Decline of trade Unions in Australia
Trade union is an association formed by people who earn wages or salary to champion for fairness, equity and social justice in their places of work. They also champion for better pay and working conditions for their members. They engage in bargaining power with the management for improved terms of working conditions and also in formulation of rules and regulations use in work stations. Trade unions also organize workers to carry out boycotts, sabotage and strikes for employers to accept their demands. Employees join trade unions to be able to wrestle with their employers who are always powerful as an individual employee cannot be able to bargain with employers independently. For these reasons, academic research shows that Australia has had strong trade unions which have helped to champion improvement of important economic and social benefits to the workers. There has been improved universal health Medicare, social payments and overall training of employees. Australian trade unions have also helped the economy of the country by calling for proper wages and salary for their members. Women and part time workers have also received improved terms of payment. Despite all this, membership in trade union is Australia has been in decline in the last 35 years due to dramatic Australian industry structure change, growth of casual and part time employment, attitude of workers have arguably changed employees pursue individual solutions in their workplace and are not concerned about trade unions.
Reasons for decline in trade union Membership in Australia
Dramatic Australian change in structure of industry has caused the decline in trade unions density. Job opportunities have grown in areas where levels of trade unions are low. In recent years, the manufacturing industries where trade unions were high have also declined reasonably. Experts have said that most sectors are offering casual and part time work which is unstable. This result into people having little contacts with their colleague workers hence no need of forming a trade union. Research by Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that trade union density has reduced by 28% since 1990. Working as a casual makes one feel that he or she may not be there for long hence any need of bothering to form a trade union does not arise. There is also a feeling of being lucky to have got that job hence no need of going out to join a union. The job market in Australia has also changed from the rigid manufacturing sector to a new white collar and technical work which presents a big challenge in mobilizing workers to join trade unions.
The change in the industry structure has also resulted into many workers no longer participating in industries and other occupations where trade unions have high representation. The researches by Australian government agencies like the Australian Bureau of Statistics have also found an increased demand for unskilled labor. This has resulted into an increased employment of youth in sectors with low rate of unions. There has also been extension of rights to all employees in the beginning of 1970s. Regardless of whether a worker was a member of a trade union or not, he accessed the rights which had been championed for by trade unions including paid parental leave, protection from unfair dismissal and discrimination in line of gender. This undermined trade unions and made many people not to see any need to be members of trade unions. The change of structure is that most people have ventured into self-employment leading to reduced need for trade unions.
The second reason is that there is increased number of part time employments which has contributed to the decline in trade union membership density. Many school leavers are seeking part time jobs and most of the youth are not interested in trade unions. Most of workers in Australia are afraid of losing their jobs hence they have reduced their involvement in union movements. The source of workforce has also changed with women and temporary workers being difficult to be organized by unions. The part time employees do not see the need to engage in unions as they feel they are in the work for a short period of time. The Australian council of trade unions has found it hard to convince the part time and casual workers to register in trade unions.
Research carried by Australia Council of Trade Union showed in 2015 showed that the trade union density reduced from 40 percent in 1990 to 28 percent in 1998. This was as a result of increased number of casual workers. Most industries have resolved to engage workers on casual terms as a strategy to weaken the unions. Trade unions mostly cover those who are permanently employed as they are able to remit their monthly contributions on monthly basis without problem. Casual workers are not even able to run the trade unions. The government has also advocated for equity and fairness in working environment for both the permanent employed and the casual and part time workers. This has adversely weakened the trade unions and the density has declined tremendously.
Another reason is that attitudes of workers work have arguably changed and employees pursue individual solutions in their workplace and are not concerned about trade unions. It is evident that most employees have resolved to concentrate on individual benefits and do not see the need to engage in trade unions. A situation in the early 1970s where employees were more concerned with the welfare of others and fairness in the working conditions has lapsed. The employers have also changed their attitudes and strategies towards the unions. The Australian employers have resolved not to be anti-unionists. This has caught trade unions unaware and they have failed to counter it. The workers have thus reduced their confidence in unions to provide services to them. Most employees’ attitude is to get maximum personal gains from employment, in industries. To be a member in trade unions in Australia, members have to contribute money and other resource. The result has been that employees do not see the need to contribute resources in trade unions to champion for other people rights and well-being.
The generation of workers in the current industry has low knowledge about unions and do not care to be involved in trade unions. A large percentage of up to 70 percent of Australian workers in the civil labor are in the age range of 45 years and below. They are highly educated and obsessed with white-collar jobs and all what they care for is the amount of salary and wages. The attitude change of workers who mind about advancing their career and developing new skills in job means they have no time to engage in unions. This automatically leads to reduced trade union membership. The young generation is also concerned about the good life on the job and having a control in their working stations. The result is they will not champion for development of trade unions as they want to be part of the management. The attitude of workers is to sympathize with and appreciate development of business to help create more job opportunities and this makes them cooperate with management instead of confronting it.
Conclusion
Trade unions have been of great help to the people of Australia. With the emergence of industrialization after the Second World War and most people providing unskilled labor in industries, the need for trade unions arose. They helped to champion for equity and fairness in working conditions. The Australia Council of trade Unions helped to bargain for good wages and salaries for its members. Unions also helped to create social understanding between its members and contributed to growth of economy of the country. With fair payments and equal treatment of workers, the quality of life for most of Australian citizens improved. Despite this in the later stages of nineteenth century, trade unions started to face a decline in their membership. Most employees no longer prefer being in trade unions. The structure of industry in Australia has changed where a lot of job opportunities are found in areas with low number of trade unions. The concept of employment has also changed with most of employers engaging employees on part time and casual terms. This means the employees will not have time to engage in trade unions activities. The attitude of employees has changed at high rate, majority of them think on the basis of a person bargaining for oneself instead of welfare of all employees. The emergence of technical and skilled white collar jobs have also undermined trade unions. Those who are supposed to hold management accountable have resolved to support for creation of more job opportunities. The future of trade unions is thus in great danger of total collapse and there is need for political will to help sustain the trade unions as they played a key role in development of social and economy of Australia.
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