Unit Outline*

IREL8412 / IREL8612

Employment Relations / Industrial Relations

Semester 1, 2011 Crawley

Professor Trish Todd

Business School

www.business.uwa.edu.au

* This Unit Outline should be read in conjunction with the Business School Unit Outline Supplement available on the Current Students web site http://www.business.uwa.edu.au/students

2

IREL8412/8612/Crawley/PT/12.12.10

All material reproduced herein has been copied in accordance with and pursuant to a statutory licence administered by Copyright Agency Limited (CAL), granted to the University of Western Australia pursuant to Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Copying of this material by students, except for fair dealing purposes under the Copyright Act, is prohibited. For the purposes of this fair dealing exception, students should be aware that the rule allowing copying, for fair dealing purposes, of 10% of the work, or one chapter/article, applies to the original work from which the excerpt in this course material was taken, and not to the course material itself.

© The University of Western Australia 2011

3

UNIT DESCRIPTION

Introduction

Welcome to the study of Employment Relations. Your lecturer, Trish Todd, - BA (Hons), MEc (Hons) (Sydney), PhD (Newcastle) - is Professor of Employment Relations and also Director of Undergraduate Programs within the UWA Business School. Her recent research has focused on employer responses to changes in the Australian IR regulatory system, work/life balance, and the gender pay gap.

Unit content

This unit seeks to introduce students to foundational concepts of employment relations, within the context of the Australian employment relations system. This will provide the basis for more advanced level study of employment relations. Core questions such as 'what is employment relations?’ 'why is employment relations good in some companies but not in others?' and 'indeed, what is 'good' employment relations - from the perspective of the worker? the manager? the government?' will be addressed. In addition, students will consider the nature of work, the relationship between employer and employee, the role of management, the role of trade unions, as well as exploring areas of conflict and co-operation. These concepts are fundamental to an understanding of employment relations both at the workplace and at the broader national level within any country.

The goal of the unit

The unit will also provide students with a basic introduction to the workings of the Australian employment relations system. Students will learn about the formal institutions as well as examining contemporary employment relations policies and issues. International students will be encouraged to apply their learning about employment relations concepts to their home country context, should they so prefer.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit, you should be able to: • Describe the interests of workers, unions, managers, employers and the state within the workplace and the broader environment. • Understand the complexity of the relationship between employer and employee. • Analyse the factors which create the dynamics of the employment relationship. • Understand the logic of collective action by employers and employees. • Know how employer associations and unions perform their roles. • Understand the reasons why governments take an interest in workplace relations and what institutions they create to regulate employment relations issues. • Understand the concepts of control and consent in the workplace. • Understand the factors which lead to cooperation or conflict in the workplace and finally • Will be able to apply all the above to practical contexts and issues and to participate in contemporary debates about the nature of regulation in the Australian employment relations system.

Educational principles and graduate attributes

In this unit, you will be developing excellent analytical and communication skills through your weekly preparation work, participation in small group discussions in class and completion of assignments.

4

TEACHING AND LEARNING RESPONSIBILITIES

Teaching and learning strategies

Learning in the unit focuses around one three-hour seminar each week; the seminars will be a combination of lecturing and group discussion. The formal classes, however, are only one part of your learning. Your reading, weekly preparatory work, and completion of assessment exercises will contribute to your understanding of the subject.

Teaching and learning evaluation

You may be asked to complete two evaluations during this unit. The Student Perception of Teaching (SPOT) and the Students’ Unit Reflective Feedback (SURF). The SPOT is optional and is an evaluation of the lecturer and the unit. The SURF is completed online and is a university wide survey and deals only with the unit. You will receive an email from the SURF office inviting you to complete the SURF when it is activated. We encourage you to complete the forms as your feedback is extremely important and can be used to make changes to the unit or lecturing style when appropriate.

Attendance

Participation in class, whether it be listening to a lecture or getting involved in other activities, is an important part of the learning process, therefore it is important that you attend classes. More formally, the University regulations state that ‘to complete a course or unit students shall attend prescribed classes, lectures, seminars and tutorials’. Where a student, due to exceptional circumstances, is unable to attend a scheduled class, they are required to obtain prior approval of the unit coordinator to be absent from that class. Any student absent from class without having had such absence approved by the unit coordinator may be referred to the faculty for advice and may be required to withdraw from the unit.

