The John Hyde Archives
Historic archive of articles and newspaper columns written by former Australian politician John Hyde OAM.
Industrial Relations
Simple explanation for the unemployment crisis
- It is vital that those who demand and grant wage increases feel the consequences.
- The failure of the labour market is better understood by the rank and file unionist and his or her family.
The NFF and the Balderstone Report
Protectionism Industrial Relations Regulations Trade
- The report states that Australia's comparatively efficient agriculture is burdened with unnecessary regulation.
- It is in Australia's interest that the agricultural industry propers while remaining efficient.
- Australian agriculture suffers a considerable burden placed upon it by protected industries and trade unions and is under the mercy of international prices.
When is a Wage Freeze not a Freeze?
Industrial Relations Economics
- Wages must increase less than prices.
- High wages decrease demand
Wage-fixing priesthood keeps its god alive
Industrial Relations Economics
- Centralised wage-fixing is the creation of jobs for some who would otherwise be unemployed.
- A minimum wage is often set so high that it comes the permanent wage of those in the group with employers unwilling to offer more to capable individuals.
- Marginal employees such as the young, old, and unskilled are permanently shut out.
Choosing the right index
Economics Industrial Relations
- For indexing wages, the right index must be chosen. Lest we get more unemployment.
- If the CPI is used to index wages, then we should exclude the effects in terms of trade, taxes and devaluation from it.
The TPC & the IATA Agreement
- The problem with the trade practices commission is that the most serious monopolies are out of its reach.
- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is a price maintenance agreement that allows for cabin crew to share in the monopoly margins through their union.
Greiner's Small Business Policy
Regulation Industrial Relations
- The policy allows for an individual to negotiate employment conditions above the minimum requirements.
- Allows for the NSW industry to gain a competitive edge over other states and foreign imports.
Labour's style
Politics Industrial Relations Economics Business
- Bob Hawke ceded authority to those whom should not have authority.
- He expected big business to follow the government's lead on when and where to invest.
- His government is a corporatist consensus of government, big capital and big union.
The Opposition Industrial Relations Policy
- Few unionists understand that they are the prime cause of unemployment.
- An opportunity should be given to both employees/employers to be able to opt out of an award.
Building Industry Superannuation
Superannuation Industrial Relations
- Inelastic demand in the construction industry; ability to pass on increased costs to others.
- Union Superannuation is a tax on union members as they get a percentage of their members contributions.
- The revenue will give them the ability to further industrial or political action and further their careers.
Youth Employment
- Employers will choose employees that can provide the most for each dollar spent on them.
- Sen Chaney was concerned about income inequality and alienation.
Japan's Ministry (MITI)
Economics Business Industrial Relations
- Japanese Government assisted in economic growth by restraining itself from interfering with the economy.
- Japan's industrial policies are the best because the government interference is the least.
MTIA, Wages & Protection
- MTIA has been significantly responsible for the 1981 wage hike which has caused the high wages that they are complaining about.
- No monopoly is prefect. If the price of any commodity is raised, some other similar product will take its place.
- Due to comparative wage flow-on, other industries are also facing pressures to increase employment costs when they would otherwise not have to.
The OECD & Youth Employment
- The Australian Bureau of Labour Market Research (BLMR) states that youth employment was adversely affected by increase in relative youth wages in the 1970s.
- There is a substantial barrier to downward flexibility.
- Any further employment gains by youths are the expense of adult employees.
Restructuring the High Cost Industries
Industrial Relations Economics
- Restructuring means releasing resources from high cost activities to invest in low cost activities.
On the right to strike
Industrial Relations Monopoly Law
- There is a misuse of legal power to create monopolies.
Sir Joh's Industrial Laws
Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- There should be a recognised freedom of employment in society.
The Crunch
Industrial Relations Economics Politics
- If Bob Hawke feels that he is too weak to defy vested interests, he will sow the seeds of economic decline for everybody.
Junior Employees - Special Orders
Individual Rights Industrial Relations
- Minimum wage prevents potential employees from negotiating with employers.
- The right to determine one's own labour is a basic human right.
The Accord, Labour Market Regulation
Regulation Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- Only soft approaches that are based in individual liberty will work for labour deregulation.
The Wages Debate
- Most people resent the abuse of union power and fear that the unions will bring the country to its knees before giving up power.
- Legally binding awards and trade union monopoly powers which constraint people which they did not agree to are morally reprehensible.
The Real IR Debate
Protectionism Industrial Relations Business Individual Rights
- Being able to opt out of a wage award allows the parties to come to an agreement rather than having something forced upon them.
Recovery Alone Was Not Enough
Industrial Relations Business Individual Rights
- To reduced unemployment, we need to free labour and capital from government and the unions.
The Future of Agriculture
Protectionism Industrial Relations
- The two demands by the National Farmers Federation that industry protection by reduced and that real wages reflect the nation's economic circumstances are reasonable.
The Opposition's I.R. Policy
Protectionism Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- The Liberal policy will give all employees the right not to join a union.
The Accord
- The accord between the Labour Party and the Trade Unions are about to be tested. A productivity award will cause unemployment to be higher than it should be.
Cheer Up Things Are Getting Worse
Industrial Relations Regulation
- Deregulation will force unionist to bear the consequences of their own actions.
Industrial Relations in The Pilbara
- Foreign buyers only care about the price of iron ore. It is hard to understand why employee insist on practices that reduce productivity.
What's at stake at Robe River
- The main issue is whether Robe will be allowed to increase productivity and to invest in further developing costlier ore bodies or will the unions force it out of business.
What Is the New Right?
Politics Industrial Relations Individual Rights Taxation Fiscal Policy
- Our wishes are to reduce union power, unfair business privileges, balance the government budget, reduced public expenditure and taxes, stopping the middle class from being ripped off, restore competiveness and protection of the family.
Of Taxes and Superannuation
Taxation Superannuation Industrial Relations
- Democracies can slash marginal tax rates if they want to;
- Some people are unwilling or unable to provide for themselves.
- It is the demands of the middle class that make tax reductions difficult.
- Union organised superannuation can be a competitive and safe alternative to high welfare payments and taxes.
Will Unemployment Ever Come Down
- Reducing taxes on the lowest paid where anyone who was on unemployment benefits will be better off working is the most politically and morally right.
Of Unions, Rights and Property
Industrial Relations Taxation Property Rights
- The poorest person has no property but their labour.
- The government's first responsibility is the security of its citizens. Does taxation extend to the right of labour of its citizens?
Two Ways of Coping with Unions
- Reducing the power of unions until they have to obey the law like everyone else.
- Passing legislation to override the power of the unions.
The Campaign Issues
Politics Regulation Industrial Relations Economics
- John Howard's policy stances are more like Margaret Thatcher than he is given credit for.
- The important issue is to increase efficiency without which Australia is sunk. Tax cuts matter but not so much as deregulation and industrial relations reform.
The Issues Today
- