Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the attitudes of employers in a de‐regulated institutional industrial relations framework, and whether they are still willing to engage in collective bargaining (CB). Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐sectional survey design using a...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to place empirical research on New Zealand employers’ attitudes to collective bargaining and legislative change within the context of the long running debate of flexibility. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey design using a...

Agenda 21 (UNCED, 1992) highlighted the role unions and workers might play in fostering the principles of sustainable development. It targeted the movement's traditional focus on human rights, equity, democracy and fair, decent and sustainable employment. The international union discourse on...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the experience of women working in New Zealand call centres after finding contrary evidence in the international research which suggests call centre work does not offer career opportunities for its mainly female workforce. The research seeks...

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a narrative history of the birth of human resource management in the New Zealand hotel sector. This historical development is analysed through the influence of changes in the national economic and employment relations context, the demise of...

The Employment Contracts Act 1991 radically transformed the system of employment relations in New Zealand. Proponents of the Act claim that it gives employers and employees “freedom of choice” and the ability to arrive at “flexible” working arrangements which are mutually beneficial. But...

This paper reviews three key issues associated with temporary agency work (referred to as agency work herewith) by drawing on Australian and New Zealand trends and experiences. First, the authors contend that it is surprising, in light of its high flexibility, that agency work constitutes a...