It is an irony that for most of the 1970s and earlier, the most vocal and strident critics of the Australian centralised and regulated wages system were located well to the ‘Left’ of the industrial relations mainstream. Such critics alleged that the centralised conciliation and arbitration system acted against the interests of unions when seeking to extract the best possible deal from employers.
Thank you for this invitation to talk about a few ideas. In looking at Japan, in looking at the experience of the Japanese economy and the industrial relations system of Japan, it is interesting for an Australian trade union official to think about ‘how did Japan achieve the economic successes that it has over the last three decades?’ and ‘what lessons there might be there that are applicable to Australia?’
For some years now trade unions in New South Wales, and more recently the ACTU, have turned their attention to the possibilities and pitfalls of employee financial participation in the enterprises for which their members work.
Affluence: “union movement has completed its mission – one of the most successful organisations of this century”.
Each generation discovers reasons to support, enliven, scorn, oppose or merely tolerate unionism. An amazing array of opinions exist about unions and their role in Australian life – ranging from the dream that unions exist to build a new Jerusalem to the notion that unions are old-fashioned and expensive hindrances to an efficient economy.
The recent ratification by the Industrial Commission of the 1989 Newcastle Shipbuilding Agreement further strengthens the commitment of the union movement of NSW to win the lion’s share of the $5 billion ANZAC frigate contract for this State.
This paper will discuss the role of the trade union movement in Australia and examine what ends it seeks to realise or might confront.
The week after the Easter break is always dull news time. Some stories that would never get a run get the front-page treatment. Clever media junkies know that it is the right time to inject something startling into the public domain.
This submission to the Green Paper on Industrial Relations in New South Wales comprehensively argues for a number of changes to the New South Wales industrial relations system.
Mr President, distinguished Judges, Conciliation Commissioners, learned Counsel, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honour for me to speak to day on behalf of the Labor Council of New South Wales at this welcoming ceremony to honour the appointments of Judge Hill and Judge Maidment to the Industrial Commission of New South Wales.