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Our field of study was for a long time referred as industrial relations or labour relations, and in Australia these designations remained unchallenged until the early 1980s, when employer organisations – particularly the then newly formed Business Council of Australia (BCA) and later right-wing think tanks, such as the HR Nicholls Society – challenged what they regarded as the anachronistic and obstructionist collectivist/class conflict paradigm of the ‘industrial relations club’ (Stone 2006). In Australia, possibly the most influential and coherent critique was that provided under the auspices of the Business Council of Australia (BCA) (1989). The BCA posited a model of employee relations that looked very much like an Australian version of strategic human resources management (SHRM) (Beer et al. 1984), and this led the BCA to advance two key propositions: first, that the key to enterprise success is in finding competitive advantage; and second, that in the relationship between employer and employees, there is no room for third parties. In other words, in employment regulation unions, industrial tribunals – and even employer associations – were a distraction, or at worst an interference. While the term ‘employee relations’ continues to have currency in the Australian academic literature, its usage does not imply endorsement of a particular reform agenda; rather, it emphasises the shift in focus to the employment relationship. In Australia more recently, the term ‘workplace relations’ has emerged to describe the changing field of study to which this book is devoted – for example, issues associated with monitoring and surveillance and employee voice are very much workplace relations issues rather than institutional aspects of the workplace in the twenty-first century. Significantly, the term ‘workplace relations’ has also found favour with both of the major political parties.
This chapter will enable readers to understand the:
nature of labour market disadvantage and its various categories
intersecting nature and changeability of labour market disadvantage
connections between disadvantage, industry restructuring and the dismantling of labour market protections
implications of labour market disadvantage for workplace relations.
Introduction
In the second decade of the twenty-first century, the Australian workforce presents an unusual degree of diversity. Race and culture, gender, disability, age, lifestyles and changing family responsibilities are among the key diversity characteristics of an expanding population and labour force. This diversity has been fuelled by sustained mass immigration, the increasing workforce participation of women, the need to retain older and skilled workers and demands for equitable employment participation by traditionally marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities and Indigenous people. In this chapter, the nature and extent of each of these forms of diversity will be addressed, and the implications of this diversity for workplace relations examined. This analysis will also look at the interaction between diversity and disadvantage, and industry restructuring and economic change.
In this book, we have applied the label ‘workplace relations’ to our study in order to enable us to focus on those features of the regulation of work and employment that are distinctive, and reflect Australia’s history, economy and society. At the same time, we have attempted to place the study in its international context and to emphasise those things in the Australian experience that are shared by other nations. This attempt to draw out what is shared as well as that which is distinctive is at the heart of our emphasis on the impact of globalisation and neo-liberalism (Chapter 1) and the Australian employment model (Chapter 2), which draws out what is distinctive and shared with other developed nations.
The major features of the Australian system of bargaining – the labour market and the interrelated welfare system and economic context – have been considered, both in the thematic chapters and the analytical case study chapters. These features form what can be called the interacting elements of the Australian employment model. They conform to aspects of the liberal or Anglo-American model of capitalism, but also are the result of the unique historical development of the Australian workplace relations, economic and welfare system. Structural changes to the economy and the labour market – such as the shift from manufacturing to knowledge and services, and the growth of female employment – are common to the social democratic and conservative model of capitalism, as well as the liberal one (see Chapter 2 for further discussion of these models). However, the ways in which these changes are played out in these three models show significant differences due to the trajectories of political history, including the interactions between the state, employers and unions. The evolution of these trajectories continues in each of the three models, and is influenced by underlying economic and technological forces.
This chapter will enable readers to understand the:
development of neo-liberal policies in Australia and the implications for workplace relations and the employment model
internationalisation of the Australian economy, the floating of the Australian dollar, and the growth in international trade and foreign capital investments
impact of neo-liberalism on the opening up of Australian industry to global competition, and the privatisation and outsourcing of major elements of the public sector
way in which the neo-liberal reforms, combined with the relaxation of controls on finance, led to heightened risks for employees and those who depend on them.
Introduction
In this chapter, we discuss the development since 1980 of ‘neo-liberalism’, ‘globalisation’ and the expanding role of the financial sector in economic activity – often referred to as ‘financialisation’ – as well as the implications of these changes for the workplace (Kotz 2008). As we will see, these are not three discrete developments, but their evolution and interaction are important, for they reveal the sorts of pressures that are faced by employers, and that are experienced in workplaces and working lives.
This chapter will enable readers to understand the:
ways in which the Australian Public Service (APS) has changed both procedurally and structurally in an era in which market principles are pervasive
impact of adopting a private enterprise approach to management, both at the level of service delivery and in managing its workforce
challenges of workforce planning in light of demographic changes in the sector
effect of decentralisation policies on the ability to operate as one APS
internal and external environmental factors that most impact on effective public service delivery – especially the impact of changes of government on workplace relations arrangements and management.
