Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T14:18:05.377Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Flexibility and Labour Market Structures: The Role of Employers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Terri Mylett
Terri Mylett*
Affiliation:
Department of Economics, University of Wollongong
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The aim of this paper is to explore the possibility of explaining labour market restructuring in terms of employers’ labour utilisation strategies. The main arena of activity in the labour market is within employing organisations. Therefore, whilst national and industry level labour market studies may shed some light on labour market trends, this paper suggests that analysis should also assess the impact of activity within firms. A case study is used to examine the link between the employment polices and practices of a firm in the metals manufacturing industry and the labour market position of its employees taking into account the firm’s institutional context (award restructuring, enterprise bargaining, and an active union presence). The study finds that the firm’s pursuit of flexibility in order to improve its cost and quality competitiveness is exacerbating and reproducing divisions within the workforce based on workers’ attributes (sex, English proficiency and formal qualifications). Labour market explanation should include, if not begin with, the role of employers.

Type
Current Issues
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , December 1998 , pp. 285 - 309
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1998

Footnotes

*

I am grateful to management, workers and union officials at Exvalcon Pty Ltd for their time and assistance. Thank you to Dr Chris Wright, Associate Professor Ray Markey, Dr Maree Murray, Dr Michael Zanko, Ms Gall Mylett, Mr William Beerden and the anonymous referees for their contributions to this paper.

References

Allan, C. (1997) ‘Work Intensification: A Lacuna in the Labour Utilisation Literature,’ in Bramble, T., Harley, B., Hall, R., Whitehouse, G. (Eds), Current Research in Industrial Relations, Proceedings of the 11th AIRAANZ Conference, Brisbane, 11–18.Google Scholar
Atkinson, J. (1987) ‘Flexibility or Fragmentation? The United Kingdom Labour Market in the Eighties’, Labour and Society, 12 (1): 87–105.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (1994) Online Time Series: Labour Market, Various Tables, Commonwealth of Australia, gopher.statistics.gov.au.Google Scholar
ABS 6203.0 The Labour Force, Australia (Various), Canberra.Google Scholar
ABS 6209.0 Labour Mobility Australia, February 1996, Canberra.Google Scholar
ABS 6286.0 Australians’ Employment and Unemployment Patterns 1994–1996, Canberra.Google Scholar
Bertone, S., Griffin, G. (1995) ‘Immigrant Female Workers and Australian Trade Unions’, Relations Industrielles, 50 (1): 117–146.Google Scholar
Boreham, P., Lafferty, G., Roan, A., Whitehouse, G. (1996) ‘Training, Careers and Numerical Flexibility: Equity Implications in Hospitality and Retailing’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 38 (1): 3–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bramble, T. (1989) ‘Political Economy and Management Strategy in the Metal and Engineering Industry’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 31 (1): 22–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burchell, B. and Rubery, J. (1994) ‘Internal Labour Markets from Managers’ and Employees’ Perspectives’ In Rubery, J. and Wilkinson, F. (Eds), Employer Strategy and the Labour Market, Oxford, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Burgess, J. (1997) ‘The Flexible Firm and the Growth of Non-Standard Employment’, Labour and Industry, 7 (3): 85–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, I. (1990) ‘The Australian Trade Union Movement and Post-Fordism’, Journal of Australian Political Economy, reprinted in P. Watkins (1991), Knowledge and Control in the Flexible Workplace, Geelong, Deakin University.Google Scholar
Charlesworth, S. (1997) ‘Enterprise Bargaining and Women Workers: the Seven Perils of Flexibility’, Labour and Industry, 8 (2): 101–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doeringer, P., Piore, M. (1971) Internal Labor Markets and Manpower Analysis, Lexington, D.C., Heath.Google Scholar
Fox, C., Howard, W., Pittard, M. (1995) Industrial Relations in Australia, Melbourne, Longman Australia.Google Scholar
Friedman, A. (1986) ‘Developing the Managerial Strategies Approach to the Labour Process’, Capital and Class, 30: 97–124.Google Scholar
Fraser, D. (1996) The Training Guarantee: Its Impact and Legacy 1990–1994, Main Report, Evaluation and Monitoring Branch, Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs, September, EMB Report 5/96, Canberra, Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
Game, A., Pringle, R. (1983) Gender at Work, Sydney, Allen and Unwin.Google Scholar
Gordon, D., Edwards, R., Reich, M. (1982) Segmented Work, Divided Workers, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Hall, P. and Fruin, D. (1994) ‘Gender Aspects of Enterprise Bargaining: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ In Morgan, D. (Ed.), ‘Dimensions of Enterprise Bargaining and Organisational Relations’, UNSW Studies in Australian Industrial Relations Monograph No. 36, Kensington, Industrial Relations Research Centre: 77–129.Google Scholar
Harley, B. (1994) ‘Post-Fordist Theory, Labour Process and Flexibility and Autonomy in Australian Workplaces’, Labour and Industry, 6 (1): 107–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyman, R. (1991) ‘Plus ca change? The Theory of Production and the Production of Theory’, in Pollert, A. (Ed.), Farewell to Flexibility, Oxford, Basil Blackwell.Google Scholar
Jacoby, S. (1990) ‘The New Institutionalism: What Can It Learn from the Old?’, Industrial Relations, 29 (2): 316–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kochan, T., Katz, H., McKersie, R. (1986) The Transformation of American Industrial Relations, New York, Basic Books.Google Scholar
Kramar, R., McGraw, P., Schuler, R. (1997) Human Resource Management in Australia, Third Edition, Melbourne, Longman.Google Scholar
National Economic Development Office (1986) Changing Working Patterns: How Companies Achieve Flexibility to Meet New Needs, London, Institute of Manpower Studies, Department of Employment.Google Scholar
Pfeffer, J. (1995) ‘Producing Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through the Effective Management of People’, Academy of Management Executive, 9 (1): 55–69.Google Scholar
Piore, M., Sabel, C. (1984) The Second Industrial Divide: Possibilities for Prosperity, New York, Basic Books.Google Scholar
Pocock, B. (1995) ‘Women in Unions: What Progress in South Australia?’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 37 (1): 3–23.Google Scholar
Pollert, A. (1988) ‘Dismantling Flexibility?’, Capital and Class, 34: 42–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Probert, B. (1995) Part-time Work and Managerial Strategy: Flexibility in the New Industrial Relations Framework, Department of Employment, Education and Training, Canberra, Australian Government Publishing Service.Google Scholar
Rimmer, S. (1994) Australian Labour Market and Microeconomic Reform, Bundoor, La Trobe University Press.Google Scholar
Rose, M. (1994) ‘Level of Strategy and Regimes of Control’ In Rubery, J. and Wilkinson, F. (Eds), Employer Strategy and the Labour Market, Oxford, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rubery, J. (1994) ‘Internal and External Labour Markets: Towards an Integrated Analysis’ In Rubery, J. and Wilkinson, F. (Eds), Employer Strategy and the Labour Market, Oxford, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rubery, J. and Wilkinson, F. (1994) ‘Introduction’ In Rubery, J. and Wilkinson, F. (Eds), Employer Strategy and the Labour Market, Oxford, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Thurow, L. (1983) Dangerous Currents, New York, Random House.Google Scholar
Whitfield, K., Ross, R. (1996) The Australian Labour Market, Second Edition, Pymble, Harper Educational.Google Scholar
Womack, J., Jones, D., Roos, D. (1990) The Machine That Changed the World, New York, Maxwell Macmillan International.Google Scholar