CONTACT DETAILS

We strongly advise students to regularly access their student email accounts. Important information regarding the unit is often communicated by email and will not be automatically forwarded to private email addresses.

Unit coordinator/lecturer

Name: Professor Trish Todd

Email: Trish.todd@uwa.edu.au

Phone: 6488 2881

Consultation hours: Please email to arrange a time

Lecture times: Monday 5.00pm – 8.00pm

Lecture venue: BUSN: 201

5

TEXTBOOK(S) AND RESOURCES

Recommended/required text(s)

Bray, M.; Waring, P. & Cooper, R (2009) Employment Relations: Theory and Practice, North Ryde, NSW, McGraw-Hill.

Additional resources & reading material

Copies of the articles listed in each week’s readings will be available electronically through Course Materials Online (see the Library website) while the books will be located in the Reserve section of the Business Library. Employment relations is not only an academic subject, it is a practical one. It will be helpful to read items about employment relations in the newspapers in order to get a ‘feel’ for the subject. You may also find the following employment relations/industrial relations texts useful to refer to during your studies: Waring, P. and M. Bray (eds) (2006) Evolving Employment Relations: Industry Profiles from Australia, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde. Teicher, J., Holland, P. and R. Gough (eds) (2006) Employee Relations Management 2nd ed, Frenchs Forest, NSW, Pearson. Balnave, N.; Brown, J.; Maconachie, G. and R. Stone (2009) Employment Relations in Australia, 2nd ed. John Wiley and Sons, Queensland. Sappey, R.; Burgess, J.; Lyons, M. and Buultjens, J. (2009) Industrial Relations in Australia, 2nd edn, Pearson, Frenchs Forest. The Journal of Industrial Relations, Annual Reviews Edition, 2010, 52(3). Watson, I.; J. Buchanan, I. Campbell and C. Briggs (2003), Fragmented Futures: New Challenges in Working Life, Federation Press, Sydney. Isaac, J. and Lansbury, R. (eds) (2005) Labour Market Deregulation: Rewriting the Rules, Sydney, Federation Press. Fox, C., Howard, W. and Pittard, M. (1995) Industrial Relations in Australia, Melbourne, Longman.

Journals Library call numbers of the most relevant journals are around 300-331. HRM journals are around 658. Sociology journals (which may contain articles on issues related to work and employment) are around 303-306. Journals relevant to employment relations include: • Journal of Industrial Relations • Labour and Industry • British Journal of Industrial Relations • New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations • Economic and Labour Relations Review • Economic and Industrial Democracy • Relations Industrielles • Industrial Relations Journal

6

• Work, Employment and Society • Industrial Relations • Industrial and Labor Relations Review • International Journal of Employment Studies • Australian Bulletin of Labour • Labour History • Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources

Electronic Resources The WA IR Society has an excellent list of websites on their ‘IR links’: http://www.industrialrelations.com.au/ Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand (AIRAANZ) http://www.airaanz.org/ (check conference proceedings link for many useful articles)

7

UNIT SCHEDULE

Week # Date Topic

1 28 Feb Introduction to the unit; What is Employment

Relations?

2 7 March

Theoretical approaches; Overview of Australian ER

3 14 March

Work and Employment

4 21 March

Employment relations: dimensions (1)

5 28 March

Employment relations: dimensions (2)

6 4 April

Management

7 11 April

Dynamics of the Employment Relationship

8

18 April Role of the State

Non-teaching study break

9 2 May

Unions

10 9 May

Employee participation

11 16 May

Bargaining

12 23 May

Industrial conflict

13 30 May

Contemporary Issues

8

Seminar 1 – 28 February 2011

Introduction and What is Employment Relations? The introductory seminar will provide an overview of the course, focusing on the themes and issues which will be explored during the semester. I will also be seeking to find out more about the students in the unit to ensure that the course meets your interests as much as is possible. I am keen to encourage students with work experience in ER to relate this to the unit. This might take the form of presentations on your experience or identifying particular topics which you wish to discuss or explore further. Reading Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) ch.1 Introduction

• to the seminar group • unit outline, course expectations • assessments • conduct of seminars

Topics for discussion 1. What is ER? 2. What would good ER look like? 3. How does ER impact upon the efficiency and equity of companies and nations? 4. Consider the ER within your own workplace (or if you are not currently in employment consider past workplaces or think more generally about workplaces): what are the challenges and/or impediments in terms of ER? Opportunities for improvement? Examples of good ER? Strategies for improving ER within your own organisation? 5. Case study: Working Life at MailCo, Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) pp.16-18.

