NALEDI Articles

What we do

Practical and realistic policy research
Our work aims at being practical and technically competent, but not academic. This entails examining the circumstances that make policy effective in South African realities, rather than simply transplanting experiences from other countries.

Pro-labour perspective
Our aim is to analyse developments from the perspective of organised labour, and to explore what the implications of policies would be for labour. In practice we attempt to take a broad view of what 'pro-labour' means. We favour policies which:

Support the deepening of democracy in South Africa.
Reduce poverty and and tackle existing income disparities
Improve the organisational ability of the working class
Encourage coalitions between organised labour and other sections of the working people and civil society
Result in sustainable economic growth and development
Promote the development of global approaches to global challenges.

Meeting the research needs of organised labour
Our research agenda is determined largely by the requests we receive from organised labour, namely COSATU, its negotiating teams, and its affiliates. NALEDI also accepts requests from non-union sources where there is no conflict of interest. We have conducted research with Parliamentary Standing Committees, government departments, statutory bodies, international bodies and progressive organisations and formations in civil society.

Anticipating issues which may impact on labour
NALEDI researchers track developments in their field and are able to alert union leaders to issues that may affect the labour movement. We also organise facilitative workshops aimed at bringing together unionists and experts in particular fields.

Building union capacity
One of NALEDI's central roles is to improve the capacity of the union movement to engage with key policy issues. NALEDI has a research methods training programme for union researchers. Such initiatives are part of our longer-term strategy of transferring important skils to unions.

Autonomy
NALEDI is registered as a non-profit company and is accountable to a board made up of prominent unionists and researchers. This enables us to test new ideas and think critically and creatively, without necessarily having to remain within the constraints of existing policy positions. The ideas generated by NALEDI are for the elected union leadership to adopt, reject, amend or ignore.

Delivering quality, timely products
Since we work in the area of applied advocacy research, we frequently work to tight deadlines. We have invested heavily in developing project management techniques and appropriate research method frameworks.

Main Activities

Research reports
We develop research studies and papers for the labour movement and other progressive social formations. Between 1993 and 2000 we produced over 100 research reports.
Click here for a list.

Project management
We manage important labour movement and civil society projects, from planning and designing through to evaluation.

Workshops, seminars and conferences
To facilitate discussions between unionists and experts, we regularly host workshops, seminars and conferences.

Advisory work
We engage in advisory work for trade unions in a range of policy processes, from research development to assistance in engaging employers on enterprise restructuring. We have been appointed as union advisors for the restructuring processes of leading state enterprises and provide support for the development of union industrial strategy in several sectors.

Presentations and Briefings
Research work is presented in policy forums or as part of policy education processes. We also provide briefings, on request, to parliamentarians, government ministries, civil society formations and others.

NALEDI is a non-governmental organisation
which undertakes labour and economic research

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Tel: 27-11-403-2122 Fax: 27-11-403-1948 naledi@naledi.org.za
©2001 National Labour and Economic Development Institute
Photographs by William Matlala & Walter Langhinnerich

Practical and realistic policy research
Our work aims at being practical and technically competent, but not academic. This entails examining the circumstances that make policy effective in South African realities, rather than simply transplanting experiences from other countries.

Pro-labour perspective
Our aim is to analyse developments from the perspective of organised labour, and to explore what the implications of policies would be for labour. In practice we attempt to take a broad view of what 'pro-labour' means. We favour policies which:

Meeting the research needs of organised labour
Our research agenda is determined largely by the requests we receive from organised labour, namely COSATU, its negotiating teams, and its affiliates. NALEDI also accepts requests from non-union sources where there is no conflict of interest. We have conducted research with Parliamentary Standing Committees, government departments, statutory bodies, international bodies and progressive organisations and formations in civil society.

Anticipating issues which may impact on labour
NALEDI researchers track developments in their field and are able to alert union leaders to issues that may affect the labour movement. We also organise facilitative workshops aimed at bringing together unionists and experts in particular fields.

Building union capacity
One of NALEDI's central roles is to improve the capacity of the union movement to engage with key policy issues. NALEDI has a research methods training programme for union researchers. Such initiatives are part of our longer-term strategy of transferring important skils to unions.

Autonomy
NALEDI is registered as a non-profit company and is accountable to a board made up of prominent unionists and researchers. This enables us to test new ideas and think critically and creatively, without necessarily having to remain within the constraints of existing policy positions. The ideas generated by NALEDI are for the elected union leadership to adopt, reject, amend or ignore.

Delivering quality, timely products
Since we work in the area of applied advocacy research, we frequently work to tight deadlines. We have invested heavily in developing project management techniques and appropriate research method frameworks.

Main Activities

Research reports
We develop research studies and papers for the labour movement and other progressive social formations. Between 1993 and 2000 we produced over 100 research reports.
Click here for a list.

Project management
We manage important labour movement and civil society projects, from planning and designing through to evaluation.

Workshops, seminars and conferences
To facilitate discussions between unionists and experts, we regularly host workshops, seminars and conferences.

Advisory work
We engage in advisory work for trade unions in a range of policy processes, from research development to assistance in engaging employers on enterprise restructuring. We have been appointed as union advisors for the restructuring processes of leading state enterprises and provide support for the development of union industrial strategy in several sectors.

Presentations and Briefings
Research work is presented in policy forums or as part of policy education processes. We also provide briefings, on request, to parliamentarians, government ministries, civil society formations and others.