Redundancy: The Response of Australian Industrial Law

The response of industrial law to redundancy is a key issue, particularly given the reluctance of governments to take action in this area. The author concludes that Australian employees, especially in the private sector, fall behind those of most other advanced industrialised nations in terms of legal protection concerning job loss. She further concludes that the most likely vehicle for improving this legal position is the current ACTU-sponsored test case before the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission. The Commission's jurisdiction and the approaches it has adopted are analysed.