Troy Sarina

Industrial Legislation in 2005

The federal government’s WorkChoices reforms - finally passed by both houses of Parliament in December 2005 - dominated legislative development in the industrial relations field in 2005. This report digests the main features of the extensive changes wrought by this legislation, including the ‘hostile takeover’ of the State systems, the establishment of a new wage-fixing body, changes to workplace bargaining, more draconian controls on industrial action, and the changes to unfair dismissal protection. A constitutional challenge to this legislation has been lodged by several State governments. The outcome of this challenge will not be known for some time.

Mutual gains or mutual losses? Organisational fragmentation and employment relations outcomes at Qantas Group

While previous studies indicate the commercial benefits for airlines from either ‘high road’ or ‘low road’ employment relations approaches, there is limited evidence of success among organisations utilising a ‘hybrid’ model involving differentiated arrangements with different workforce segments. In analysing the processes and outcomes associated with strategic change at Qantas Group, this article examines the reasons why organisations adopt hybrid employment relations arrangements and the outcomes associated with this approach. Drawing upon the strategic negotiations and employment subsystems frameworks, we find that hybrid strategies emerge under the influence of product market pressures and institutional forces. In the Qantas Group case, these factors combined to inhibit the capacity of management to pursue either low road or high road strategies, resulting in differentiated and fragmented arrangements. The case highlights the potential risks of hybrid employment relations strategies for worker commitment, workplace conflict and organisational performance, with implications for human resource management scholarship and practice.

Industrial Legislation in 2006

The complete overhaul of Australian labour laws by the federal governments Work Choices revisions continued to dominate debate and legislative activity throughout 2006. This article first considers some of the legislative and non-legislative regulatory responses of the State governments, and then outlines the implications of the new federal Independent Contractors legislation. Some late fine-tuning of the post-Work Choices, Workplace Relations Act to address problems identified in its first six months of operation is also noted.

The Challenges of a Representation Gap: Australian Experiments in Promoting Industrial Citizenship

This paper examines the concept of industrial citizenship and explores how collective bargaining laws have been used in Australia in an attempt to enhance worker participation. Utilizing negotiation theory, this paper argues that there is a high level of convergence between a mutual gains approach to negotiation and legislated codes of collective bargaining based on principles of good faith. In conclusion this paper suggests that establishing a legal framework of collective bargaining that incorporates a mutual gains approach to negotiating remains an important foundation for shaping the way institutional actors interact with each other.

The Role of Exploratory Practice and International Collaboration in the University Classroom: A Guide to Fostering Students’ Democratic Competences

Currently, there is a renewed focus on enhancing the capacity of individuals to have positive interactions with others as well as the institutions which govern society. This chapter describes how the fusion of pedagogical knowledge, expertise and shared practice enabled two educators, one working at an Australian university and the other working at a Turkish university, to create opportunities to activate, guide and strengthen learners’ democratic participation and competences in the classroom. In providing this analysis, the nature and value of Exploratory Practice and international collaboration are critically examined through the lens of third space theory which was found to be an important conceptual frame for navigating this process. In conclusion, this chapter evaluates the key elements of Exploratory Practice which can be used to enable educators to foster a democratic space within their classroom. In doing so, this work also identifies how adopting this pedagogical approach can transcend cultural differences to deliver a more dynamic and engaging learning space.

Enhancing Knowledge Management (KM) in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era: The Role of Human Resource Systems

As organisations encounter an era of rapid technological change and intensifying competition, this chapter unpacks the notion of organisational knowledge and how it remains a crucial resource enabling organisations to establish a competitive advantage. In doing so, the concept of knowledge management is explored to identify the main repositories of knowledge within an organisation and how the human resource (HR) function can access and coordinate the flow of genuine ‘know-how’ required for innovation. This chapter offers a conceptual frame that identifies a series of organisational enablers that the HR function needs to coordinate, develop and promote effectively in order for organisations to share and generate new knowledge.

Flying high and low? Strategic choice and employment relations in Qantas and Jetstar

This paper examines the strategic choices made by Qantas Airways, a full-cost legacy airline, and its low-cost carrier, Jetstar, regarding employment relations in the context of increasingly competitive market pressures. Initially these airlines pursued divergent employment relations strategies. As the external environment became more turbulent, these employment strategies began to converge. Both airlines have adopted a hybrid approach to employment relations which is crucial in determining whether the Qantas group can survive the current turbulence in the aviation industry which threatens to the long-term viability of the airline. This research identifies the strategic role that employment relation strategies play in establishing a sustainable business model for airlines that are comprised of both a legacy and low-cost airline.