James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2001

PL3290:04

Employment Relations

Cairns

Prerequisites: 4 units of level 2 PL subjects or equivalent
Inadmissable Subject Combination: PL3292

26 lectures, 26 tutorials. First semester.

Staff: Dr D Hunt.

The historical, theoretical and political context of industrial relations in Australia will be examined. This will include institutional arrangements; the roles and perspectives of employers, unions and political parties; patterns of workplace behaviour and proposals for systemic reform. Topics include approaches to industrial and employment relations; historical perspectives; the arbitration system; enterprise bargaining; theories of industrial conflict; strikes and strike measurement; management ideas and ideologies; employer organisations; theories of trade unionism; Australia and the ILO; New Zealand industrial relations.

Learning Objectives:

  1. to understand contemporary debate about Australian industrial relations;
  2. to use highly developed research skills in the area of industrial relations;
  3. to discuss a range of issues relating to industrial and employment relations from an informed perspective.

Assessment by literature review (15%); a three-hour examination (50%); seminar presentation and paper (25%); attendance and participation (10%).