Australian labour law has had a unique development that distinguishes it from other English-speaking jurisdictions.
In 1904 the Conciliation and Arbitration Act was passed mandating "Conciliation and Arbitration for the Prevention and Settlement of Industrial Disputes extending beyond the Limits of any one State". In 2005, the WorkChoices Act removed certain dismissal laws, removed the "no disadvantage test", and made it possible for workers to submit their certified agreements directly to Workplace Authority rather than going through the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. There were also clauses in WorkChoices that made it harder for workers to strike, made it easier for employers to force their employees onto individual workplace agreements rather than collective agreements, and banning clauses from workplace agreements which supported trade unions.
Read more about Australian Labour Law: History
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