A case study of industrial relations climate in Zimbabwean mining company

Research problem: Various factors which influence industrial relations climate can be classified as input variables (Dastmalchian, Adamason and Blyton, 1991). The industrial relations climate (IRC) in turn has the potential to positive or negatively influence and be influenced by the industrial relations outcomes of the organisation such as labour turnover, industrial action and productivity. Management therefore need to be aware of the prevailing IRC as well as the factors influencing the prevailing industrial relations climate so as to take the necessary and relevant measures and steps to improve the labour-management relations. Research objectives: The research objectives for addressing the research problem were mainly to ascertain the prevailing labour relations climate within the selected mine. The second objective was to identify the factors that shape labour relations climate and thirdly to establish the impact of the prevailing industrial relations climate within the mine Research questions: Research questions for the study were developed and were; What is the overall labour relations climate? What is the contribution of each of the five dimensions to the overall labour relations climate? What is the relationship between the subgroups, distinguished by union affiliation and occupational level? What is the relationship between the sub-groups, distinguished by gender, age, race years in organization, full-time or part-time, union affiliation, years in union, union status, occupational level, educational level and the five dimensions of the labour relations climate? What are the factors that shape the industrial relations climate with particular reference to the following factors such as the organisational context and background, the structure of the organisation, the Human Resources context, the Industrial Relations context and Industrial relations outcomes? Research design: The study was descriptive research and both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in order to address the objectives of the study. A self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data and in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were also used to collect data relating to the IRC and the factors influencing the industrial relations climate. Human Resources records and reports were also used to provide secondary data for industrial relations outcomes. Major findings: The results from the study revealed that overall a negative IRC prevailed within the mine. This also applied to the five dimensions of climate that were measured. It was found that there was agreement between the unionised and the non-unionised employees’ perceptions of the industrial relations climate and similarly, when the miners’ perception of climate was compared with the more managerial group. The only really significant difference in perception was that management felt that the climate was fairer than did the miners. The results also revealed that the organisational environment and structure and the human resources and industrial relations contexts were consistent with the literature descriptions of an organisational environment that would inhibit a positive industrial relations climate. The results for the organisational outcomes, in particular absenteeism and turnover were also found to be consistent with those of organisations were the prevailing industrial relations climate was negative. The results also revealed that organisational age, size, ownership, structure, formalisation, decision-making, labour market, union-management consultation, communication were influenced and shaped the prevailing IRC. It also revealed that the prevailing IRC had impact on the levels of absenteeism and labour turnover