NSW Office of Industrial Relations, Research

Research

The University of Sydney's Workplace Research Centre has completed an extensive study examining how enforceable rights have changed under Work Choices, entitled 'Lowering the standards: from awards to Work Choices in retail and hospitality collective agreements' (pdf - 328Kb).

Prepared for the Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian Governments, this study compares every federal collective agreement registered in the first nine months of Work Choices with the workplace agreements and awards that were in place immediately prior to its introduction, covering retail and hospitality enterprises in the eastern states.

The Workplace Research Centre has prepared a survey report called "Workplace Industrial Relations on the Eve of Work Choices" (pdf - 465Kb) for the Queensland Department of Industrial Relations, NSW Office of Industrial Relations and Industrial Relations Victoria. The primary objective of the surveys was to obtain benchmark statistics on the structures, practices and outcomes associated with industrial relations at the workplace level before major changes in Federal labour law were implemented.

The New South Wales Government commissioned Dr Peter Gahan, Associate Professor, Work and Employment Rights Research Centre and Department of Management, Monash University, to analyse Employer Greenfield Agreements in New South Wales (pdf) made after the Work Choices legislation commenced on 27 March 2006.

The analysis includes all Employer Greenfield Agreements (EGAs) made by businesses located in New South Wales and lodged with the Workplace Authority in the first year following the commencement of Work Choices. This does not include all EGAs made by businesses located in New South Wales during this period as some are not made publicly available. In addition to the analysis of New South Wales EGAs, a comparison is made with all data collected from all publicly available EGAs across all States. This research has also been completed in Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

The New South Wales Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (NSW WIRS) (pdf - 478 Kb) provides the research findings of a telephone survey of 990 workplace managers in NSW conducted in March and April 2006 by the University of Sydney, Workplace Research Centre. The survey provides baseline information about New South Wales workplace industrial relations immediately preceding the introduction of the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005 (Work Choices). The survey will enable researchers to conduct follow-up surveys in the future to identify the impact of Work Choices on NSW workplaces.

History of Industrial Relations in NSW This timeline of employment relations in NSW highlights significant events that have shaped industrial relations in this state. Students and teachers in the field of industrial or employment relations may find this useful. A number of New South Wales Government Submissions, Reports and Discussion Papers are available for research purposes.

Date Created: 5 May 2004
Last Reviewed : 19 September 2007

  ©Office of Industrial Relations, NSW Department of Commerce
  McKell Building, 2-24 Rawson Place, Sydney NSW 2000
  Phone: 131 628 (anywhere within NSW)  Fax: (02) 9020 4700
  URL: http://www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au

Issues & Policy

Research