The Impact of `Work Choices' on Women in Low Paid Employment in Australia: A Qualitative Analysis

This article summarizes the effects of the Howard Government's `Work Choices' amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, based on qualitative analysis of its impact on 121 low paid women workers. The main effects of the regulatory changes are on job security, income, voice, working ti...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of industrial relations 2008-06, Vol.50 (3), p.475-488
Main Authors: Pocock, Barbara, Elton, Jude, Preston, Alison, Charlesworth, Sara, MacDonald, Fiona, Baird, Marian, Cooper, Rae, Ellem, Bradon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amendments
Australia
Dismissal
Employers
Employment
Employment security
Females
Flexibility
Job security
Labor relations
Legislation
Qualitative research
Redundancy
Unfair dismissal
Women
Work
Workers
Working Hours
Working women
Workplaces
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This article summarizes the effects of the Howard Government's `Work Choices' amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, based on qualitative analysis of its impact on 121 low paid women workers. The main effects of the regulatory changes are on job security, income, voice, working time and redundancy pay. The analysis draws attention to the nexus between protection from unfair dismissal and security of working time and employee voice: many of those interviewed in the study had lost access to protection from unfair dismissal and as a consequence could no longer effectively influence their working hours, or request flexibility. Employer prerogative was perceived to have strengthened in many of their workplaces, with consequences for the intensity of work. The analysis suggests that improvements in minimum standards and job security are vital if low paid workers like those included in the study are to exercise voice over working time and avoid significant deteriorations in their pay and conditions.
ISSN:0022-1856
1472-9296
DOI:10.1177/0022185608090001