Over the past decade, industrial relations in Australia have undergone considerable changes to reflect workplace reforms necessary to meet current and future global economic challenges.
Industrial relations involve the relationship between the employers, those who provide work and the employees, those who are paid to do the work as well employer associations and regulatory institutions.
As employers do not usually voluntarily increase and improve wages and working conditions for their employees, it has created the need to have organisations such as trade unions to negotiate on behalf of the workers. However, other organisations and the government also play a role in industrial relations. The role of the government is policy making (deciding what the rules will be), enforcement of conditions (making sure that they are followed) and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. This is an independent body that is responsible for checking and approving awards and agreements and dealing with disputes (www.qirc.qld.gov.au).
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