Main Functions of Trade Unions in the Contemporary Australian Workplace - Assignment Example

Main functions of trade unions in the contemporary Australian workplace and the Obstacles that Currently Face the Australian Unions

Trade unions are best describes as organizations that consist of workers and whose key activity s to champion for the issues relating to the employees in their work places. The trade unions have a plethora of functions and are sometimes referred to as labour unions. Generally trade unions regardless of their locations have many functions including securing of worker’s facilities, ensure employee’s welfare in their workplaces, foster employee’s well-being and increased cooperation, and providing of labour welfare for the employees in their respective jurisdictions. Based on these general functions this part evaluates the functions of trade unions in contemporary Australia and the challenges that affect them when discharging their duties.

The first and foremost role of the Australian trade unions is to bargain with the employers on behalf of workers. The Australian unions negotiate for a common ground in various matters that are of importance for both parties. The bargaining done by the unions include negotiation for better wages that match the set minimum wages, dispute resolution protocols, recruitment, protocols to be used in termination and disciplinary actions, work safety and policies of different companies. The unions also do political lobbying and provide other relevant services such as welfare activities to improve quality of work, education of the members, publications and periodicals and research activities (Peetz). These trade unions also have the mandate of restricting labour so that there is increased marginal productivity of a group of worker.

There are a number of challenges faced by the Australian trade unions when undertaking their enforcement duties. First off, there has been a number of structural changes in the labour market that the trade unions operate including precarious employments undertaken through ambiguous arrangements. Secondly, there has been a rise in the competitiveness within the industry that has pressured the employers to lower the costs. Some employers are declared bankrupt making the collection of money for the union’s members hard. The other challenge faced by Australia trade unions is constraints in resourcing making it hard for the small unions that operate in industries where there is rampant non-compliance.

The of inequality and the disparities in wealth also proves to be a challenge on the unions in that a solution has to be found regardless of the complexities in the labour market. Another challenge is the legal framework that acts against of the trade unions. Ideally, the Fair Work Act is a hindrance since it restricts the entry and further acquisition of relevant information to assist in the claims by members of the unions. Additionally the Fair Work commission further makes it hard to access arbitration that incapacitates the processes of trade unions.

In conclusion, the contemporary trade unions in Australia just like any other labour unions have the mandate of bargaining and negotiating with the employers on behalf of the employees as well as fighting for the welfare and well-being of the employees in their workplaces. Generally as have been explored in the discussion above, the legal framework, resource constraints, inequality and wealth disparities and complex labour market are the core factors that affect the Australian trade unions.

Which of the parties to the employment relationship has a duty of care in regards to workplace health and safety? How does the exercise of this duty impact on the employment relationship?

The duty of care refers to circumstances and relationships alike recognized by law to give rise to the legal duty of taking care failure to which there is a breach of the duty of care. There are various people who are charge with the dssuty of care as shall be highlighted shortly. It is noteworthy that the duty of care is not whatsoever transferable and an individual might have more than one duty based on the fact that they are in more than one class of duty holders. There are a number of implications of the duty of care as further outlined in the other parts of this paper.

The duty of care is majorly the responsibility of the PCBUs that is the person conducting business or undertaking. However, to some extent the duty of care is also the responsibility of the people who are associated in one way or another to the workplace. PCBUs and other associated duty holders have the responsibility of the duty of care. PCBU can be an individual or and an incorporated body that is an individual and or a company respectively. The PCBUs on top of the rank are the employers who have the duty of care that relates to health and safety at the workplace. The other persons that have the duty of care are the managers and the supervisors who must ensure as far as reasonably practicable. The other people with the duty of care include the designers, manufacturers, and importers suppliers, installers of facilities and equipment contractors and customers. The self-employed persons have a duty of care on themselves.

There are numerous implications of the exercise of the duty of care in the workplace especially with reference to the employment relations. First off, the duty of care ensures that the work environment is safe and free of all potential risks and hazards. With elimination of the risks and hazards comes employee commitment and job satisfaction leading to productivity and reduced losses. Through training and provision of information for the employees, the workplace is turned into an attractive place that boosts the morale of the employees further. Effective adherence to the duty of care saves on costs that could have been spent by the business on health insurance costs is reduced. Additionally, with an effective adherence to the duty of care by the duty holders, then the costs of legal battles due to negligence in case of breach are reduced.

When there is duty of care such things as industrial actions including strikes and go slows are eliminated through proper communication channels. To some extent, when there is a tendency of PCBUs to uphold the duty of care the businesses get the chance of being preferred by those seeking employment as the adherence to the duty of care acts as a good reputation builder. The duty of care also allows for the coordination and collaboration on activities thus preventing the duplication of roles in the workplace. Upholding the duty of care also attracts ethical decision making process in the workplace as people are able to do what is morally right even in the eyes of the law.

