framework to adapt over the longer term to issues arising due to structural adjustments and changes in the global economy.” Fine words. A long list of aspects to be examined follows, among them productivity, something that has been declining in the last 20 years while executive salary packages have skyrocketed! Remarkably, the PC does provide evidence that industrial action has been declining considerably after the introduction of enterprise bargaining (1993), a first small step towards workplace democracy. Surely, the need for the participation by employees is to be taken much more seriously than has been done in the past. It is a far more important issue than most of the others to be examined now. As far as I could determine the PC has never researched these aspects of workplace relations. Why not I ask. “As typically measured (days lost per 1000 workers), industrial action is now very uncommon (figure 3.1). In part, this is likely to reflect changes in WR arrangements, such as the emergence of enterprise bargaining processes where industrial action is only protected once the negotiation of a new agreement has commenced. Changes in industry structure, increased competitive pressures on businesses and lower rates of union membership may also have contributed to lower rates of industrial action” Figure 3.1 Industrial disputes have been declining 1985 to 2013 Data source: ABS, Industrial Disputes, Australia, Cat. No. 6321.0.55.001. Workplace democracy not an issue? It is heartening that the PC has been asked to study industrial relations in OECD countries. We have to go back to the ACTU/TDC mission to five European countries that resulted in the remarkable Australia Reconstructed Report (1986).
framework to adapt over the longer term to issues arising due to structural adjustments and changes in the global economy.” Fine words. A long list of aspects to be examined follows, among them productivity, something that has been declining in the last 20 years while executive salary packages have skyrocketed! Remarkably, the PC does provide evidence that industrial action has been declining considerably after the introduction of enterprise bargaining (1993), a first small step towards workplace democracy. Surely, the need for the participation by employees is to be taken much more seriously than has been done in the past. It is a far more important issue than most of the others to be examined now. As far as I could determine the PC has never researched these aspects of workplace relations. Why not I ask. “As typically measured (days lost per 1000 workers), industrial action is now very uncommon (figure 3.1). In part, this is likely to reflect changes in WR arrangements, such as the emergence of enterprise bargaining processes where industrial action is only protected once the negotiation of a new agreement has commenced. Changes in industry structure, increased competitive pressures on businesses and lower rates of union membership may also have contributed to lower rates of industrial action” Figure 3.1 Industrial disputes have been declining 1985 to 2013 Data source: ABS, Industrial Disputes, Australia, Cat. No. 6321.0.55.001. Workplace democracy not an issue? It is heartening that the PC has been asked to study industrial relations in OECD countries. We have to go back to the ACTU/TDC mission to five European countries that resulted in the remarkable Australia Reconstructed Report (1986).
sub0002-workplace-relations.docx