59 Checklists for Project And Programme Managers

This book has an astonishing depth and expanse, covering 10 countries and based on over twenty years of experience of research and implementation. It is also compelling in its coherent blend of theory, extensive empirical data and policy prescription. Professor Raymond Markey, Auckland University of Technology New Zealand "This study, splendidly written by one of the most prominent international experts in the field, is indispensable for everybody interested in the democratic future of Africa. I highly recommend it." Professor Manfred Weiss, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany Can democracy only survive if it is participatory? Is participatory democracy a prerequisite for sustainable development? Are trade unions the most appropriate body through which such aims can be implemented? These critical questions are tackled in Gerard Kester's book, Trade Unions and Workplace Democracy in Africa, which applies an unparalleled depth of research to these issues as they impact African nations, including: Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Rigorously structured, it sets the background of the research and the underlying theory, before presenting the learning experiences within different countries and the the broad implications of the research findings for policy making on democratic participation. Contents: Preface; Part I Introduction: Post- independence labour relations in Africa; The development of workplace democracy; Studying democratic participation in Africa. Part II Learning Experiences: Conditions of work and employment ; The trade union condition; The struggle for workplace democracy in Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali Guinea, Ghana and South Africa; 'Statutory' workplace democracy in Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe; Managerial prerogatives versus participation prerogatives; The gender of trade union democratic participation in Ghana, Akua Britwum. Part III Policy Conclusions: Towards a more meaningful and effective workplace democracy; Building a trade union agenda; Trade unions and workplace democracy in a globalising economy; References; Index. About the Author: Gerard Kester was formerly Associate Professor of Labour Studies at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands.