The Australian Worker’s Union is the oldest and largest trade union of the country. The Australian Trade Union was founded in the year 1886 due the revolution of the Australian Mining Industry. It is estimated that the Union has around 100,000 members all across the country. The trade union works as a mediator between the employees and employers to solve all problems related to employment. Another function of the Australian Worker’s Union is to maintain a healthy relationship between the employers and staffs. The Australian Trade Union grew with the popularity that becomes a regulating body, helping the employees to get all rights and protecting the employers from strikes and loss of production.
The paper has been developed to study the revolution of the Australian Trade Union and observe its effectiveness in solving the employment problems in the country. It has been believed that the trade union plays a major role in developing the efficiency of the employees and employers. Hence, the study will present the history of the trade union and describe the Australian Trade Union movement to know how effective it was in solving the problems of employment in the country (Kramar, 2007, p. 180). The paper will critically discuss the importance of trade union and the problems created by it in the history. Along with that, the paper will present the future solutions that can be achieved by trade unions to justify that it is not only a group of men who shouts and call strikes, but also an important regularity body that is needed to balance the employment relationship.
The first trade unions were formed in the 1820s by a group of free workers in Hobart and Sydney. The unions spread all across the country by the end of the 1830s that grew to around 400 unions in Australia. Earlier, the unions were represented by carpenters and stonemasons, along with craftsmen and workers like laborers, miners and shop assistants. The trade unions were mainly formed to assist its members during death, unemployment and illness. Some of the other trade unions comprises of Social Welfare Assistance, who started campaigning to improve the working conditions and wage rates (Bertone and Griffin, 2005, p. 117).
It was found that most of these trade unions were short-lived. Unionism started again with tremendous power in the 1850s with the commencement of several new unions. Workers started rallying for an eight-hour work per day. The revolution made workers outside the craft industry such as miners and road transport workers to join the movement and get organized. The year of 1886 portrayed an enormous growth in the labor union that led to the formation of a national body known as the Australian Labor Party. The membership of the union grew to 200000 Australian Workers in the year 1890. After the 1890s, a decline has been evident in the Australian Trade Union movement due to the failure of the Union that followed by a series of strikes and resulted in economic depression in the country (Martin, 2009, p. 71). The Australian Labor Movement started taking place again in the year 1927 with the commencement of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The post-war era again showed a rise in the Union movement with the presence of the communist party and increased in militancy.
Currently, it can be seen that the labor union faces different challenges due to the impacts of deregulation, privatization, the growing presence of contractors and casual workers modification of the industrial laws. Hence, it can be seen that the need for the Labor Union has been decreasing due to the changing norms of the industry (Griffin, Nyland and O'Rourke, 2004, p. 96). The Commonwealth laws have got strengthened and people have got aware of the disadvantage of strikes and fights against the employers. Hence, it is important to redefine the role of trade unions to make them effective in serving the needs of both employers and employees.
It can be evident that the Australian Trade Union is facing different challenges due to increasing privatization and changing the laws of the government. It becomes difficult for the Trade Union to carry on with its previous roles with the changing business environment. Currently, it can be seen that the power of the trade union has decreased in the modern business environment. It has occurred due to the privatization of businesses. It can be seen that the percentage of members in the trade union has fallen to around 20 percent. It can be seen that people have become aware of the strikes and its negative impacts on the economic condition of the industry (Burgmann and Turner, 2007, p. 128). It can be seen that the increased power of the labor unions has resulted in boycotts and strikes that financially weakened the industrialization and made the economic growth stagnant. Most of the workers have gone against the labor union thinking it as a giant that is unable and unwilling to respond to the changing world. They think that trade unions are groups of people who shout and call strikes. Though the trade unions have effectively worked on behalf of the employees, it is important to note that it has caused into negative results in the Australian industries (Mule, 2002, p. 261). Hence, it can be seen that the people have lost their trust on trade unions and started relying on the organization that has negatively affected the reputation and position of Unions in the country.
When the effectiveness of the trade unions is questioned, it can be seen that the Australian Trade Union has effectively solved the issues of eight hours a day work, higher compensation and wage rates. But, it can be seen that it has negatively impacted the employers and productivity of the Australian Industries. The results of the Trade Union policies in solving the issues were bloodshed and economic distress in the country. The problems of the trade unions overruled the solutions that resulted in the loss of trust of common people in the trade unions. Hence, it can be seen that Trade Unions are found to be ineffective in the changing business world that makes the growth of the industry stagnant and results in the economic downturn in the country (Ellem and Franks, 2008, p. 43).
