decade. Social dialogue in the form of collective bargaining has not been successful in addressing these issues as labour conflict persists, highlighting the need for improved multi-stakeholder engagement. This paper explores stakeholder engagement from the perspective of collective bargaining in the context of the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC). Using an interpretivist paradigm, the research used exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative research to uncover a misalignment between what the SALGBC envisions stakeholder engagement to be and how it is experienced by the relevant parties. Stakeholders in the SALGBC perceive the employer's engagement as conducted in bad faith, coercive, lacking consultation, and accepting industrial action as engagement. To address these, a purposeful multi-stakeholder learning dialogue (PMSLD) is proposed, that blends dialogic communication and dialogic orientation with stakeholders who are receptive, reciprocal and valued for their social roles.