"Quite simply, there are no easy answers to industrial relations."

As a recently credentialled academic in Politics, preceded by a working life as a labourer and factory hand, you must surely have pondered - somewhere along the line Chris - on just why this is so.

The 'no easy answers' cop-out, results from the antithetical relations between those with enormous private wealth and power and/or the executives who manage/control their investments (these days often one-and-the-same individuals or families), and those whose labour is the only 'asset' they possess, and which produces the goods and services which most in this 'lucky country' enjoy to greater or lesser extent.

With the basic human needs of decent sustenance, housing, healthcare, education, and access to secure paid employment opportunities common to all members of both these socio-economic classes, the conflict that develops out of the employer/employee relation arises from the desire of the former to acquire and accumulate as much surplus value (profits) as possible for THEIR family in an increasingly competitive business environment.

With personal goals, objectives and values that are inimical, there can only ever be increasing conflict ('competition') between not only wealthy investors, speculators, entrepreneurs, governments, nations etc., but in particular between those whose labours actually produce the wealth of this nation and those of the employing class. With Capitalism now a global(-ised) mode of social production and distribution, this same antagonistic structure also occurs in all other 'advanced' and 'under-developed' social formations.

With Australian 'workers' sold out by the Labor Party and many of their unions several years ago now, they have become increasingly vulnerable to predatory industrial relations policies and practices by not only many of their employers, but by the two major political parties that dominate politics in this country and 'executive' officials of some major unions and their peak bodies.

As a former labourer and factory hand and now academic student of politics, it is most surprising that you appear to be completely uninformed and unaware of these realities Chris.

Dear Sowat

You said:

<"With the basic human needs of decent sustenance, housing, healthcare, education, and access to secure paid employment opportunities common">

Such a statement misses soooooo much. If everyone played by the same rules it would be fine..but they don't.

We have Communist China(aka Capitalist pig-dog China) running by the rule "law of the jungle" and they are absolutely committed to the demise of existing industries in Australia and elsewhere where people can normally FIND that 'secure paid employment'.

There is no security in any kind of employment these days.... such a thing is a myth.

Unfortunately, the real world is not that of Lennon's "imagine" except in the imaginations of naive people.

The other factors at work against the "Lets all play by the same rules" method are:

-Race/Tribe.
-Religion.
-Combination of them.

You see, if 30%+ of humanity believes that "Allah has told us how to live" and.. they control most of the worlds energy resources, it is hardly likely that they will be open so such altruistic ideas as you propose :)

You see.. my own company kinda hopes that the opposition will make some huge blunder and take themselves out of the market... the reason is simple.. 'survival'. It's a constant war to

-Lower costs. (Labor and material)
-Improve marketing.
-Offer more for less.
-Outflank the opposition.

But if they get you first? :) go figure.

Maybe you are one of those ideological dinasaurs who still hope for a Socialist Utopia?

Sowat, you hit the nail on the head.

Many, many people only have their labour as their asset. Look at all the people who do all the jobs. The ones you actually see.

It is extraordinary that this large disparate group who by their labour create the opportunity for profit and wealth have to resort to union pressure and industrial action to try and keep their wages at least at the same value from previous years. We're not talking wage rises here, just keeping up with inflation.

It is acceptable for leases for business premises to keep up yearly with the inflation rate. Not so wages.

Except of course if you are a politician or otherwise you do not need to get anybody's permission to adjust your earnings to keep abreast with inflation.

"Maybe you are one of those ideological dinasaurs who still hope for a Socialist Utopia?"

Oh Polycarp, is this worn-out cliche the best you can do?

My response of course is - Yep! As Sam Lipski advised a large public gathering at Monash University yesterday, "Never give up hope".

"The other factors at work against the "Lets all play by the same rules" method are:

-Race/Tribe.
-Religion.
-Combination of them."

So true! Religious superstition/ideology/ignorance coupled with greed continues to be the primary cause of conflicts around the 'free' world.

"Unfortunately, the real world is not that of Lennon's "imagine" except in the imaginations of naive people."

Naive we may well be Polycarp, however what does that make people such as your hard-working self, who question not and continue to support the flawed ide(a)ology of a 'Free market' with its 'level playing fields', 'lifting all yachts' ... and the like.

The notion of a 'Free' Market is a cynical con-job by those driven by blind ignorance - including 'christian ethics' - to ruthlessly exploit nature AND their fellow humans.

It IS a 'constant war', but war is said by some to be "good for business".

You might just learn something were you to take the time out to reflect upon the question of ..."Who among us benefits or profits most from war and the ruthless 'competition' underpinning the parasitic Capitalist mode of (SOCIAL production and distribution of the Earth's rich resources?