9

Seminar 2 – 7 March 2011

Theoretical Approaches, Overview of Contemporary Australian Employment Relations

This seminar will cover two large areas which will be important introductory material for your study of ER. Firstly, we will learn about the differing theoretical perspectives in ER. This will then be followed by a brief overview of developments in contemporary Australian ER. Preparatory Work 1.Compare and contrast the main features of the unitarist, pluralist and radical perspectives. Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) ch.3 and pp.278-288. Cooper, R. (2010) ‘The ‘New’ Industrial Relations and International Economic Crisis: Australia in 2009’, The Journal of Industrial Relations 52(3), pp.261-274. Class Discussion 1. Why do we need to understand the different theoretical perspectives? 2. Provide examples of ER practitioners who adopt each of the ideological perspectives in their interpretation of conflict at work or in their approach to the relationship between management and employees. 3. Consider developments in contemporary Australian ER. Additional Readings Van Wanrooy, B.; Wright, S.; Buchanan, J.; Baldwin, S. and S. Wilson (2009) Australia at Work: In a Changing World, Workplace Research Centre, University of Sydney. Gollan, P. J. (2009) ‘Australian industrial relations reform in perspective: Beyond Work Choices and future prospects under the Fair Work Act 2009’, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources 47: 260-269. Balnave, N.; Brown, J.; Maconachie, G. and R. Stone (2009) Employment Relations in Australia, 2nd ed. John Wiley and Sons, Queensland, ch.12. Bray, M. and Underhill, E. (2009) “Industry differences in the neoliberal transformation of Australian industrial relations” Industrial Relations Journal 40(5), pp.372-392.

10

Seminar 3 – 14 March 2011

Work and Employment Preparatory Work 1. (a) What have been the characteristics of the standard employment relationship (SER)? (b) How has the SER benefited employees, employers and society? How and why has it changed? Complete 2 or 3 2. (a) Why has p/t employment in Australia grown? (b) List the advantages and disadvantages of p/t employment for (i) employees and (ii) employers. c) Is the level of p/t employment in Australia a problem? (d)How might the problems associated with p/t employment be addressed? 3. (a) What is the profile of people working unpaid overtime? (b) Why are employees working unpaid overtime? c) Is it a problem that “Australians work the longest hours in the western world”? Explain your answer. (d) How might the long hours issue be reformed? Readings Bosch, G. (2004) “Towards a New Standard Employment Relationship in Western Europe”, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 42(4), pp.617-636.

Either Extract from Industrial Relations Victoria (2005) Quality Part-Time Work: Working Better for Everyone, A Report from the Quality Part-Time Work project, pp.1-2, 34-73.

Or Fear, J. and Denniss, R. (2009) Something for Nothing: Unpaid overtime in Australia, Policy Brief No. 7, November, The Australia Institute. Class Discussion 1. Complete the work experience questionnaire (next 2 pages). 2. What shapes our experience of work and employment? Why is work so important for who we are? 2. Discussion of your answers relating to preparatory work. Additional Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) pp.93-96 Watson, Tony J. (2008) Sociology, Work and Industry, 5th ed. Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge; chs 3 & 7 Pocock, B. (2009) “Meaningful Work in the 21st Century: what makes good jobs good, and what gives them their occasional dark sides”, Foenander Public Lecture, The University of Melbourne, 21 October. Labour and Industry Vol.17 (3) April 2007, Special Edition on working time. Pocock, B., Buchanan, J. and Campbell, I. (2004) Securing Quality Employment: Policy Options for Casual and Part-time Workers in Australia, Chifley Research Centre (www.chifley.org.au)

11

THE EXPERIENCE OF WORK

In the coming weeks you will have exposure to many academic arguments (and political debates) about the employment relationship. The crux of this relationship is work. The purpose of this questionnaire is to get you to focus on the experience of work and so provide a realistic and relevant context for this unit. Instructions: Answer the following questions in note-form. (If you are not in paid employment,

interview someone else, perhaps a relative or friend). Your answers will form the basis of the

group's discussion.

QUESTIONNAIRE

What is your job?

What are the main tasks you perform?

Is your work challenging? boring? repetitive? fun? How would you describe it?