The modern economic development has significantly contributed to the outstanding empowerment of trade unions all over the world. Before the industrialization, Australian Trade Union movements had seen significant rise and decline between 1820 and 1980. As the Australian Labor Party has gained the momentum since the 1870s, active movement of a trade union has begun. In the meantime, the trade union in Australia has been formed to address the disputes between the employers and the human resources. In the 1890s, moreover, 200,000 Australian workers were attached to the Australian Labor Party as the membership numbers had been increased rapidly (Parry, 2002, p. 16). But, on the other hand, the circumstances had been changed drastically as economic downturn had brought a series of strikes. The gaining momentum of the Australian Labor Movement had resulted in chaos for the Labors of the Australian industry. In the early twentieth century, the trade union movements had influenced to establish minimum wages system. As a result of the scenario, in 1927, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) had been formed. Meanwhile, in the 1930s, the industrial crisis had led to depression for the workers as the revolutionary Australian Trade Union Movement had suffered defeats. Though the movement had created a significant chaotic situation for the workers’ community, it had significantly contributed to reducing work hours and increase equal pay structure for the labors of Australia (Davis and Macdonald, 2011, p. 113). At the same time, the trade unions began to address the employee issues such as migrant interests, workplace discrimination and indigenous rights of the human resources.
Trade Unions were primarily established to solve the disputes between the employees and the employers in the workplace. As a mediator, the Trade Union had managed to influence the organizational human resources. As a result of the consequences, the unions’ power had been increased in the labor market. Furthermore, valuing the inherent rights of the laborers, Trade Unions had created its definite image to the Australian workforce (Waddoups, 2005, p. 615). The labor unions helped the human resources to secure their employment rights in an organization. The labor unions had raised campaigns for reducing the working hours and increase the wage of the human resources promoting equal pay option. The movement of the trade unions benefited the labors as most of the organizations had put their support to improve the condition of the workers within the workplace environment (Pencavel, 2009, p. 154). As a result, the numbers of the trade union members have been increased in a staggered pattern. Also, the trade union had influenced to shape labour-oriented wage policy through several reforms.
Trade Unions identified the benefits of campaigns that could promote the worth of the workers’ union to the government. In the challenging situations, the unions had remained in the shadow of workforce equality, demanding more prospects for the workers. According to the statistics of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in the present scenario mere 20 percent of the total workforce has been represented by the Trade Unions. As the report published by ABS, the current decline of membership has been a warning sign for the trade unions. In the current state of scenario, Australian unions have been positioned on a limited stage due to declining numbers of the members. In terms of accord years, the Australian trade unions have been considered to be in the dire state of both the power and strength of the union having been dissolved (Rawson, 2008, p. 226). As the trade unions have been identified as one of the biggest issue creators of the modern phase of industrialization, most of the unionisms have been brought down to avoid any issues created by unions. By identifying the negative impact of trade unions that create so many problems and strikes, the workers in Australia have decided to move to the trade union. In this way, the strength of the trade union has been banished in the modern business industry as the industry group has assured the human resources to provide all necessary employment support.
In accordance with the current circumstances, the Australian trade unions must analyze the existing position of the employees attached to the industrial organization. Currently, the trade unions must identify the problems without creating so many issues. As the workers of Australia have lost the faith on trade unions, it is the responsibility of the trade union to provide valid reasons providing the infrastructural resources such as policies, procedures and regulations (Deery and Cieri, 2011, p. 61). In order to revive the current image of the trade unions, first of all, the labor unions must develop an agenda at the bigger perspective to influence the social position of the Labors. In this way, progressive human resources development can solve major challenges and issues associated with the workers. Secondly, community campaigning can be termed as one of the vital options to promote the rights of the workers. Last but not the least, the ability of learning must be reflected through the practices and policies of trade unions so that the transparency of commitment can be upheld at the highest level.
In Australia, labor unions have been significantly criticized for their intolerant nature and irrelevant activities. Most importantly, considering the previous activities of the trade unions, it can be concluded that the labor movement has certainly helped to strengthen the positions of Labors in Australia. On the other hand, the empowering and dominant nature of the Australian Trade Unions has created an adverse buzz among the social public. Meanwhile, Trade unions in Australia can be termed as the group within the society that has got the biggest support of human resources. The trade union has significantly got the power to bring a downturn in the economy by calling strikes. Therefore, considering the influential nature and management power of Trade Union, the government must evaluate specific policies that can push the trade unions to reflect the progressive value of labor. By framing significant governance of labor power, trade unions can work both positive as well as a negative way towards the economy.
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