ABSTRACT
Earlier chapters have noted the fact that the process of democratising labour relations in Africa presents formidable challenges to its trade union movements. One such challenge was identified as workers’ ability to ensure that they can, directly or through their representatives, influence decisions affecting all spheres of their working lives. The nature of democratic participation and its impact discussed in Chapter 3 is linked to representative accountability and the mechanisms members can utilise to ensure that the power their elected representatives have over them is used to promote their collective interests. A crucial concern in democratic participation is therefore the manner in which collective interests are determined in order to take on board the diverse needs of all groups that make up the workforce.
