This is according to an analysis of grievance trends for the past three to four years in the country. The research conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) indicates that unfair treatment is the leading cause of grievances amongst employees, particularly in the public service. This is followed by grievances relating to salary problems. The Public Service Commissioner, Moira Marais-Martin, has in a report also indicated that a number of government departments are plagued by complaints regarding a lack of performance assessments, where there are undue delays in finalising performance reviews, where employees are not being assessed for the job they are required to do, nor paid performance bonuses. She highlighted that the three have been topping the list of grievances for the past four fiscal years and are on the rise.

 Unfair treatment according to the report includes unfair labour practices such as discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, cyber-bullying, intimidation, and victimisation.

Marais-Martin has in the report indicated that unfair treatment grievances investigated by the PSC included employees being excluded in the revision of salary structures (level 1-12), from the allocation of work and division meetings.

She indicates that there were also cases where employees were aggrieved about derogatory remarks, shouting, overloaded with too much work in short time frames, and threatened with disciplinary processes while other complaints included the transfer of staff from one unit to another without consulting the unit’s head; the separating of a unit from the rest of the organisation by accommodating them in a building without resources, and delaying to fill posts to which the aggrieved was the successful applicant.

The commission says fair treatment in the workplace should be seen within the context of the promotion of human rights and that employers should be held accountable where grievances have substance.

The commissioner has thus far recommended that in instances where cases were lodged by managers against subordinates, the aggrieved are advised to follow the disciplinary process, while in cases where poor conflict management was a problem, recommended that the parties be taken for training on conflict management.

Where it was found that the alleged treatment of the employee by the supervisor was unfair or unlawful, the PSC has recommended that processes be followed to discipline the supervisor and where necessary, affected parties should be taken through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

Otherwise, the report further highlights that in serious cases where it is found that the relationship between the supervisor and supervisee is irretrievably broken down and had also failed even after mediation and training, the PSC recommends that steps be taken to transfer one of the parties to a suitable place identified by the department.

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