HRM523 Advanced Studies in Industrial Relations: Discussion Analysis

This assignment comprises a discussion post and critique on employee relations within the context of an Australian university course, HRM523. The student addresses key questions regarding the role of the state in employment relations, the influence of unions, and the dynamics of workplace interactions. The assignment includes two discussion posts, each responding to specific questions with supporting references, followed by critiques of two peer posts. The student's responses analyze the balance between state regulation and workplace management, the impact of unions on worker rights and wages, and the importance of fair wages. The critiques offer additional perspectives, agreeing with certain points while also adding other points to the discussion, supported by credible sources. The assignment highlights the complexities of industrial relations and the importance of maintaining positive employee relations within organizations.

Running head: EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
Employee Relations
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
Part 1
1. Discussion Post 1 – Response to Questions under Topic 4
The Role of the State in Employment Relations:
A balance should be maintained between the role that is played by the State in guiding
and regulating labor relations and the role played by managers and supervisors at a workplace for
the same. On the part of the state, efforts must be made to come up with suitable policies and
procedures that can be put in place by a business organization to look into the rights and the
well-being of its workers while allowing for conditions that enable business operations to run in
a smooth and hassle free manner. Managers and supervisors at the workplace must adhere to
such rules and regulations by ensuring that these are properly and adequately implemented and
particularly making sure that the rights of workers are not violated as per state policies and
regulations (Shields, 2015). To this end, it is imperative that state authorities and managers of
business organizations collaborate with one another to make sure that industrial relations are well
maintained, that rules and regulations pertaining to business are aptly drafted and properly
implemented and that the rights and the interests of workers are always looked into (Compton &
McManus, 2015).
When it comes to industrial relations in Australia, there is no over-regulation on the part
of the state. While the state does mention the guidelines according to which industrial relations
must be conducted, it does not interfere in this respect and lets owners and managers of business
organizations take the cue in ensuring good employee relations (McPhail et al., 2015).
References

2EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P., ... &
Plimmer, G. (2015). Managing employee performance & reward: Concepts, practices,
strategies. Cambridge University Press.
McPhail, R., Patiar, A., Herington, C., Creed, P., & Davidson, M. (2015). Development and
initial validation of a hospitality employees’ job satisfaction index: Evidence from
Australia. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(8), 1814-
1838.
Compton, R. L., & McManus, J. G. (2015). Employee assistance programs in Australia:
Evaluating success. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 30(1-2), 32-45.
2. Discussion Post 2 – Response to Question 6
The Role of Unions in Australian Employment Relations
Unions exist, in my opinion, to protect the rights and the interests of workers Unions act
as representatives of the workers before business owners and managers. The vulnerability of
workers at the hands of business owners is something that is duly safeguarded on the part of
unions. The union membership in Australia is definitely connected to the wage movement that is
currently taking place in the country, with most workers and employee representative bodies
stating with clarity that the wages being offered on an average in Australia are currently not
enough to ensure a dignified standard of living for most working Australians (Al-Hadi et al.,
2019). Membership of a union is something that is giving workers the voice and the platform that
is needed to protest against the low wages that they are working for, something that in turn has
slowly and steadily snowballed into a large scale worker’s movement, with the rights and higher
pay for workers now being demanded by employee unions across the length and the breadth of

3EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
the country (Davis et al., 2016). There is now a furor in various parts of the country concerning
the poor rates of pay accorded to Australian laborers for the work regardless of whether it is
work that is being performed in the public or the private sector (Sverke, 2019).
References
Al‐Hadi, A., Chatterjee, B., Yaftian, A., Taylor, G., & Monzur Hasan, M. (2019). Corporate
social responsibility performance, financial distress and firm life cycle: evidence from
Australia. Accounting & Finance, 59(2), 961-989.
Davis, P. J., Frolova, Y., & Callahan, W. (2016). Workplace diversity management in Australia:
what do managers think and what are organisations doing?. Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion: An International Journal, 35(2), 81-98.
Sverke, M. (Ed.). (2019). The future of trade unionism: international perspectives on emerging
union structures. Routledge.

4EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
Part 2
Please respond to the below post with proper content, Word
count and three credible sources
1. Critique of Discussion Post to Question 4
I agree with what is being said about the government being the largest recruiting organization
in the public sector and the capacity of the government to influence and maintain industrial
relations through the development of adequate policies and practices for this purpose. Indeed, the

5EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
role of the government in fostering good industrial relations is a very crucial role and cannot be
ignored (Wright, 2017). I also like what is being said about employees having to take
accountability for maintaining cordial relations at the place as I believe that this is imperative for
business operations to be conducted in a smooth and efficient manner (Campbell & Burgess,
2018). I would like to however point out that the role of managers and supervisors cannot be
discounted in this respect either, given that these are people holding leadership positions in the
organization and have to be as cordial and well-behaved as employees in order to facilitate
business operations to be carried out with efficiency while collaborating with state authorities at
the same given time to ensure that policies and procedures that are being implemented meet the
approval of state authorities (Nadonly & Ryan, 2015). Secondly, I like how it has been
mentioned that state owned institutions operate independently in Australia but I do not agree
with the statement that state intervention is over-regulated.
References
Campbell, I., & Burgess, J. (2018). Patchy progress? Two decades of research on precariousness
and precarious work in Australia. Labour & Industry: a journal of the social and
economic relations of work, 28(1), 48-67
Nadolny, A., & Ryan, S. (2015). McUniversities revisited: a comparison of university and
McDonald's casual employee experiences in Australia. Studies in Higher
Education, 40(1), 142-157.
Wright, C. F. (2017). Employer organizations and labour immigration policy in Australia and the
United Kingdom: The power of political salience and social institutional legacies. British
Journal of Industrial Relations, 55(2), 347-371.

6EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
2.Critique of Discussion Post Response to Question 6
It is interesting to note whatever has been written concerning the insecure predicament of
unions and the fact that these are under threat. It is even more interesting to note that it is the
government which is causing much difficulty for trade unions to grow and prosper. I agree that a
decline in the strength of trade unions would lead to a decline in the bargaining power of workers
as I believe trade unions need to exist to argue on behalf of workers and serve as their
representative before both private as well as government authorities. I like that it has been
mentioned that unions play a crucial role in the awarding of fair wages (Wright, 2017). I would
like to point out in this respect that it is largely due to the agitation on the part of unions in
Australia that the average Australian is today in a position to demand fair wages for the work
that is being done by him or her (Sverke, 2019). I don’t believe that professional Australians
could have progressed to this stage had it not been for the support and the activism that has been

7EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
provided by trade unions, especially if the current furor in the country over low wages is to be
considered (Campbell & Burgess, 2018).
References u
Campbell, I., & Burgess, J. (2018). Patchy progress? Two decades of research on precariousness
and precarious work in Australia. Labour & Industry: a journal of the social and
economic relations of work, 28(1), 48-67.
Sverke, M. (Ed.). (2019). The future of trade unionism: international perspectives on emerging
union structures. Routledge.
Wright, C. F. (2017). Employer organizations and labour immigration policy in Australia and the
United Kingdom: The power of political salience and social institutional legacies. British
Journal of Industrial Relations, 55(2), 347-371.