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This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author. Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.

How stakeholders hijacked the offshore call centre debate Copyright 2005 Brad Nash, Peter Holland and Amanda Pyman. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the written consent of the publisher.

The events in New York in September 2001 (and London in July of this year) have smoothed the progress of state-sanctioned invasions of privacy, making possible incursions in the workplace that would have been unacceptable only months before. The trick for legislators and business is to balance the interests of all concerned. Attempts to address anxieties about intrusions into privacy have been largely ad hoc or implemented as a result of external pressure on the Government by Australias trading partners. Copyright 2005 Julian Teicher, Anne ORourke and Amanda Pyman. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the written consent of the publisher.

The concept of outsourcing or 'off-shoring' has become a major topic of debate in countries including Australia, the UK and the USA, permeating political, economic and academic discussions. The focus has been on the export of skilled 'home country' jobs to more cost-effective regions on the one hand, versus the acceptance of a global market and an increase in skill and knowledge levels in developing markets on the other. This debate has been particularly evident in relation to the export of information technology and call centre operations to countries such as India, Mexico and China. Many commentators view such moves as representing a fait accompli, due to significant labour cost advantages and access to skilled labour and infrastructure in the global economy. However, there are a variety of issues associated with the process of outsourcing, including the more obvious issue of the loss of employment and the management (control) of the work, that permeate both the economic, social and moral decision making of management. In addition, organisational stakeholders can play an influential role in off-shoring decisions and their success or failure. Recent high profile cases in Australia and the US, illustrate not only the importance of involving stakeholders in decisions to outsource, but also their ability to reverse or reject the off-shoring route. This paper utilises stakeholder theory to explore the role and influence of stakeholders in organisational decisions to outsource.

Alcohol and illicit substance abuse in the workplace is increasingly becoming a major human resource and employee relations issue. Whilst more sophisticated measures have been developed to test and monitor drug use in the workplace, and despite tacit union support on the grounds of occupational health and safety (OH&S), the implementation of drug testing procedures remains a contentious issue. This paper firstly examines the arguments for and against drug testing, and secondly, examines the issue through two case studies in the Australian mining industry where the introduction of the drug testing resulted in industrial disputation that was resolved in very different outcomes.

Australian unions currently face a multiplicity of adverse challenges. Union revitalisation has emerged as a key issue. Implicit in much of this debate is the question of what an effective union is. Rather surprisingly, there is a dearth of literature on union effectiveness. A survey of the six empirical studies that do exist reveals that improved terms and conditions, membership orientation, union leadership, union voice and industrial democracy augment union effectiveness. Much can also be gleaned however from related literature, such as that dealing with union goals and strategies. A review of both sets of literature results in the development of a 'core set of dimensions' of union effectiveness, including improved terms and conditions of employment, growth, internal democracy, organisational stability, activism and social movement unionism. Whilst such a conceputalisation contributes to redressing the omission in the literature, union effectiveness remains a fruitful and critical area for further research.

Sophisticated human resource management strategies, underpinned by a unitarist (rather than a pluralist) frame of reference, have the potential to undermine the role and function of trade unions. This has forced unions to `rethink' their strategies to maintain a position of relevance in this new environment. In this context, the Organising Model of unionism has emerged as a possible panacea for membership decline and a mechanism for self-transformation and renewal. This case study explores the strategic response of a union to sophisticated human resource management strategies, in the broader context of a major industrial dispute.

The Workplace Relations Act (WRA) constitutes a profound change in Australian workplace relations. As a result, the current legislative environment challenges trade unions in a myriad of ways, as does the continual decline in trade union density. However, comparatively few studies have investigated the relationship between the WRA and the decline in union density at the federal level in Australia. This paper examines the impact of the WRA on five Australian trade unions by investigating the relationship between the legislation and declining union density. The findings suggest that the WRA has not had a direct and immediate impact on trade union density, yet has impacted indirectly, on the union movement as a whole. This is demonstrated by a 'cultural shift' toward individualised workplace relations. The paper concludes that the relationship between the WRA and declining union density warrants further attention, given the emergence of an individualistic mindset at the broader societal level, and the continual challenges confronting Australian trade unions.

No abstract supplied

One of the most significant changes made to the legal regulation of unions under the Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996 (Cth.) was to rights of entry. Rights of entry are a fundamentally important apparatus for unions, not only for the purpose of communicating to, and accessing members, but also as part of the process of enforcing workplace terms and conditions. The changes to rights of entry have significant potential to marginalise and exclude unions. This paper traces the experiences of two quite different unions, revealing similar results. Rights of entry are increasingly becoming the new contested terrain, manifest in hostile employer approaches, attitudes and tactics.

Upon its introduction the Workplace Relations and Other Legislation Amendment Act 1996 (Cth.) (WRA) made significant changes to the legal regulation of trade unions in the federal system. One of the most significant areas that has witnessed dramatic change is industrial action. The WRA seriously curtails the degree to which unions can take industrial action. This paper undertakes a comparative case study of two service sector unions, one public and the other private sector, tracing their experiences under the WRA in relation to industrial action. A comparison of the unions' experiences reveals that the success of service sector union I has been in large part, derived from its position of strength in the public sector.

The role of stakeholders in influencing corporate decision making on moral and social grounds appears a paradox in a global economy underpinned by a neo-liberal philosophy. Because of the diverse and complex nature of the issues, stakeholders and organisations, it is often difficult to interpret the dynamics which underlie and influence the decision making process. This paper aims to explore the literature on stakeholder theory to develop a framework for understanding the role and influence of stakeholders. Using this framework the issue of 'off-shoring' is examined through a case study of a major Australian organisation - Coles Myer Limited.