21037 Managing Employee Relations

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject introduces students to the challenges affecting the regulation of employment in a decentralised environment. It aims to help students understand the new legal and regulatory environment under which Australia operates. Students develop practical negotiation and advocacy skills required in employment relations. The employment relationship is studied in terms of the influence of social, economic, political and legal environment and the power resources of the key institutional parties and others who seek to influence employment.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. understand the origins and strategies of the main institutional players in employee relations within Australia
2. understand the system, structure, and processes of the regulatory framework of employment relations in Australia
3. explain how the shift in Australia from a centralised industrial relations system to one which is more enterprise focused
4. identify the various forms and types of enterprise agreements in Australia and their impact on work (e.g. productivity, efficiency and job satisfaction)
5. acquire skills in negotiation and advocacy required in achieving successful enterprise bargaining outcomes.

Contribution to graduate profile

This unit contributes to the Bachelor of Business by providing a foundation for studying the major issues affecting employment relationships. At a time of immense change in the nature of employment and in the processes affecting it, this unit begins by providing students with a range of conceptual tools and competing points of view about rights, rules and conflicts at work. Thereafter, the central concern of the unit is to examine the social, economic and political context of managing employee relations. The subject will identify the shift in the roles of key institutional parties such as unions, employer associations and government as well as employees and managers in enterprise-based bargaining. This unit combines theoretical and historical understandings of Australian employment relations with a detailed examination of the current problems and strategies of these key employment relations players. The subject develops students' knowledge and practice of negotiation and advocacy in enterprise bargaining.

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject will comprise one 180-minute lecture/seminar on a weekly basis. The lecture will generally involve presentation of theoretical material. The lecture includes a workshop which focuses on practical application of negotiation and advocacy skills. The subject develops concepts and techniques for the choice and evaluation of strategies and tactics in enterprise bargaining and advocacy. Much of the subject will involve case studies and role playing. These activities will require students to keep a journal/diary of their observations and experiences.

Students will be expected to have read any prescribed reading articles (including the relevant text chapter) prior to class sessions and engage in necessary group discussions during tutorials.

Content

• The labour market and employment
• The employment relationship and key institutional players
• Current problems and conflict affecting the employment relationship
• Devolution of employee relations and the changing role of management in employment relations
• Negotiations: Steps, strategies, tactics, and limits
• Advocacy: Process, approach, strategy, and research

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Negotiation and Advocacy Exercise (Group)

Assessment item 2: Reflective Journal/Diary (Individual)

Assessment item 3: Final Examination (Individual)

Required text(s)

Balnave, N, Brown, J, Maconachie, G and Stone, R, 2007, Employment Relations in Australia, John Wiley & Sons, Australia

Lewicki, R, Barry, B and Saunders, DM, 2007, Negotiation: Readings, Exercises, and Cases, 5th edn, McGraw-Hill, USA

Students are also encouraged to purchase or download the UTS Faculty of Business, Guide to Writing Assignments (2006). This guide has been developed to help students prepare their assignments and develop an effective writing style.

Recommended text(s)

Brandon, M. & Robertson, L. (2007) Conflict and Dispute Resolution; A guide for practice, Oxford: Victoria

CCH editors (2006) Understanding Work Choices A practical guide to the new workplace relations system, 2nd edition, CCH: Australia

Donaldson, M.C. (2007) Negotiating for Dummies, 2nd Ed. Wiley & Sons Inc, Indiana

Gosselin, T. (2007) Practical Negotiating; Tools, Tactics & Techniques. Wiley & Sons Inc, New Jersey

Lewicki, R., Saunders, D.M. & Barry, B. (2006) Negotiation (5th ed), McGraw-Hill Irwin: New York

Peetz, D. (2006) Brave New Workplace: how individual contracts are changing our jobs, Sydney: Allen & Unwin

Sappey Richard, Burgess John, Lyons Michael, Buultjens Jeremy (2006) Industrial Relations in Australia: Work and Workplaces, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney

Sappey Richard, Burgess John, Lyons Michael, Buultjens Jeremy (2006) The New Federal Workplace Relations System, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney

Teicher Julian, Lambert Rob, O'Rourke Anne (2006) WorkChoices: the new industrial relations agenda, Pearson Education Australia

Watson, I., Buchanan, J., Campbell, I. & Briggs, C. (2003), Fragmented Futures: New Challenges in Working Life, ACCIRT & Federation Press, Sydney.

Indicative references

Alexander, R., Lewer, J., Gahan, P. (2008), Understanding Australian Industrial Relations, 7th edn, Thomson, Australia

Bamber, G J, Park, F., Lee, C, Ross, P K and Broadbent, K (2000) Employment Relations in the Asia-Pacific: Changing Approaches, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

Bray, M, Deery, S, Walsh, J, and Waring, P (2005), Industrial Relations: A Contemporary Approach, McGraw-Hill, Australia

Dabscheck, B. (1995), The Struggle For Australian Industrial Relations, Oxford University Press, Melbourne (CR)

Davis, E.M. and Lansbury, R.D. (eds), (1996) Managing Together: Consultation and Participation in the Workplace, Addison Wesley Longman Australia, Melbourne

Deery, S., Plowman, D. and Walsh, J. (2001) Industrial Relations: A Contemporary Analysis, 2nd Edition, McGraw Hill, Sydney

Gollan, P. (1997), Employee Relations in the Press: Issue One, Longman, Melbourne

Hilgert, Raymond; Dilts, David (2003) Cases in Collective Bargaining & Industrial Relations McGraw-Hill: Australia

Keenoy and Kelly, D., (1996), The Employment Relationship in Australia, Harcourt Brace, Sydney

Lax, DA and Sebenius, JK (1986) The manager as negotiator: bargaining for cooperation and competitive gain, Free Press: New York

Lindsay. (2002). Federal Constitutional Law (Lbc Nutshell Series), Lawbook Co., Australia

McGraw-Hill Editors (2004) An Introduction to Collective Bargaining & Industrial Relations, McGraw-Hill: Australia

Mylett, T, Boas, C, Gross, M, Laneyrie, F & Zanko, M (2000) Employment Relations Perspectives: Globalisation and Regionalism, University of Wollongong Press, Wollongong

Riley, J, 2005, 'Employee Protection at Common Law', Federation Press

Journals

In addition to the above resources students should scan referred journals for content relevant to this subject. The UTS library subscribes to most of the academic journals listed below in either paper-based (hard copy) or electronic (online) form. Students should consult the library on the process to access electronic journal subscriptions. Relevant journals include:

• Australian Bulletin of Labour
• Australian Journal of Labour Law
• British Journal of Industrial Relations
• Employment Relations Record
• Economic & Labour Relations Review
• Industrial Relations
• International Journal of Conflict Mgt
• Journal of Industrial Relations
• Journal of Organizational Behavior
• Labour and Industry
• New Technology, Work and Society
• Negotiation Journal
• Organisation Studies
• Work and Occupations
• Work, Employment and Society
• International Employment Relations Review
• International Journal of Employment Relations