Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Abstract The rise of remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has created significant challenges for employees, employers, and the government, complicating the management of remote teams while striving to maintain productivity and organizational cohesion. The central problem addressed in this study is the deteriorating state of employment relations marked by downsizing and layoffs, particularly in the private sector in Nigeria. This study aims to analyze the impact of remote work on these stakeholders through a systematic and thematic review based on PRISMA guidelines. Twenty four publications from 2013 to 2023 were reviewed, sourced from Google Scholar, DOAJ, Scopus, and Web of Science. The findings indicate that while organizations are beginning to adopt tools for remote work and virtual communication, these resources are primarily accessible to larger companies due to associated costs. Additionally, the study highlights the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure and structural improvements to support remote work at a societal and economic level. In conclusion, the study recommends that the government enhance infrastructural development and that organizations implement better strategies for remote work. Furthermore, individuals should pursue advancements in technology to adapt to the changing landscape. These recommendations aim to promote sustainable employment relations and economic development in Nigeria in light of the evolving digital economy.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between employee pilferage of pilferage and security in beverage manufacturing companies in Lagos State. The study is anchored on the rational choice theory in order to understand the connection between pilferage and security in beverage manufacturing companies in Lagos State. The researcher adopted a mixed research method involving survey research and historical research designs. The population of this study is 8,595 staff. This comprises all employees of Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, Nigeria Bottling Company (Coca Cola), Cadbury Nigeria Plc, and Guiness Nigeria Plc. The sample size of the study was 400 determined using Rakesh Sample size formula. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected using questionnaires, while secondary data were collected from related works on pilferage and security in beverage manufacturing companies. Data collected from questionnaire were analyzed using absolute frequencies and simple percentages, while data from secondary sources were analyzed using relational-content analysis. Among other things, it was found that the higher the level of pilferage, the lower the level of security of employees in beverage manufacturing companies in Lagos State. Among other things, it was recommended that given that there is relationship between pilferage and security in beverage manufacturing companies in Lagos State, beverage manufacturing companies in the state should ensure that stealing is drastically reduced in their various organizations through employment, training and proper motivation of staff who must be full-time staff. This would largely make the employees committed to work and shun pilferage.

An array of governance initiatives has emerged to address forced labour and labour exploitation in global value chains (GVCs). Drawing on the transnational business governance interactions theoretical framework, as well as Timothy Bartley’s place-conscious transnational governance model, this thesis examines the interaction between two of these hybrid forms of governance: multi-stakeholder initiatives and corporate sustainability laws. I conduct a case study of the cocoa sector, and specifically of the multinational company, Nestlé, using multiple qualitative research methods including legal analysis, key informant interviews, and documentary analysis. My research suggests that the layering of corporate sustainability laws, and particularly the French Duty of Vigilance Law, on top of CSR and MSIs in the cocoa sector, is not addressing the governance gap that permits corporations to evade accountability for human rights abuses in their supply chain. I find that the introduction of corporate sustainability laws may have contributed to a decrease in Nestlé's efforts to address labor violations in certain areas, while in others, it appears to have supported the continuation of existing practices. This raises implications for the continuous efforts in various jurisdictions to introduce these laws as a solution to the shortcomings of private, voluntary rule-making systems. Further research is required to explore how these governance mechanisms are interacting in other sectors, in companies of different sizes, and within various types of MSIs. This will help identify the factors that influence interactions and shed further light on the path forward for policymakers.

