The Fetish of Order: Reform in Australian Union Structure

Abstract

The idea of reorganising Australian unions inio bigger and industry-based units has almost unanimous support from industrial practioneers, committees of inquiry, politicians and academics. In practice, however, unions seem oblivious to the benefits and are not adjusting according to the model. Since practice has not followed theory it is possible that it is theory which is ill informed. This can only be resolved by reconsidering both theory and practice. The concern of this paper is which of these most requires reconstruction.