Bargaining structure and bargaining scope in New Zealand: the climate of employer opinion

Abstract

The Labour Relations Act 1987 removed legal restrictions on the subject matter of bargaining. This article reports the results of a survey of employer opinion on current union involvement in plant decision making and on future bargaining scope. Little current union involvement is reported in either operational decisions or more basic management strategy decisions. Some limited employer support is found for the notion that bargaining scope should expand with decentralization of the bargaining structure.