Recent empirical evidence suggests that labour markets are not as competitive as previously thought. In that context, mobilizing antitrust policy has been discussed as a possible solution. The proposition sounds counterintuitive, however. If workers are paid below the competitive level, doesn’t this promote consumers’ outcomes by reducing downstream prices? Given that antitrust policy promotes consumer welfare, why would antitrust authorities intervene against such a state of affairs? Besides, why would stepping up on antitrust enforcement improve workers’ outcomes? Their interests have traditionally been protected through their exclusion from the scope of antitrust enforcement, not by the enforcement of antitrust rules to their benefit. This thesis demonstrates that those spontaneous assumptions do not hold. Consumer welfare does not speak against the defence of workers’ interests. First, the focus on consumers is a by product of methods: it does not prevent consideration of other types of market participants. Moreover, consumers benefit from competitive labour markets. The welfare effects of monopsony power simultaneously worsen workers and consumers’ outcomes. As for the promotion of workers’ interests, it can be achieved through both positive and negative enforcement of antitrust. So far, the EU Commission has been less proactive than the American DOJ and FTC on the issue of antitrust enforcement in labour markets ( although the state of affairs is evolving). While this difference may stem from EU workers benefitting from higher levels of social protection than US workers, those higher levels of protection may not negate the usefulness of antitrust ’s intervention. The low levels of antitrust enforcement in EU labour markets may result from legal uncertainty and case law inconsistency more than an absence of harm. Just like the merger control apparatus, Article 101 and 102 TFEU can be used to scrutinize labour markets. While doing so involves some practical complexities, they can be overcome.

National Manpower Development Secretariat

This paper presents a shift-share decomposition of the role of structural change in driving labour productivity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The paper further examines the effect that the observed structural change has had upon the dynamics of labour markets in SSA. The analysis is based on a newly constructed dataset, the Extended Africa Sector Database. This database updates and extends the Africa Sector Database of the Groningen Growth and Development Centre. It includes eighteen countries covering the period 1960–2015. Overall, the database shows that productivity growth has been slow, with large and persistent sectoral productivity gaps present. The extent of structural change has been higher than that observed in previous studies, however. But while the share of employment and value added in agriculture has declined, resources have been pulled into certain service sectors that have relatively low productivity, thus limiting aggregate productivity improvements. The general direction of structural change has not been towards the most productive sectors. Results of the labour market analysis complement this analysis, providing suggestive evidence of a role for labour market institutional arrangements in many SSA countries in affecting these outcomes.

This contribution considers the legislative regulation of the job security (which boils down to preservation of employment) of employees in case of financial distress of a company. It juxtaposes the legislative regulation of four interrelated processes a company may engage in where it finds itself in financial distress, namely a voluntary internal restructuring (especially retrenchment), the transfer of the business or part of the business, business rescue and winding up. The legislative endeavour to preserve the job security of employees in all these processes is described and analysed. The discussion shows that room exists for companies to circumvent this protection and, to the extent that the protection does apply, that it remains difficult for employees to ultimately challenge the substance of decisions negatively affecting their job security. The main protection for employees in all these processes is procedural in nature and to be found in their rights to be informed of and consulted prior to decisions negatively affecting them. In this regard, business rescue is the most employee-friendly process. Participation in this process by employees, however, requires a fine balance as it may be self-defeating and lead to winding up and the permanent loss of jobs.

It is impossible to draw a distinct line between force majeure and change of circumstances, because the two overlap. In order to regulate both force majeure and change of circumstances, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) has adopted a unified model in article 79, whereas Chinese law adopts a dual model by treating them as different things and regulating them in different articles. Where the purpose of a contract becomes impossible to achieve because of a force majeure and both the CISG and Chinese Contract Law (the CCL) adopt the same model of termination of the contract, the contract should be terminated by one party with a notice to the other party instead of ipso facto avoidance. In a case of a change of circumstances, in order to terminate the contract, both the CISG and the CCL actually follow the path of raising an action by a notice of avoidance or termination to theother party. Both approaches have their merits and demerits but the differences between them in practice are not as large as presumed. Where force majeure and change of circumstances overlap each other, possible ways for termination of the contract are for a party either to choose their preferred solution or to follow the lex specialis derogat generali. The latter way is preferred in this article; and while in an action for termination the judge may balance the interests of both parties in making a final decision, the uniform application of the law, the safety of the transaction and the fairness of the judgment may be ensured in so doing.