Introduction
The Australian Public Service (APS) comprises a suite of agencies and departments charged with providing a diverse range of services to a growing and changing Australian population. From schoolteachers, nurses, armed-forces personnel and other direct service providers, to those who work in the administration of policy and program development, the operations of the APS span the public, private and not-for-profit sectors as each has become involved in the delivery of government services. The delivery of these services does not exist in a vacuum. Governments in Australia and most developed nations are influenced in their decision-making by the prevailing views and ideologies – not the least of which is neo-liberalism. As we explained in Chapter 1, these ideologies are driven by beliefs regarding how best to use public taxes and income to deliver government services. This chapter examines the APS by providing an overview of the service and an account of the challenges it faces in providing government programs, payments and services, while seeking to implement private sector management practices. It also highlights the issues that are facing the APS with regard to attracting and retaining a suitably skilled workforce in an environment of increased pressure to cut costs and reduce its size.
This chapter will enable readers to understand the:
links between employment insecurity and occupational health and safety (OHS)
relationship between employment insecurity and poor health outcomes
connection between the design and management of work and psychological or physical harm
importance of employee voice in bringing about improved psycho-social well-being at work
growing challenges to worker involvement in OHS despite its efficacy in reducing occupational illness and injury.
Introduction
Changes in the work environment present significant challenges to workers’ health and safety. The pursuit of labour flexibility, intense competitive pressures and the shift towards decollectivism and deregulated labour markets have produced new workplace risks to occupational health and safety (OHS), while eroding the capacity of workers to respond to such risks. Foremost is the challenge posed by the changing nature of employment, specifically the growth of precarious forms of employment, as well as greater job insecurity experienced by permanent employees. The second risk is the surge in psycho-social distress associated with increasingly demanding employment conditions, and third is the decline in occupational health and safety worker representation and consultation, contributing to a void in mechanisms for identifying, monitoring and controlling risks at work. These risks are not inevitable, but reflect choices made by organisations and governments about the priority given to worker health and safety vis-à-vis other economic and political objectives.
This chapter will enable readers to understand the:
role of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
reasons for trade union decline in Australia
different strategies for trade union renewal, including the organising model
ways in which globalisation has led to the development of international union structures
prospects for unions to operate effectively at an international level.
Introduction
Trade unions are ‘collective organisations of workers in the workplace that focus on improving the terms of the wage–effort bargain through creating collective leverage’ (Gall 2009: 177); that is, they act as collective agents to protect and improve their members’ wages and conditions through bargaining and other means. Some trade unions also have a legal, political, ethical and broadly social agenda, which means that unions are also interested in their members’ welfare and rights away from work. These interests also affect wider society and include activities that fall under the label of ‘community unionism’.
This chapter will enable readers to understand the:
different perspectives of the relationship between management and employees put forward within human resources management (HRM)
impact of workplace relations change on human resources responsibilities
role tensions in the developing field of HRM
directions for HRM in the twenty-first-century workplace.
Introduction
Over the last two decades, human resources management (HRM) increasingly has been seen as a strategic partner to management, and in these volatile times this can cause tension with its traditional role of employee champion. In Australia and elsewhere, the strategic promise of HRM has supported the elevation of human resources (HR) professionals to strategic, senior management positions (see Fisher, Dowling & Garnham 1999; Sheehan, Holland & De Cieri 2006). At the same time, significant changes to Australian workplace relations legislation (examined in Chapters 5 and 8) have brought additional responsibilities to the HR role that require more direct involvement in the employer–employee relationship. The progressive decentralisation of the employment relationship through enterprise bargaining, non-union agreements and individual contracts that promote direct dealings between employers and employees at the workplace level have intensified the focus on the HR professional as a key stakeholder in the successful management of the employment relationship. Consequently, those working within the HR function are expected to fulfil the role of strategic partner, as well as to attend to the traditional employee advocacy roles and remain a steward of the social contract (Buyens & De Vos 2001; Lansbury 2004).
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Discuss the typical myths or stereotypes relating to science which you or your students may hold;
Provide a contemporary definition of science and discuss how this is reflected in the Australian and/or New Zealand science curricula documents;
Explain how, in your primary classroom, you could present science as content, process and human endeavour; and
Provide definitions of scientific literacy and the nature of science and give reasons for their importance and centrality to science education, including primary school science education.
Introduction
The Australian Curriculum and New Zealand Curriculum documents (Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2012; Ministry of Education (MoE), 2007) provide the scope and direction for science education in our schools. Both documents, consistent with science reform documents and curricula internationally, present a vision for science education that is much broader than acquiring science content. Science content remains, of course, as Science Understanding in the Australian Curriculum and as four contextual strands in the New Zealand Curriculum; but science process is given equal prominence in the curriculum as the Science Inquiry Skills strand in Australia and Investigating in Science in New Zealand. Perhaps most significantly, however, is the much broader vision of science education provided in both documents by including the emphasis on science as a human endeavour as the Science as a Human Endeavour strand in the Australian Curriculum document and as the Nature of Science strand in the New Zealand Curriculum.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Plan lessons that help students experience, describe and explain some abstract concepts in chemistry;
Describe ideas about the chemistry of materials in terms of the particle nature of matter;
Be familiar with strategies used in a guided inquiry approach to teaching;
Focus on the use of representations that are particularly suited to the abstract concepts in chemistry to provide learning opportunities; and
Describe some practical examples of the teaching approaches and strategies that can be applied in classroom settings to engage students in learning chemistry.