Do you have friends at work? In what ways do you interact with other employees at your place of

work?

What is your boss like? Would you like to be the boss?

12

What sort of things does your boss tell you to do?

How important are time and other schedules or routines in your job?

Comment on the size of the organisation for which you work (e.g. does it have more than one

workplace? approx how many employees?)

Comment on the management structure (e.g. very bureaucratic, not many layers)

What do you like most/least about your job?

What other activities do you have to fit into your life? Do you fit these things around work, or

vice versa?

13

Seminar 4 – 21 March 2011

Employment relations: dimensions (1) Preparatory Work 1. How can economic frameworks assist us in interpreting the economic dimension of the employment relationship? 2. How do wider social and cultural factors and work group factors, influence the employment relationship? Readings Dufty, N.F. and Fells, R.E. (1989) The Dynamics of Industrial Relations in Australia Sydney, Prentice Hall., ch 1 - an overview Bray, Waring and Cooper (2009), pp.73-96. Class Discussion 1. What has been the impact of the Global Financial Crisis upon employment relations? 2. How has the composition of the labour market been changing in Australia over the past few decades? What is the impact of these changes upon employers and employees? 3. Evaluate the sources of power for each party as revealed via the economic and social dimensions. 4. Identify the impact of each of the economic and social dimensions upon your employment relationship or, if you are not currently employed, upon the hypothetical employment of you as a miner in the Pilbara in WA. 5. Work Story in Bray, Waring and Cooper (2009) p.91. Additional Readings Preston, A. and Jefferson, T. (2010) “Labour Markets and Wages in Australia in 2009”, The Journal of Industrial Relations, 52(3): 335-354. Whitfield, K. (1987) The Australian Labour Market: Issues, Policies and Perspectives, Sydney, Harper and Row., pp 18-31 - economics. Hill, S. (1974) 'Norms, Groups and Power: The Sociology of Workplace Industrial Relations’ British Journal of Industrial Relations, 12, pp.213-235. - social context - a workplace analysis of norms, groups, power Westcott, M.; Baird, M. and Cooper, R. (2006) “Reworking Work: Dependency and Choice in the Employment Relationship”, Labour and Industry 17(1) pp.5-17 – economics and social

14

Seminar 5 – 28 March 2011

Employment relations: dimensions (11) Preparatory Work 1. What are the legal issues impinging on the employment relationship? 2. What were the main changes introduced by (a) WorkChoices and (b) the Fair Work Act? 3. Research: find some material to contribute to the discussion of question 4 or 5 below. Readings Dufty, N.F. and Fells, R.E. (1989) The Dynamics of Industrial Relations in Australia Sydney, Prentice Hall., ch 1 - an overview Bray, Waring and Cooper (2009) pp.282-292; the supplement Advances in Australian Employment Relations Class Discussion 1. How does the legal dimension influence the power of each party in the workplace? 2. Identify the impact of the legal dimension upon your employment relationship. 3. How dominant is the law in shaping the employment relationship compared with economic and social factors? 4. Consider the employers’ reactions to WorkChoices and the Fair Work Act. 5. Consider the employees/unions’ reactions to WorkChoices and the Fair Work Act. Additional Readings McCallum, R. (2002) "Legal Aspects of the Changing Social Contract at Work" in Callus, R. and Lansbury, R. (eds), Working Futures, Sydney, Federation Press. Creighton, B. and Stewart, A. (2010) Labour Law, 5th edition, The Federation Press, Sydney. Sappey, R.; Burgess, J.; Lyons, M. and Buultjens, J. (2009) Industrial Relations in Australia, 2nd edn, Pearson, Frenchs Forest, ch.7. Sutherland, C. and Riley, J. (2010) ‘Industrial Legislation in 2009’, The Journal of Industrial Relations, 52(3), pp.275-288. Gollan, P. J. (2009) ‘Australian industrial relations reform in perspective: Beyond Work Choices and future prospects under the Fair Work Act 2009’, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources 47: 260-269.

