Decent Work and Other Industrial Relations Matters - Coursework Example

Running Head: DECENT WORK Decent Work [The Writer’s Name] [The Name of the Institution] Decent Work Introduction The definition of a Decent Work is an association of wage earners who organize for the principle purpose of maintaining or improving conditions of work, hours of labor, length of annual leave or wage rates. They join together as they have more bargaining power in a union than as individuals. This gives them significant right in the labor market and the ability to manipulate it by restricting the supply of labor through strikes and exercising very powerful bargaining power in wage negotiation The differing views of the ‘actors’ in ER (unions, employers, the state) ILO is an exemplary institute bring Governments, Employers and workers closer to one another for the development of decent work in its member countries. Decent Work and Other Industrial Relations Matters Decent Work Unions play an integral part in their industrial relations systems. Decent works have been in existence in Australia since the mid 1850's and have been about unifying workers to campaign for and defend their rights. They can negotiate on behalf of the worker about wages, working hours, holidays or changes to working practices and follow up issues like back pay, overtime and unfair dismissal where the union represents you at the industrial tribunal. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that union members can earn a massive 15.1% more than non-members (ILO, Decent Work, International Labor Office, Geneva, 2000) Also, an individual who takes an employment claim to an industrial tribunal more than doubles their chances of success if represented by a union. Unions can also provide members with support, benefits, financial advice and insurance. Out of numerous wins of Decent Work, the most recent being the 6th May 2003 Minimum Wages case where award workers are presented with a $17.00 per week increase - after tax it is equal to an increase of $15 per week. The new Federal minimum wage of $510.40 per week shows that low paid workers are getting left behind, and Australian society is becoming more unequal. As a society, Govt. needs to decide if decent workers want fair wages, or low-paid, insecure jobs. This is why decent work unions have such a major role to play in supporting the victims of inequality in Australia. Their previous Minimum Wages case, on the 8th of May 2002, saw Australia's 1.7 million low paid workers receive an $18 per week pay rise. This increased the Federal minimum wage from $433.40 per week to $453.40 per week. The people on award wages need these increases to keep up with rising interest rates, pharmacy costs and insurance - they need real wage increases to keep up with Australian standards of living. The ways in which people's voices can be heard is a crucial aspect of decent work. For workers, the classic route to representation and dialogue is through trade union organization, but if decent work is to include work beyond wage labor, it must also encompass other forms of organization, at the community level, for instance, or of the self-employed. The organization of employers is equally important. The institutional framework within which these voices are heard - the framework for collective bargaining or for local level decision-making, for instance - determines to a large extent whether common goals can be identified and agreements reached. It is through social dialogue that widespread support for the other three dimensions of decent work may be built. But as a recent ILO report on this issue shows, there remain major gaps in social dialogue around the world. Strategies to Create Decent Work Decent Work unions need to take drastic measures to revive the movement in Australia. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics illustrate that in the year to August 2002, 69 thousand people dropped out of their unions. Even more disturbing than this is the fact that less than 25% of their entire workforce belongs to a union. Though membership is now rising annually union restructuring still has a long way to go if decent work is going to regain his former power and influence Reasonable Hours case was won on the 23rd of June last year. Our studies showed that long hours and the increasing intensification of work was the overwhelming primary concern of workers. Australia had the second longest working hours in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2006). The Reasonable Hours triumph was a breakthrough for all the Australian employees struggling to balance work and family life. Under the new policies, in the first comprehensive review of working hours in Australia since the National 8-hour Day case in 1947, an employee now has the right to refuse "unreasonable" overtime. Currently, we are campaigning for the introduction of paid maternity leave for all Australian women. As with the Reasonable Hours case, Australia has fallen behind the standards of the OECD, being one of only two countries not to have a paid maternity leave scheme. This is simply not good enough and we must continue our efforts to ensure that no Australian is discriminated against in the workplace. In light of these past successes and how much impact unions have in the Industrial Relations Commission, or even the government, why wouldn't every one want to belong? Firstly, there are some generalized groups of people traditionally for or against the union movement as a whole. Trade union members, women, people