Labour Welfare in South Africa

Abstract

Historically, South African Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) have lacked participation by labour unions. The main reason for the lack of labour commitment and contribution may be the result of South African unions' primary focus on the political promotion of equality for the discriminated majority of South African citizens, mainly Black and “Coloured.” The assumption can be made that labour's limited awareness of the potential role of EAPs may also contribute to a labour–management imbalance in the workplace affecting support for the expansion of employee and member assistance programmes.

KEYWORDS:

• employee assistance programmes
• labour unions in South Africa