Employment Relations in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Introduction

A concise and timely book for employers, unions, academics and anyone with an interest in employment relations in Aotearoa New Zealand Employment Relations in Aotearoa New Zealand: An Introduction covers history, approaches to the study of employment relations, key legislation and policies, and contemporary labour market issues. In recent years, New Zealanders have witnessed major reforms that in turn have resulted in significant changes in employment relations. While the fundamental relationships between the government, employers and employees still remain, there have been changes in how these parties interact as well as changes in the associated employment outcomes. These changes will also affect how we work and will be working in the future. Topics include:Introduction and overview of employment relationsTheoretical frameworks and their applicationTurning Points in Employment Relations pre-2000Employment Relations in the new millenniumThe legislative support structureChanging work, employment and workplace practices Technological innovations, globalisation and a different workforce composition have facilitated innovations in work practices and in employment patterns. This book tries to bring these influences to the fore of our discussion of employment relations.

Erling Rasmussen is the Professor of Work and Employment at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). He has worked in the private sector in the United Kingdom and has been a government policy advisor in New Zealand and an academic researcher in several OECD countries.

Preface ix 1. Introduction and overview of employment relations Erling Rasmussen; Felicity Lamm; and Julienne Molineaux 1 Introduction 1 What are employment relations? 3 Interest groups 8 Employee versus contractor? 15 Employee rights and the Employment Institutions 18 References 25 2. Theoretical frameworks and their application Erling Rasmussen; Felicity Lamm; and Julienne Molineaux 29 Introduction 29 Systems approach 31 Conflict frames of reference approach 36 The application of frames of reference 41 Multidisciplinary perspectives 44 Multidisciplinarity fosters theoretical tensions and dynamic growth 47 Conclusion 52 References 53 3. Turning points in Employment Relations pre-2000 Erling Rasmussen; Felicity Lamm; and Julienne Molineaux 57 Introduction 57 Early conflict 59 The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration system 60 Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894 61 Turning point 1: The initial years of the conciliation and arbitration system 63 Turning point 2: The 1930s economic depression and reforms by the Labour Government from 1935 onwards 63 Turning point 3: The waterside dispute of 1951 and the strengthening of the Industrial Conciliation & Arbitration system 65 Turning point 4: The Industrial Relations Act 1973 66 Turning point 5: Decentralisation under the Fourth Labour Government, 1984-1990 67 The state unions and the public sector reforms of the 1980s 69 Employment relations in the 1990s 71 The shift in employment relations philosophy 73 The Employment Contracts Act 1991 74 Outcomes: union density and collective bargaining 77 Outcomes: the changing status of employment law in the 1990s 79 Outcomes: key labour market changes during the 1990s 81 Outcomes: the unfulfilled expectations of stronger productivity growth 83 Conclusion 85 References 90 4. Employment Relations in the new millennium Erling Rasmussen; Felicity Lamm; and Julienne Molineaux 95 Introduction 95 Key employment relations debates of the 2000s 98 The three phases of the Employment Relations Act 2000 102 Unions, bargaining outcomes and labour market changes 113 Employment law under the Employment Relations Act 118 Conclusion 120 References 122 5. The legislative support structure Felicity Lamm; Erling Rasmussen; and Julienne Molineaux 127 Introduction 127 Occupational Health and Safety 128 Privacy Act 134 Human Rights Act 142 Conclusion 151 References 152 Current Legislation 155 International Instruments 155 Enquiries 156 6. Changing work, employment and workplace practices Erling Rasmussen; Gemma Piercy-Cameron; and Michael Fletcher 157 Introduction 157 Labour market issues 158 Covid-19 and the labour market 160 Labour market and employment trends 161 Immigration and working hours 168 Vocational education and training 170 The perennial problem of weak productivity growth 180 Workplace change, partnerships and employee participation structures 186 Conclusion 190 References 191 About the authors 199 Acknowledgements 201