15

Seminar 6 – 4 April 2011

Management Mini-Test Preparatory Work for Seminar 1. What is the role of management? 2. Outline the different types of managerial control strategies as developed by Braverman, Friedman and Edwards. 3. Describe the impact of business strategies on employment relations practices. Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) ch.6. Bamber, G.J.; Hoffer Gittell, J.; Kochan, T. A. and A. von Nordenflycht (2009) “Contrasting Management and Employment-Relations Strategies in European Airlines”, The Journal of Industrial Relations, 51(5): 635-652. Class Discussion 1. How should management ‘manage’ labour? What are the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ attributes and qualities of a manager or management styles? 2. Do you think that organisational decisions in ER are driven by competitive business strategies? 3. “Good business strategies and good managerial practices will result in a successful organization”. Do you agree? 4. What are the main ER issues facing management today? 5. Work Stories in Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) pp.167 & 171.

Additional Readings Todd, P. (2011) ‘Employer and Employer Association Matters in 2010’, The Journal of Industrial Relations 53(3), forthcoming.

16

Seminar 7 – 11 April 2011

Dynamics of the Employment Relationship Preparatory Work 1. Define the term "frontier of control" and provide an example to illustrate it. 2. How do the parties act and react to make the employment relationship work? 3. Explain why there has been the shift towards individualism in labour/management relations. 4. Compare how the drive to decollectivise and individualise employment relations played out differently across industries in Australia. What factors influenced the outcome? Readings Fells, R.E. (1992) ‘The employment relationship, control and strategic choice in the study of industrial relations’ in Dabscheck, B., Griffin, G. and Teicher, J. (eds.) Contemporary Australian Industrial Relations, Melbourne, Longman Cheshire, pp.3-23. Bray, M. and Underhill, E. (2009) “Industry differences in the neoliberal transformation of Australian industrial relations” Industrial Relations Journal 40(5), pp.372-392. Class Discussion 1. What are the characteristics of individualised employment arrangements and collective employment arrangements? 2. Are there differences between the theory and practice of collective employment relations? If so, what are they? Are there differences between the theory and practice of individualised employment relations? If so, what are they? 3. Australian ER has become very divided over ‘individualism Vs collectivism’ with each of the main political and industrial parties advocating a different philosophy. How has the State changed the terrain of ER in terms of individualism and collectivism? Does the Fair Work Act provide a way that enables greater consensus? Additional Readings Todd, P.; D. Caspersz and M. Sutherland (2006) “Employers' Choices in Workplace Regulation: Individual Agreements” The Journal of Industrial Relations, 48 (4) pp.507-521.

Deery, S. and Mitchell R. (1999) “The Emergence of Individualisation and Union Exclusion as an Employment Relations Strategy” in Mitchell, R. and Deery, S. (eds), Employment Relations: Individualisation and Union Exclusion, Sydney, The Federation Press. Peetz, D. (2006) Brave New Workplace, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest, pp.48-84.

17

Seminar 8 – 18 April 2011

The State Preparatory Work 1. In what ways does the State impact on ER? 2. What are the implications of privatisation and the contracting-out of public services for ER? 3. Prepare answers to the 3 questions on the Work Story p.142 Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009). Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) ch.5. Teicher, J., Holland, P. and R. Gough (eds) (2006) Employee Relations Management 2nd ed, Frenchs Forest, NSW, Pearson, ch. 7. Discussion 1. Why does the State intervene in ER? Should the State play a role in ER? Is it possible for it to play no role? 2. Whose interests does the State represent? 3. What should the State's goals be in determining ER policy and practice? 4. How did the role of the state in Australian ER change under (a) the Howard Government? and (b) the Rudd Government? Additional Readings Keenoy, T. and Kelly, D. (1998) The Employment Relationship in Australia, 2nd ed'n, Harcourt Brace, Sydney, chs. 4 & 5. Giles, A. (1989) "Industrial Relations Theory, The State, and Politics" in Barbash, J. and Barbash, K. (eds) Theories and Concepts in Comparative Industrial Relations, University of South Carolina Press. Fairbrother, P. and MacDonald, D. (1999) "The role of the state and Australian public sector industrial relations: Depoliticisation and direct intervention" in New Zealand Journal of Industrial Relations, 24(3), pp. 343-363. Fairbrother, P., Svenson, S. and Teicher, J. (1997) 'The Withering Away of the Australian State: Privatisation and its Implications for Labour" in Labour and Industry, 8(2), pp.1-29. Macdonald, D. (1998) “Public Sector Industrial Relations Under the Howard Government” in Labour and Industry, 9(2), pp.43-59.

