The role of the government on industrial relations is very important as it sets the legal framework that industrial relations operates in. Appropriate industrial relations legislation should recognize the requirements of both employers and employee’s. Both the employee and the employer want to profit from each other but are also reliant on each other. This means that the equal bargaining power of employers and workers must be recognized (Peetz, David. 2006). Appropriate industrial relations laws should address any imbalance of power and give both groups an equal degree of control. Appropriate industrial relations should not only allow a mixture of both collective and individual bargaining but also facilitate employee participation in day to day workplace decisions. After all it’s the structure and framework of the employment relationship, which is governed by legislation that leads to good Industrial Relations.
One of the main debates concerning industrial relations in Australia is the method used to organise and manage labour. Although both the current government and the opposition share differing opinions on the current industrial relations laws, most of the issues concern the use of third parties or unions, individualist and collectivist frames of reference and individual vs. collective bargaining. According to Accel-Team, appropriate industrial relations laws are there to protect both parties by protecting the weak (hence minimum wage); outlaw discrimination (race, sex, etc); determine minimum standards of safety, health, hygiene and minimum employment conditions (sick leave, annual leave, etc) to prevent the abuse of power by either party (Accel-team. 2005). If all these areas are addressed in the best interest of both the workers and managers, then this has the potential to lead to good industrial relations.
When considering good industrial relations it is important to note both perspectives of the relationship want different
References: • Accel Team, 2007, Human Resource Management, Available from: http://www.accel-team.com/human_resources/hrm_05.html [6 May 2007] • Alexander, Robyn; Lower, John • Bailyn, Lotte; Fletcher, Joyce K. 2002, Work redesign : theory, practice and possibility,. • Combet. G. 2005, Your Rights at Work, ACTU, Melbourne. • Crosby, Michael, 2002, Working futures : the changing nature of work and employment relations in Australia, Federation Press, xiii, 258 p • Fells, R. E. 1992, The employment relationship, control and strategic choice in the study of industrial relations, Longman Cheshire, xiii, 502 p. • Fox, Carol; Howard, W • Giles, Anthony, 1989, Theories and concepts in comparative industrial relations, Columbia, S.C, xiii, 268 p. • Lansbury, Russell; Macdonald, Duncan, 1999, Workplace reform and enterprise bargaining : issues, cases, trends, 451 p. 2nd ed • Peetz, David, 2006, Brave new workplace: how individual contracts are changing our jobs, x, 262 p. • Plowman, David H.1999, Researching industrial relations, Federation Press, xii, 201 p. 2nd ed. • Teicher, J., 2006, Employee relations management :Australia in a global context, 2nd ed. • Todd T. 2007, Foundations of Industrial Relations, University of Western Australia, Crawley, April 2007.