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<font color="#800000">The following message from Janice Dudley was
bounced by the system - without any comprehensible indication of
why. I am passing it on verbatim, and for convenience adding a text
version of a pdf file which Janice had attached, in case that was the
reason for the bounce.<br><br>
Dion Giles<br>
--------------------------------------</font>---------- <br><br>
<font size=2>For the Discussion Paper, see
<a href="http://www.newmatilda.com/policytoolkit/policydetail.asp?policyID=586">
http://www.newmatilda.com/policytoolkit/policydetail.asp?policyID=586</a>
Alternatively contact me directly and I’ll email you the pdf
version – it’s a bit big for the list ! <br><br>
</font><font size=2 color="#000080"> </font>
<font size=2 color="#004080">Janice Dudley <br>
Politics and International Studies,</font><font size=2 color="#003366">
<br>
Murdoch University, <br>
Murdoch, 6150<br>
Western Australia <br>
<br>
Telephone: 61 8 9360 6115 <br>
Fax: 61 8
9360 6571 <br>
Mobile: 0403 380 667 <br>
Email:
Janice.Dudley@murdoch.edu.au <br><br>
</font><font size=2 color="#004080">
_______________________________________________________________</font>
<font color="#003366"> <br>
</font><font size=2 color="#003366">"There is hope in honest error,
none in the icy perfection of the mere
stylist"</font><font color="#003366"> <br>
</font><font size=2 color="#003366"> </font><font color="#003366">
<br>
</font><font size=2 color="#003366">Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868 -
1928)</font><font color="#003366"> <br><br>
</font>---------------------------<br>
Janice's pdf attachment from New Matilda, converted to text,.<br><br>
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<b>Do unions have a future</b>? <br>
<br>
Tuesday, January 30, 2007 <br>
Max Ogden <br>
<br>
The Howard Government justified its industrial relations legislation by
arguing that it would improve productivity and create more jobs. Given
that the main focus of WorkChoices was on de-unionising Australia's
workforce, the assumption behind this argument is that unionised
workforces inhibit productivity and job creation. The union movement must
not let this assumption go unchallenged. <br>
<br>
There is little evidence that unions per se inhibit productivity
and job creation -in fact research worldwide indicates that the impact of
unionisation is usually neutral, occasionally inhibiting, but often a
useful mechanism for improved productivity. The key is the competence of
management and their commitment and ability to work with and harness the
positive role of unions. <br>
<br>
However this discussion paper goes further and argues that unions
should have their own independent strategy to intervene in management
through the traditional bargaining process. Instead of unions being a
neutral force for productivity, they should become a proactive force,
challenging managements to be more visionary and competent. <br>
<br>
This requires the union movement to shift from its traditional
reactive role of responding to the employer, to setting the agenda. <br>
<br>
This would be difficult to achieve in the best of times, and these are
not the best of times. Even in the current anti-union climate, however,
there are employers who still prefer to work constructively with their
unions, and these employers should be brought into a broader dialogue as
part of the suggested strategy. If unions don’t begin implementing such
an agenda now, no matter how difficult, they don't have a bright, long
term future. <br>
<br>
Ask any group of employees from any industry and they will provide
numerous examples of management incompetence, and of the chaos and stress
they have to deal with on a daily basis. This means that a strategy of
proactive bargaining on management issues will have strong support among
members and potential members. Research shows that most members want
their unions to engage with management about waste and efficiency. At the
same they want their union to protect them when necessary. <br>
<br>
Contrary to general belief, members are actually more prepared to take
traditional industrial action to protect their rights, wages and
conditions, where there has been constructive engagement between the
union and employer. And union delegates and activists concerned with the
traditional interests of their members are more likely to be concerned
with the performance of the business as well. <br>
<br>
There is very strong evidence that where workers have increased control
and responsibility over their day to day, minute by minute work systems,
occupational health and safety improves dramatically. This fact alone
provides a compelling reason for unions to bargain about work systems and
management methods as part of their traditional concern for the health of
their members. <br>
<br>
The paper acknowledges the fine campaign being waged by the Australian
union movement against the legislation. In an election year the top
priority must be the defeat of the Howard Government. However the broader
productivity agenda suggested in the paper will be crucial for the
long-term renewal of the movement. <br>
<br>
>> Read the full paper [hyperlink]<br>
<br>
(c)2006 New Matilda Pty Ltd All Rights Reserved
<a href="http://www.newmatilda.com/" eudora="autourl">
www.newmatilda.com</a> <br>
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