1 MODELS OF ENGAGEMENT: UNION MANAGEMENT RELATIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Changes to Industrial Relations legislation ushers in the possibility of changes to the way managers and unions engage. Many academics suggest the most recent changes to the Australian WorkChoices legislation have provided an array of opportunities for businesses to alter their relations with unions and employees. However, there is a range of literature that suggests that many employers benefit from having unions involved in their workplace. This paper explores the factors that are present in ‘good ’ union-management relations and analyses the ways in which organisations might benefit from union involvement.