Globalisation and the increasing movement of capital and labour across international borders, with the exception of migrant workers who are facing major obstacles due to immigration laws, are creating a situation where laws in general and labour laws in particular are acquiring an international character. International bodies such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and the European Union have adopted various international norms and standards to which most countries have agreed and which have established minimum international standards for basic universal human rights and worker rights. The Southern African Development Community is a transnational organisation that has also adopted certain basic norms and standards in its Treaty, Charter on Fundamental Social Rights and various protocols that are applicable to all citizens within the Community. In this contribution, the concept of transnational labour relations is considered. The different international approaches towards transnational labour relations are evaluated, as is the manner in which the European Union approached the integration of regional labour standards. The author seeks to establish what the Southern African Development Community can learn from the European Union’s experience and in what way a transnational labour relations system or regional labour standards regime for the Southern African Development Community can be established.

At the heart of this thesis is the notion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an innovative concept deep-rooted in the globalisation phenomenon. The notion of CSR entails the much-debated duty of businesses, not only to comply with international and local standards in terms of, inter alia, labour rights and working conditions, human rights and environmental protection, but also to be at the forefront of voluntary and uplifting actions geared toward addressing societal issues and concerns. For corporations, it is about moving from the traditional approach of business as an activity with the sole purpose of realising profit towards acknowledging the need to integrate societal and environmental issues and concerns into their business purposes. The thesis examines selected multinational corporations’ (MNC) approaches to CSR as contained in their codes of conduct, in an effort to reach a comprehensive understanding of the purpose, interest and practices of businesses engaging in CSR activities. Particular attention is given to the analysis of labour orientated measures implemented by selected MNCs as they undertake to voluntarily act as proponents of the theory of the necessity of socially responsible businesses. The aim is to comparatively assess the legal dimension and the relevance, in different countries, of these MNC CSR commitments. The first part of the thesis is theoretical and has the purpose to present a comprehensive analysis of CSR against the current legal framework, at a global scale and within the context of selected countries. The thesis will explore the notion of CSR in order to present its definition and characteristics, briefly retrace its history, differentiate it from related and/or similar concepts, and finally assess the extent of its introduction and adaptation into various national and international institutional frameworks. Even though initially addressing the issue of CSR in the current legal framework as a whole, the scope of the thesis will ultimately be reduced to focus only on labour-related aspects of CSR. The aim of the thesis is to assess MNC’s CSR commitments, and subsequently highlight the interaction between CSR, labour and employment legal frameworks (at national and international level) and the effective implementation of labour rights and working conditions as observed in the context of different countries. More importantly, the thesis will also include a comparative analysis of CSR principles included in selected MNC codes of conduct, in order to assess the extent of their compliance with national labour legislation, international labour standards, as well as the standards and principles set by national and international CSR instruments and institutions. The purpose of such an exercise is to thoroughly assess the impact of a national context - in terms of national legal, economic, social and industrial framework - on the legal dimension, and the relevance of MNCs CSR commitments. A crucial argument developed in the thesis refers to the fact that MNC codes of conduct may have the potential to impact on labour rights and working conditions of a MNC across the different countries into which the MNC operates. Finally, considering the fact that as a topic CSR is a potentially controversial subject, it is necessary to point out, from the onset, that the thesis engages with the subject from a critical perspective. The approach therefore entails critically analysing and discussing MNC commitments and practices as observed in different countries, so as to be able to ascertain and comprehend the impact of a national context on the content, the relevance and the legal dimension of MNC codes of conducts

Contract of employment was long acknowledged as a subject of genuine and voluntary agreement whose construction or determination should be founded on due notice of the parties thereto. Action for wrongful dismissal would lie if an employment was disturbed, interfered or meddled with, in defiance of the rights of the parties under the contract. The objective of this study was, among others, to determine what constituted a valid contract of employment and remedies for wrongful dismissal. The qualitative and documentary method of data collection was adopted by reference to relevant literature and statutory authorities. From the data gathered, and content analyzed, we found that no law could foreclose an employment from determination, nor could an irregular or wrongful dismissal stand. It was recommended, inter alia, that beside the need to repeal the Public Officers (Protection) Act, both the employer and employee should, in their official dealings, respect the sanctity of their contract, and permit reasonable future modifications thereto as could lawfully enhance the life of the contract and their legitimate desires.

