Everyone has the right to fair labour practices. Workers have the right to form and join trade unions and go on strike. Employers have the right to form and join employers’ organizations.

Trade unions and employers’ organisations have the right to:

• Make decisions about their own administration, programmes and activities
• Organise
• Form and join a federation
• Engage in collective bargaining

The right to strike and lock-out – While workers have a right to strike in terms of the Constitution, the right for employers to lock out their workers is not specifically included in the Constitution. The Labour Relations Act says however that employers have the right to lock-out in certain situations.

(See: Taking Industrial Action)