Labour Market Institutions

• Industrial Relations


  The relationship between employees and employers. Involves the laws, institutions and processes established to resolve the conflicts.
• Unions

  Trade unions are associations of workers aiming to advance the interests of their members by improving wages and working conditions
• Occupational Unions


  Draw their members from persons who possess a particular occupational skill/s
• Industry-based Unions


  Covers workers in a particular industry
• Enterprise-based Union


  Represent only the workings of a specific enterprise
• General Unions


  Covers a whole range of workers with many different skills across various industries
• Employer Associations


  Organisations formed to present the interests of businesses, especially in industrial relations and in lobbying the government
• Role of Employer Associations

  • Assists members in negotiating wage agreements with employees
  • Provide advice, training and direct assistance to employees
• Minimum Wages


  Acts as a safety net for employees by providing minimum rates of pay for employees not covered by an award or workplace agreement
• Awards


  Industrial awards provide a set of minimum wages and working conditions for employees specific to their industry, job classification, occupation or type of work performed
• Enterprise Agreements


  Made between groups of employees and firms or groups of firms. Made to suit the specific needs of particular enterprises and can offer pay above minimum rates