Australian industrial relations in 2018: Inequality, policy stagnation and a brewing storm

Abstract

This article introduces the Journal of Industrial Relations' Annual Review of Industrial Relations in 2018. Providing an overview of the other articles contained in the Annual Review issue, this article discusses industrial relations policy stagnation, and manoeuvring for change from both employer and employee representatives. With leadership uncertainty and change within the federal government, it has been a quiet year for industrial relations reform, although some key decisions from courts and tribunals are examined and some states’ return to private sector regulation noted. A number of questions are raised regarding potential for reform in 2019 and for how to conceptualise industrial relations change.

Meeting in the Middle

“…This, in combination with the electoral damage caused by WorkChoices in 2010, explains why the Coalition has been largely unsuccessful in attempts to alter the Fair Work framework since its reelection in 2013. The main changes instituted have not been gamechanging in any sense (Wright 2018;Clibborn 2019), especially when viewed from the perspective of minimum labour standards. A partial exception, which indeed is beneficial rather than detrimental to social protection, is the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers Act) of 2017, which extended employer liability provisions imposed upon franchisors and holding companies in cases of wage theft.…”

Australian industrial relations in 2020: COVID-19, crisis and opportunity

“…The pandemic altered the labour market in profound ways that demanded swift The journal's review of industrial relations in 2018 noted fundamental challenges to Australia's industrial relations system that contributed to unaddressed inequality. Considering the policy stagnation of that time and anticipation of change in the following year, it was an open question whether future reforms would boldly address those underlying challenges to social cohesion or whether there would be continued swings of the industrial relations pendulum simply favouring particular actors' interests (Clibborn, 2019a). Last year's Annual Review posed a question specific to one of those major challenges: 'Will the Australian Government implement a research-based, well-resourced policy to substantively address employer non-compliance with minimum wage laws, or will criminalising wage theft merely provide distraction from a continued liberalisation agenda?'…”