who have received higher education and blue collar workers are usually likely to be pro-union whereas men, people with high family incomes or children of supporters of the Coalition tend to be less pro-union. If Australian Institutes adhere to the example set by overseas labor unions, we will have continued support far into the future. We are a fundamental aspect of the labor market in Australia and will continue to promote the cause of victims in the workforce. As long as people have to sell their labor to someone else in order to survive, they will aspire to a measure of dignity, self-expression and democracy at their workplaces and we must not let their cases remain unheard. So we cannot place all our hope of revival in the Labor Government. We must follow our overseas counterparts and reallocate resources in order to strengthen and protect our existing membership, achieve growth and make industrial and social gains. From a combined revenue base of $500 million per year, unions in Australia do not spend enough on growth, spending funds on servicing and bargaining on behalf of existing members. Although it is usual for employers and trade unions to adopt opposite positions on most industrial issues, this is not always the case when it comes to the minimum wage. Employers tend to oppose minimum wages in general, and to resist any increase. Trade unions, however also have opposed minimum wage laws, or at least been indifferent to them. This trade union attitude is explained by the commitment to collective bargaining as a means of determining wages, and, in some countries, a trade union distrust of the state. Where trade unions are relatively strong, and collective bargaining is widespread, unions see little value in a minimum wage. Thus, we find no minimum wage in Sweden, Germany or Norway. Even in countries such as Italy, where unions are much less organized, the extension of bargaining to other workers reduces the demand for a statutory minimum wage. Although Australia has a complex set of industry and occupation minima, a substantial number of Australian workers have no minimum, yet the question of a statutory minimum is rarely raised. Conclusion Government and Institutions must develop strategies relevant to their own circumstances in Australia if they are to prevent decent work from becoming a thing of the past. In the decent work it may be important to get Labor re-elected federally. If this happened, decent work could expect more "worker friendly" legislation, which would make recruitments much easier. Also, Labor's policies on Medicare, education and childcare are more in line with union guidelines than the Coalition's policies. But in spite of the apparent benefits of Labor Government, it could also advocate bigger pay rises to low paid, Freedom of association and collective bargaining are not a barrier to economic performance. While there are many factors involved, dialogue and trust help to promote adherence to common goals by employers and workers, or ensure that the views of different actors are understood, or provide a stable social environment, which is conducive to investment and innovation. Of course this is not always true, and adversarial relations are common. But the essential point is that under the right institutional arrangements in labor and product markets, there is a great deal of potential for synergy between the social and economic goals underlying decent work. That is a something decent work share with other development goals. Institution building is an essential part of a decent work strategy, as it is an essential part of development. References Development Forum on productive employment and decent work, UN, New York, 8-9 May 2006 Lee, S. and McCann, D. (2006) ‘Working Time Capability’ Rodgers, G. (2006) ‘Labor Market Flexibility and Decent Work’, Presentation at UNDESA C. Van Beers, Labor Standards and Trade Flows of OECD Countries, The World Economy 21 (1) (1998), 57-73. Standing, G. (2002) Beyond the New Paternalism: Basic Security as Equality, Verso, New York. Hall, Richard (2006) ‘Australian Industrial Relations in 2005 Pocock, B. (2006) Jobs, Care and Justice: A Fair Work Regime for Australia. International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Various years, Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights, Brussels (2004). Lee, S. and McCann, D. (2006) ‘Working Time Capability: Towards Realizing Individual Choice’, in Boulin, J.Y., Lallement, M, Messenger, J. and Michon, F (eds) Decent Working Time: New Trends, New Issues, ILO, Geneva, Lindley, Worldwide Projections of the Economically Active Population: An Evaluation of the ILO Methodology, STAT Working Paper: International Labor Office, 2000. Sappey R., Burgess, j., Lyons, M and Buultiens, J. (2006) Industrial Relation in Australia Martin and K. Maskus, Core Labor Standards and Competitiveness: Implications for Global Trade Policy, World Bank Development Research Group Report, Draft, October 4, 2000. OECD, Trade, Employment and Labor Standards: A Study of Core Workers' Rights and R. R. Freeman, International Labor Standards and World Trade: Friends or Foes? In: The World UNIDO, World Industry in 1980, United Nations, New York, 1981. Accessed on 04-05-2007 http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc87/repi.htm#the%20ILO%20Declaration%20on%20Fundamental%20Principles%20a Australian Industrial laws and freedom of political expression: The Occupational Health & Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Amendment Bill 2005 Read More