Enterprise bargaining in action

Since the mid-1980s an extensive program of microeconomic reform has beenundertaken to improve the efficiency, flexibility and international competitivenessof Australian industry (NLCC, 1988). Industrial relations reforms have concentrated shifting the focus of bargaining over wages and working conditions from theindustry national level to the parties at the enterprise level. Enterprise bargaining broadly refers negotiations between an employer and his/her employees (or their representative) about terms and conditions of employment at the enterprise and/or workplace. Further, it is understood that those terms and conditions will be tailored suit the particular needs of the enterprise and, ideally will be designed to provide benefits to employees in exchange for increased productivity, flexibility and organizational efficiency (DIR, 1995a, b)..