Year Zero: Australian Labour Relations and Labour Law

This article reviews major developments in employee‐employer relations during 1994, concentrating on events that illustrate the directions being taken in Australia. It looks at the attitudes to enterprise bargaining being developed as part of the new system, and contrasts them to some decisions and activities that seem to foster the continuance of a centralized system. The impact of the new industrial relations system is examined as well as the role of the various players—particularly the role of unions in the eyes of the Industrial Relations Commission. This is followed by a brief review of influencial events in the states, and then by a discussion of CRA's action at Comalco to move all workers to staff conditions through individual contracts. 1995 Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI)