What does Enterprise Bargaining Mean for Gender Equity? Some Empirical Evidence

Abstract

A growing literature on the likely impact of recent changes to the Australian industrial relations system raises a number of concerns about the implications for women (Robertson, 1992; Burgmann, 1994; Bennett, 1994). However, there is as yet little evidence on which to evaluate the effects of enterprise bargaining on concrete practices at the workplace level. As a means to redress this lack of data a survey was undertaken of Queensland workplaces with enterprise agreements. The survey results showed not only a generally low incidence of equity enhancing measures, but also very little evidence of any such measures having been introduced via enterprise bargaining. In addition, the data allowed..