18

Seminar 9 – 02 May 2011

Unions Preparatory Work 1. What is the role of unions? (Apart from the readings, have a look at the websites of the peak Australian and Singaporean union bodies (http://www.actu.asn.au and http://www.ntuc.org.sg/). Compare the role of the union movements in these two countries as reflected in their websites. 2. What factors contributed to the decline in union membership in Australia? Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper(2009) ch.7 Lesch, H. (2004) ‘Trade Union Density in International Comparison’ CESifo Forum, 5(4), pp. 12-18. Crosby, M. (2002) 'Down with the dictator: the role of trade unions in the future' in Working Futures, R. Callus and R. Lansbury, (eds),Sydney, Federation Press Class Discussion 1. Why do employees join unions and what do they expect to achieve from union membership? 2. What causes members to leave unions? 3. Are unions relevant today? What are the main issues concerning unions today? 4. What is the way forward for unions? If so, what role should they play? Will the Fair Work Act result in growth in union density? 5. E.R. News Debriefs in Bray, Waring and Cooper (2009) pp.196 and 198. Additional Readings Hyman, R. (2002) "The Future of Unions", Just Labour, vol.1, pp7-15. Brigden, C (2010) “Unions and Collective Bargaining in 2009”, The Journal of Industrial Relations, 52(3), pp.321-334. Cooper, R. (2005) “Life in the Old Dog Yet? ‘Deregulation’ and Trade Unionism in Australia” in Isaac, J. and Lansbury, R. (eds) (2005) Labour Market Deregulation: Rewritingthe Rules, Sydney, Federation Press. Stirling, J. (2005) “There’s a new world somewhere: The rediscovery of trade unionism” in Capital and Class, 87, PP.43-63.

19

Seminar 10 – 9 May 2011

Employee participation Preparatory Work 1. What does employee participation mean? 2. What outcomes are employees, managers and the state seeking with employee participation programs? 3. How might the State influence non-union employee representation? 4. Outline the main features of the German, French and European Works Councils. What are the main lessons drawn by Bray et al from the European experience of Works Councils? Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper(2009) ch.8 Bray, M., Le Queux, S., Waring, P. & MacDonald, D. (2001) Works Councils: The Overseas Experience and Lessons for Australia, Employment Studies Centre Discussion Paper, University of Newcastle. Class Discussion 1. What factors appear to be associated with successful employee participation programs? (Perhaps begin by defining a 'successful' employee participation program). 2. What are the pros and cons for management of employee participation schemes? 3. Why might participative practices lead to adverse outcomes for employees? 4. Can employee participation programs fill the 'representation gap' in workplaces which are not unionised? Are representative forms of participation a threat to the unions' role in the workplace? 5. Read the Case study in Bray, Waring and Cooper (2009) pp. 256-257) and discuss the 3 questions raised as ‘issues for debate’.

20

Seminar 11 - 16 May 2011

Bargaining Structures, Processes and Outcomes Preparatory Work 1. Define each of the dimensions of bargaining. 2. What is managerial prerogative? How do the state and unions impact on managerial prerogative? 3. Consider the impact of the WorkChoices and Fair Work legislation upon the bargaining structures and processes. 4. Describe how awards provide a safety net for employees in Australia. Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper(2009) ch.10 Van Wanrooy, B.; Wright, S. and J. Buchanan (2009) Who Bargains? A report prepared for the NSW Office of Industrial Relations by the Workplace Research Centre, The University of Sydney. Available at http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au/pdfs/Who_Bargains_Report.pdf Class Discussion 1. What are the arguments for and against each of enterprise level bargaining, industry level bargaining, centralised level bargaining from the perspectives of labour and management? bargaining? 2. How are wages and conditions determined in your workplace? Obtain a copy of your award/agreement. When did you last receive a wage increase? Was this as a result of enterprise bargaining? If not, how was this increase obtained? Were you consulted or involved in any negotiations? 3. How have the changes in bargaining structures in Australia impacted upon low paid employees? 4. How might the bargaining processes impact on gender pay equity? Additional Readings Waring, P. and M. Bray (eds) (2006) Evolving Employment Relations: Industry Profiles from Australia, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde, pp.18-23. Cooper, R. and Ellem, B. (2009) ‘Fair Work and the Re-regulation of Collective Bargaining’, Australian Journal of Labour Law, 22, pp.284-305. Pocock, B., Elton, J., Preston, A., Charlesworth, S., MacDonald, F., Baird, M., Cooper, R., and Ellem, B. (2008) ‘The impact of Work Choices on women in low paid employment in Australia: a qualitative analysis’, The Journal of Industrial Relations, 50(3), pp.475-488. Peetz, D. and A. Preston (2008) “Wages under AWAs and Collective Agreements” in Stanton, P. and S. Young (eds) Workers, Corporations, and Community: Facing Choices for a Sustainable Future, Proceedings of the 22nd AIRAANZ Conference, St Kilda, Melbourne, 6-8 Feb.

