Abstract

Citations (1)

Beta

Download | Share | Email | Add to Briefcase | Buy Hard Copy

Smothering the Right to Strike: Work Choices and Industrial Action

Shae McCrystal
University of Sydney - Faculty of Law

Australian Journal of Labour Law, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 198-209, 2006
Sydney Law School Research Paper No. 08/03

Abstract:
This article examines the recent changes to the federal legal regime that controls the taking of protected industrial action in Australia. It considers the impact of both the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act 2005 (Cth) and the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005 (Cth). The article provides an overview of the restrictions now faced by federal system employees and unions that wish to engage in protected industrial action. This includes the imposition of secret ballots, restrictions on the level and content of bargaining and the removal of the discretion of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in decision making. The article concludes that the Work Choices changes represent the most fundamental attack on the right to strike in Australia since its introduction in 1993, smothering the ability of employees and trade unions to take strike action in support of free collective bargaining.

Keywords: Right to Strike, Work Choices, Secret Ballots, Protected Industrial Action, Sanctions

JEL Classifications: K10, K31, J50,J51, J52, J53

Accepted Paper Series

Date posted: January 02, 2008 ; Last revised: January 02, 2008

Suggested Citation

McCrystal, Shae, Smothering the Right to Strike: Work Choices and Industrial Action. Australian Journal of Labour Law, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 198-209, 2006; Sydney Law School Research Paper No. 08/03. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1079885

Export to: Export Citation What's this?

Contact Information

Shae McCrystal (Contact Author)

University of Sydney - Faculty of Law ( email )

Faculty of Law Building, F10
The University of Sydney
Sydney, NSW 2006
Australia