In conclusion, the duty of care is a responsibility of anyone who is associated with the workplace from the employers to all the other stakeholders such as customers and suppliers among others. The implications of duty of care includes cost saving, increased productivity and positive organizational behaviour among others as have been discussed.

What impact has globalisation had on Australian managers and on the conduct of the employment relationship?

The issue of globalization has received ascendancy as a contentious subject among not only the political and community organizations but also trade unions owing to the associated impacts it has come with in matters pertaining to labour. Lightly defined, globalization is the integration and interaction of people, governments of various nations through international trade under the stewardship of information technology. With globalization the ability of most national governments and institutions to control economic and social progress have been passed on to the international forces that are slowly doing away with the boundaries. Globalization has affected the operations of trade unions in nearly every part of the world inclusive of Australia.

Globalization has a number of impact on trade unions in Australia. First off, with globalization the economic policies founded on neo-liberal ideologies have been taken by most countries Australia inclusive. Consequently, the Australian trade unions have lost their rights as a result of most policies advocating for the empowerment of the employers in areas of recruitment hiring and wages among others. This has further created ascendancy on the number of part-time employments as well as rise in casual workers affecting the stability of the unions. Due to the diversity and complications of the labour market, the Australian unions have been unable to coordinate and organize the workers due to the decline in union density and membership in Australia. The advancement in technology has also phased out the idea of labour being required in some industries further complicating the stability of the trade unions.

The control of the Australian union on the Australian labour market has also decreased due to the internationalization of most of the functions of trade unions in the whole world. The national interests of the Australian trade unions and the international policies in trade union do not rhyme due to the fact that there has been issues of disparities across nations. The other impact of globalization is the widening of the gap between the developed and the least developed nations. The multinational corporations have continued to pose a challenge to the unions and so have the issues of immigration bringing in pressure on the unions to provide and protect employment.

Looked positively, globalization has been harnessed to the advantage of the Australian trade unions. First off, globalization has also made the unions have more power since there has been the opening up of the labour market and thus the need to come up with policies that guide the market as well. There has also been internationalization of the operations of the Australian trade unions leading to corporation with the wider global trade unions to effect and control the employment relations in the economic regions and in the world in general. Globalization has also opened an avenue for the Australian labour unions to garner control on the multinationals that have been a challenge for the trade unions in the past.

In conclusion, despite the challenges that have been brought by globalization in Australian trade unions, globalization has also brought some advantages as have been discussed above especially in matters of control and power. There is need for more research on how the Australian trade unions can further advance their control and thus increase their density with globalization.

In what ways are the notions of equity and social justice incorporated into the modern Australian employment relations system?

Social justice and equity are the most pertinent issues in employment relation systems that need to be planned and effectively implemented through stern actions. In the whole world, the workforce is getting the chance of being diversified making it a mandate of the labour unions to come up with acts as well as regulations that effect equity and social justice and thus transparency and fairness in the workplaces. Australia is one of such countries whose employment relation system has put in a number of methods to deal with the issue.

There has been a number of reforms as well as methods that have been used in modern Australia to institute equity and social justice into the employment relations system. First off, a number of acts including the Fair Work Act of 2009 have been passed. This act has been able to bring out the need to institutionalize the commitment to the pay equity through its recent amendment. The act also governs equal remuneration of employees as a move to strengthen the employment relations across Australia. It must be noted that legislations do not play a role in the equal pay in Australia but the trade unions do. The Australian employment relations system also allows for affirmative action on equal employment opportunities, management diversity approach, and work and family life balance.

Australia has also been on the forefront in intervening in the operations at the workplace relations so that there is just and equal distribution of the national income. There has also been the promotion and implementation of standards as well as principles that are fundamental to the rights of employees at work. Men and women have also been granted fair representation in the work place in matters of decent employment and wages as well. Additionally, through legislations and acts the trade unions have been in a position to stretch the scope as well as make known the effectiveness of social protection for all regardless of their backgrounds that are diverse. There has also been the abolishment of the unfair dismissal laws that were socially unjustifiable so as to increase the trust and loyalty issues among the employers and employees and thus equity and social justice is achieved in the long run.

The industrial relations system has also had the tax being reviewed so as to factor in the discrepancies that make the issues of inequality and social injustice become prevalent. There is also a fair work ombudsman to keep an eye on any case of social injustice as well as inequality that might arise from the workplaces. The workers have also been given the mandate through their trade unions to bargain for decent wages and working conditions should need call for. This is also a move to safeguard equality and social justice.

In conclusion, the incorporation of regulations and the ombudsman make the employment relations system be better positioned to handle issues of inequality and social injustice. Additionally a number of approaches have been used to maintain equity and social justice in Australian employment relations system such as managing diversity, equal employment opportunity and equal pay among others as have been seen.