21

Seminar 12 – 23 May 2011

Industrial conflict Preparatory Work 1. What forms does industrial conflict take? 2. Why does industrial conflict occur? 3. The firefighters’ dispute case study: -identify the parties involved in the dispute and their goals. -analyse the strategies and tactics of each party. -what were the outcomes for each party?

Readings Bray, Waring, Cooper(2009) ch.11 Blyton, P. and Turnbull, P. (2004) “The firefighters’ strike 2002-3”, in The Dynamics of Employee Relations, 3rd ed., Palgrave MacMillan, pp.317-325. Class Discussion 1. Should we/can we try to eliminate strikes? Why or why not? 2. Should limits be placed on the right of essential service employees to take industrial action? 3. What is management's role in minimising the incidence of industrial conflict? What do unions do to contribute to maintaining industrial peace? 4. Are strikes a problem in Australia? Explain your answer. 5. ER News item in Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) p.350. 6. Work Story item in Bray, Waring, Cooper (2009) p.363.

Seminar 13 – 30 May 2011

Contemporary Issues We will use this final seminar to explore current issues in ER. This may include macro level topics such as the ER reforms which have occurred in Australia and/or micro level topics such as the implementation of worklife balance programs. Further information will be distributed closer to the time as it will be shaped by what happens over the next few months.

22

ASSESSMENT MECHANISM

The purpose of assessment

The assessment exercises provide the opportunity for you to explore and understand the subject more fully. The essay will require you to read more widely around the subject and to then integrate your learning. Similarly, the test and the exam will require you to revise your learning within the unit which in turn will increase your understanding of the subject. All of the assessment components will require you to exercise your analytical and communication skills, whether they be written or oral.

Assessment mechanism summary

IREL8412

Item Weight Due Date Mini-test 15% Mon 4 April (in class) Essay 25% Thurs 5 May Seminar participation 10% Exam 50% To be advised

IREL8612

Item Weight Due Date Mini-test 10% Mon 4 April(in class) Short essay 15% To be discussed Essay 25% Thurs 5 May Seminar participation 10% Exam 40% To be advised

Note 1: Results may be subject to scaling and standardisation under faculty policy and are not

necessarily the sum of the component parts. Note 2: Your assessed work may also be used for quality assurance purposes, such as to assess the

level of achievement of learning outcomes as required for accreditation and audit purposes. The findings may be used to inform changes aimed at improving the quality of Business School programs. All material used for such processes will be treated as confidential, and the outcome will not affect your grade for the unit.

Assessment components

Assessment item # 1 - Mini-Test This test will be held in class to test your knowledge and understanding of the unit content. It will cover the content in Seminars 1 to 5 inclusive. The test will be approximately 20-30 minutes in length and require short answers. It will be held at the commencement of Seminar 6 so please make sure that you are both present and on time. Assessment item # 2 - Essay Topic: (a) “The introduction of the Fair Work Act was a bold attempt to bring about good industrial relations”. Discuss. OR (b)“A country’s government is responsible for bringing about good industrial relations”. Discuss. Length: 2000-2500 words Date due: 12 noon Thursday 5th May 2010

