A critical comparison between how the rights of employees are affected by winding-up and business rescue proceedings

LL.M. (Commercial law)This dissertation seeks to explore the fundamental differences between the rights of employees in terms of windiqg-up procedures and that of business rescue proceedings. I will be specifically looking at each procedure, winding-up and business rescue proceedings, and the effect that each of these procedures have on the rights of employees. In terms of the analysis of the procedures, I will be looking at the history of both insolvency law and labour law, as well as a look at the old Companies Act of 1973 and specifically at judicial management. By looking at the history we can gain an outlook on the problems we encountered then and how they can be improved today. I will then move on to look specifically at the specific proceedings of winding-up in Chapter 14 of the old 1973 Act and Chapter 6 of the new 2008 for the provisions on business rescue. Through analysing the proceedings I will also look at the legal position in other jurisdictions on the specific matter into account. Specifically I will look to the UK and Australia. Additionally, I will be looking at the International Labour Organisations position on employees' rights in terms of insolvency law. The specific rights of employees that I will be considering are employees rights to commence proceedings, their right to be informed, their right to be consulted, the effect on their employment contracts, retrenchments, claims which they may have against the company as well as the specific rights of employees in the case of a transfer of the business. In analysing all of the above aspects, I will come to conclude from my findings that the rights afforded to employees under business rescue and Chapter 6 of the 2008 Act are extremely beneficial to the employees and are so extensive that they cover almost all rights of employees. In comparison with the rights afforded to employees' in terms of winding-up procedures under Chapter 14 of the 1973 Act these rights are stiII beneficial to employees but they are not as extensive. Both procedures afford employees a significant amount of protection