Trade Union Responses to Outsourcing in Australia

Abstract

Australia has witnessed a rapid growth in outsourcing over the last decade. Explanations of the rise of outsourcing tend to emphasise economic and human resource management factors and neglect the collective dimension. However, outsourcing has been identified as a means of individualising the employment relationship and reducing union influence. This has been evident across both the public and private sector in Australia. Indeed, over the last decade the public sector has been a clear leader in outsourcing initiatives. This paper focuses on trade union strategies for maintaining a pro-active position within workplaces that embrace an outsourcing approach to work organisation.