23

There is no set answer to this question, the topic could be dealt with in different ways and if the quality is there the essay could get a High Distinction. Whether or not you agree with the statement is not so important as how you justify your stance. Having said that, please note that I expect your essay to reflect the breadth of your learning in this unit this semester. 'Discuss' means you have to think about and write about the different possibilities before making your own judgement. Content The words in the essay topic suggest what I would expect the essay to cover. (a) What is good industrial relations? (from both perspectives - management, worker) How did the Fair Work Act intend to change Australian industrial relations and was this going to bring about good IR? What is needed to bring about good industrial relations? (b) What is good industrial relations? (from both perspectives - management, worker) What can a government do to help bring about good IR? What is needed to bring about good industrial relations? Who is responsible for it? Research The research aspect of this assignment is the reading that you need to undertake to inform you on the topic before writing your essay. One important research skill is to be able to find the relevant information for yourself (once you're in the workplace your supervisor will not be giving you a reading list when asking you to find out about, for example, the government's work and family policies!). Here are some hints on how to get started: • Try and develop a few headings from this essay handout; this will help to focus your research. • Consider what you have covered within the weekly seminars that are relevant to this essay. (This will help you to keep the essay situated within the context of the unit you are studying). • Use references provided in lectures. Look at reference lists in textbooks or in the articles in your Book of Readings to direct you to new sources. I would expect a minimum of 10 solid academic references. • Use examples to illustrate your points so as to demonstrate your understanding of the issues. Note that this is not the type of essay where you can refer to certain chapters in books for the complete answer. I want you to develop your own thoughts about the issues within the topic, based on the knowledge you have gained from the seminars as well as through your reading. Reading • As you read each article or chapter, paraphrase important points. • After the paraphrase, write out the reference from where you got the idea. (e.g. Brown, 2006, p.16) so as to ensure easy referencing when you're writing the essay. Writing • Plan the structure of your essay so that your points are linked in a coherent line of argument. Checklist • Presentation - is it error free? Have you proof read it? • Content - does it answer the question? • Referencing - correct acknowledgement of all sources? • Conclusion - does it summarize the main arguments presented in the essay?

24

Assessment item # 3 - Seminar participation Students will be assessed on their contribution to the seminars. This contribution will be in terms of regular attendance, good preparation, constructive involvement in discussions and exercises, the presentation and the quality of any written work which is required. As a substantial part of the learning in this unit is focussed around the weekly seminars, attendance at seminars is compulsory. All students are expected to prepare for the seminars each week; I will expect to see students with notes in front of them. How and what should you prepare? Read a minimum of the essential readings set for each week and prepare your notes around questions listed each week. Having done this, you should then be able to participate in the class discussion as well as having developed a comprehensive set of notes for the course. (i.e. relying on lecture notes for your learning for the unit is insufficient.) The following is a guide to the marking criteria for seminar participation: Non-attendance 0 Regular attendance 4 Some productive contributions 5-6 Regular insightful, analytical comments 7-8 Outstanding contributions 8+ Assessment item # 4 - Exam Information on the format of the exam will be provided later in the semester. IREL8612 only Assessment item # 5 - Short Essay This is an essay in which you are applying your conceptual learning to some local statistical data. There are 3 parts to the task: 1. Access ABS6105 Australian Labour Market Statistics (the most up to date release of this catalogue

at www.abs.gov.au) and compare the labour force participation of men and women in Australia e.g. levels of employment, unemployment, under-employment; hours worked; shift work; earnings; industries and occupations.

2. Compare these findings with those of one other country. Identify the source of your material for that country and comment on its reliability.

3. How do the economic and social dimensions of the employment relationship help to understand the outcomes indicated in the data?

Essay length: 1000-1500 words.

Submission of assignments

Submit your assignment in an electronic format by going to the Uniprint web site www.uniprint.uwa.edu.au , then click on “Student Assignments” and follow the instructions. Extensions for essays

Applications for extensions must be submitted to Trish Todd before the written work is due. Extensions will be granted only on medical grounds or in cases of severe hardship.

25

Penalties for Late Submission of Written Work

A penalty system applies for late work. 5% will be deducted for every day a piece of work is late (i.e. if your essay is assessed as being worthy of 65% but was handed in 2 days late, the mark would be reduced to 55%) until such time as the assignments are returned to students, after which outstanding assignments must be submitted to comply with the unit's requirements but will not be marked.

Student Guild

Phone: (+61 8) 6488 2295 Facsimile: (+61 8) 6488 1041 E-mail: enquiries@guild.uwa.edu.au Website: http://www.guild.uwa.edu.au

Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities

The Charter of Student Rights and Responsibilities outlines the fundamental rights and responsibilities of students who undertake their education at UWA (refer http://handbooks.uwa.edu.au/undergraduate/poliproc/policies/StudentRights).

Appeals against academic assessment

The University provides the opportunity for students to lodge an appeal against assessment results and/or progress status (refer http://www.secretariat.uwa.edu.au/home/policies/appeals ).