Social Sustainability in South Africa's Wine Industry : A Study of Freedom of Association

Abstract: Even today freedom of association in the South African wine industry is a sensitive topic. The wine farm owners often claim their workers can associate freely but the workers could paint a different picture. This study investigates how the right to freedom of association can be provided in the South African wine industry through looking at the barriers to freedom of association, how stakeholders could align and how globalisation has affected the sector. The study explores the opinions of the key stakeholders involved in this complex and dynamic industry by conducting semi-structured interviews focusing on freedom of association rights. The thesis illustrates how the specific barriers to union formation are the intimidation factor, the nature of the topic as it is a psychological and subjective choice, the fact that farms are private property, a bad perception of trade unions, and the difficulty in auditing. The barriers could be diminished through stakeholder alignment, which would be emphasized through relationship building and a clearer definition of the industry players’ roles. Last, the thesis argues that too many codes of conduct could negatively affect the industry’s development with regards to ethical trade and that the domestic market could take more responsibility and push the market in a more ethical direction. The thesis gives important insights to international retailers that focus on ethical trade and might be useful for future policy improvements in South Africa.