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  3. Unions and bargaining
  1. Fair work practices

Unions and bargaining

Unions support employees in the workplace. They bargain for collective agreements with employers and help employees with information and advice about work-related issues.

Fair work practices
  • Workplace policies and procedures
  • Employee privacy
  • Restructuring and workplace change
  • Unions and bargaining
    • Unions
    • Employment Relations Education: courses and criteria
    • Collective agreements
    • Collective bargaining
    • Strikes and lockouts
  • Ethical and sustainable work practices
  • COVID-19 in the workplace
  • Pay and gender equity
  • Flexible working
  • Unions

    Employees can choose if they want to join a union. Unions negotiate collective agreements and advocate for employees.

    • Union membership
    • Workplace access
    • Screen industry workplace access
  • Employment Relations Education: courses and criteria

    Applications for course approval can be made throughout the year, by any individual, group or organisation that wishes to provide Employment Relations Education (ERE). Only approved courses can be used for ERE leave purposes.

  • Collective agreements

    Where a workplace has a collective agreement(s), union members are employed under a collective agreement(s) rather than individual employment agreements.

  • Collective bargaining

    Collective bargaining is the process used for negotiating and renegotiating collective agreements.

    • Collective bargaining process
    • Starting collective bargaining
    • Preparing for bargaining
    • Preparing your team
    • Negotiating the agreement
    • Good faith in collective bargaining
    • Passing on collective agreement terms
    • After the negotiations
    • Unable to agree
    • Pay equity claims
    • Screen industry
  • Strikes and lockouts

    Strikes and lockouts can be used as a tool by parties to collective bargaining or for health and safety reasons. Notice must be given of strikes and lockouts.

    • Strikes
    • Lockouts
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