Unions and collective bargaining in Australia in 2015

Abstract

For Australian unions, 2015 was a difficult year. Union membership and agreement-making continued to decline, and unions faced intense scrutiny from the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption and the Productivity Commission's inquiry into workplace relations. The protection of local employment standards and the exploitation of migrant workers were at the core of prominent union campaigns. In the federal public sector, as in parts of private industry, unions faced protracted negotiations with employers. In some states, unions enjoyed a more favourable climate under Labor governments. Ahead of the forthcoming federal election, unions refocused on grassroots campaigning in marginal electorates as the prospect of legislative reforms to industrial relations looms large.