The development of alternative voice mechanisms in Australia: the case of joint consultation

The Australian industrial relations landscape has changed significantly. An increasingly hostile political environment and the emergence of human resource management (HRM) have seen the role of union voice decline significantly. Drawing on responses from the 2004 Australian Worker Representation and Participation Survey (AWRPS), this article examines the incidence and predictors of joint consultation, and employees' perceptions of the effectiveness of joint consultation. The study finds that joint consultation is a popular feature of the workplace. Joint consultation was highest in unionized workplaces, and the presence of a union and favourable management attitudes to unions are statistically significant predictors of joint consultative committees (JCC). Employees also report JCCs to be highly effective. The article concludes that joint consultation, as an alternative mechanism in Australian workplaces, is viewed as an effective form of voice.