Introduction
This chapter focuses on the learning and teaching of chemistry in primary school classrooms through the use of representations and appropriate vocabulary. It will examine ways of organising knowledge and linking scientific models and theories to observations and experiences. The Australian Curriculum (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2012) and the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education (MoE), 2007) cover common chemical concepts, under the banners of Chemical Science and the Material World respectively, related to the composition and behaviour of substances. Central to this are the ideas of matter, the changes matter undergoes, and the energy involved in these changes (ACARA, 2012; MoE, 2007).
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Highlight indicators of high-quality, effective science programs and science teaching;
Discuss major constraints when implementing an effective science program in your classroom and school; and
Consider ways that these barriers can be overcome.
Introduction
While the learning and teaching ideas explored throughout this book make sense on paper, the challenge for many primary school teachers is implementing and sustaining these strategies and approaches in their everyday practice. You will have already read about many of the problems that you might come across, but we hope that you have also made sense of the many ways that you can overcome these potential barriers. This chapter will offer some further suggestions as to how you can make science work in your primary classroom and school.
This book is crammed with ideas, theories and practical tips to ensure that you have the coni dence and ability to teach science to children in primary classrooms. Science is central to our lives in the 21st century and a vital learning area in the primary school curriculum. We all know that the primary curriculum is crowded, with literacy and numeracy dominating teaching time (see chapter 9 for an approach to how this can be overcome). Teachers are also aware that there are high expectations of what schools should be able to do with an increasingly diverse student population. We recognise that there are more assessment, reporting and public accountability measures in place than ever before. Even though science is recognised as a priority for governments on both sides of the Tasman, few primary schools currently provide science education programs that are considered to be generally, let alone highly, effective. And yet, this is a crucial time in a student’s education. They will either be encouraged and turned on to an endlessly fascinating subject, or they will view science as a collection of boring facts and useless information which is all too difficult to understand.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Identify forces and the way they work in everyday life;
Identify your own alternative conceptions about forces;
Understand the power of multimodal representations as a means of understanding forces;
Structure and plan constructivist learning and teaching sequences to build on primary school students’ prior knowledge about forces; and
Develop confidence in being able to plan and conduct science inquiry into forces.
Introduction
This chapter aims to help you as a primary school teacher to better understand key ideas in physics, particularly force, by exploring how they are relevant to everyday life. It also aims to provide you with a range of ideas about how you can help your students to connect physics ideas to their own lives through the use of hands-on investigations and multiple ways of representing their ideas. This will open up opportunities for a range of learning styles and approaches. In particular, this chapter takes a constructivist approach to learning and will help you to develop a deeper understanding of force and motion. Ultimately, you should be able to design learning and teaching activities that help your students to make connections between their experiences and scientific explanations of how the world works.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
Discuss the different purposes for and teacher orientations to assessment in the classroom, and take a stance on your own view of the different roles and merits of these;
Describe some of the ways classroom assessment can contribute to and intersect with inquiry-based approaches to science learning;
Analyse the impact of different assessment tasks and approaches in relation to current ideas about what constitutes quality assessment; and
Identify and take a position on some of the issues and challenges inherent in classroom assessment for teachers of primary science.
Introduction
Talk of assessment often conjures up images of formal testing, but this is only one small aspect of the assessment activity that takes place in a classroom. Assessment can be observations made as students are working on a task or sense-making during a whole class discussion. It can be teacher feedback written in student books or offered during an investigation. It can be embedded in the student action of asking questions to clarify an idea, comparing their work with peers in order to improve it, and conducting another trial when the result of the first was a surprise to them. As these multiple images of assessment suggest, within any classroom, assessment takes on many forms and is undertaken by teachers and students for a range of purposes. However, it is the notion of assessment for learning that is integral to teaching, because it is responsive to student needs and interests as well as being a core professional competency and capacity for teachers to hold and work towards (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011; New Zealand Teachers Council, n. d.). This chapter aims to do the following four things in supporting primary school teachers to better understand this concept:
Elaborate on the different purposes for classroom assessment;
Illustrate how the different purposes and forms of assessment can be brought together to support and showcase student science learning as something of relevance and value within students’ lives;
Explore some innovative and interesting ways that assessment can be used to empower students in the learning of science; and
Offer some suggestions for teachers who are seeking to enhance their practice of assessment in primary science classrooms.