Contemporary workplace relations law

This unit will examine the following major areas:

• the development of systems for regulating dispute settlement and determining conditions of employment, including the Australian federal system for regulating workplace relations, industrial disputes and minimum conditions of employment, the systems in North America, United Kingdom and Europe;
• the impact of globalization and international labour standards through international labour organization conventions and its regulation;
• the scope and coverage of domestic legislation, including the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and its constitutional basis and the degree of legislative intervention in North America, United Kingdom and Europe;
• sources of minimum conditions, minimum wages and the safety nets;
• the purpose, scope and content of collective and enterprise agreements, good faith bargaining and the use of industrial action as a bargaining tool;
• the protection of workplace rights, such as the right to join a union in Australia, Canada, United States, United Kingdom and Europe; and
• approaches to the enforcement of minimum conditions, modern awards and enterprise agreements, in Australia through the Fair Work Ombudsman and the court system and in Canada, United States, United Kingdom and Europe through the courts and relevant specialist courts.