The objectives of this research paper are: to examine the status of collective agreements under the common law; highlight impacts of statutory intervention on common law perception of collective agreements, and discuss how the National industrial Court (NIC) and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as altered) have broadened the horizon of enforceability of collective agreements in Nigeria. Reliance is placed principally on statutes, judicial decisions, textbooks written by learned authors as well as international best standard and practices championed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and practices in some foreign jurisdictions. The findings of the research were that under the common law, collective agreements are ordinarily not binding, they are considered as a ‘gentleman's agreement‘, a product of a trade unionist's pressure, binding only in honour or on the goodwill of the parties thereto, unless and until it is incorporated expressly or impliedly into the contract of employment. However, statutory intervention has slightly altered the common law notion of collective agreements, e.g. where the Minister of Labour and Productivity is empowered to declare, by order, that part or the whole of an agreement deposited in his office is binding on the parties. Furthermore, with the enactment of the NIC Act and the listing of the NIC in the 1999 Constitution as a superior court of record (following the alteration of the Constitution, necessitated by the N.U.E.E. V BPE case), the Court now has exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate on a wide range of labour matters, industrial relations and application of international best practices such as the standard and principles of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and practices in foreign jurisdictions. It has been argued that the enforceability of collective agreements is in tandem with international best practices, which the NIC can readily give effect to, if it is pleaded and established/ proved as a fact. This has invariability expanded the frontiers of enforceability of such agreements. Therefore, the common law position on the status of collective agreements has been rendered otiose and obsolete, giving way to the sparkling provisions of enforceability guaranteed by the NIC Act and the Constitution respectively. Notwithstanding, it is highly recommended that parties to a collective agreement should expressly state their intention whether or not to be bound; the duration of the agreement should be stated and whether, and when, it should, be reviewed; experts and other stakeholders should be properly consulted before an agreement is entered into; an arbitration clause may be included in case a party breaches its own part of the agreement. Industrial democracy ought to be promoted in all sectors. Strikes and lock outs should be used only as a last resort for enforcing compliance with a collective agreement, because these industrial actions cause devastating effects on the economy and on the lives of the citizenry generally.

Advancing technology has caused rapid and dramatic changes in the world of work. Labour law systems grounded in the industrial era, with their emphasis on collective bargaining, are not suitable in today’s world of work. Throughout the world, the ‘atypical employee’ is replacing the standard or typical employee whose terms and conditions of employment were generally regulated by collective agreements. Atypical employee’s terms and conditions of employment generally are not regulated by collective agreements. World– wide trends in the decentralisation of collective bargaining, decollectivisation and individualisation of the employment relationship have contributed to a decline in trade union power and influence. Consequently the number of workers covered by collective agreements has decreased. Collective bargaining has been rendered less effective because of the changing the world of work. The South African labour law system places a huge emphasis on collective bargaining, particularly at industry level, for the protection of employee interests. Given these trends in the changing world of work, the appropriateness of this emphasis on industry or central level collective bargaining is questioned. The vacuum left by the inadequacy and inability of trade unions to protect employee interests in a comprehensive manner by means of collective bargaining, needs to be addressed. The following alternative means of protecting employee interests are considered: (i) The socialisation of the law of contract; (ii) the interpretation given to the constitutional right to fair labour practices; and (iii) the role of good corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. These alternative means of addressing legitimate employee interests could play a role in filling the vacuum created by trade union decline. The South African law of contract is capable of bridging the gap between law and justice by the application of the concepts of good faith and public policy, so that employment contracts may take cognisance of employee interests despite the imbalance of power between employer and employee. The protection of worker interests by means of the constitutional right to fair labour practices depends on the judge’s interpretation of what is fair. Implementation of good corporate governance codes can be influential in protecting and promoting employee interests.