Assessing work stressors, union support, job satisfaction and safety outcomes in the mining environment

Abstract

The mining environment is one of the largest contributors to the South African economy and provides employment and a livelihood to many South African households. However; the mining environment is one of the most hazardous and production-driven environments in South Africa and worldwide, often leaving households without their primary provider, as a result of accidents. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between work stressors, job insecurity, union support, job satisfaction and safety motivation and -behaviour, also to determine whether the levels of job satisfaction mediate the relationship between work stressors, job insecurity, union support and safety motivation and -behaviour. The role conflict scale (Rizzo, House, & Lirtzman, 1970), role overload (qualitative and quantitative) scale (Beehr, Walsh, & Taber, 1976; Sverke, Hellgren, & Öhrming, 1999), job insecurity scale (Hellgren, Sverke, & Isaksson, 1999), union support scale (Shore, Tetrick, Sinclair, & Newton, 1994), job satisfaction scale (Hellgren, Sjöberg & Sverke, 1997), safety motivation scale (Neal, Griffin, & Hart, 2000), safety behaviour scale (Neal et al., 2000) and a biographical questionnaire were administered to employees (N = 260) from the mining industry. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised. The scales demonstrated acceptable levels of internal consistency. Increased levels of work stressors and job insecurity were found to be associated with decreased levels of job satisfaction. Also, increased levels of perceived union support were associated with increased levels of job satisfaction and safety motivation and -behaviour. Finally, it was found that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between union support and safety motivation and -behaviour. Recommendations were made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research.