ABSTRACT
The future of the Australian labour movement will be very much dependent on the strategies that it adopts in response to the challenges. In this chapter, the authors aim to construct a framework that contrasts union strategic orientations on two major dimensions: the emphasis on either narrow sectionalism or articulation with the broader labour movement; and the extent to which unions adopt traditional industrial tactics or a range of innovative practices associated with a 'service' model. Globalization has profoundly affected labour–capital relations in Australia. The authors examine evidence in an attempt to identify associations between the impact of globalization and deregulation and the approaches adopted by unions in different parts of the economy and the labour market. The logical outcome of the contemporary trends of labour market deregulation, decentralization of the Industrial relations system and the weakening of union power, is dramatically increased downward pressure on wages in Australia.
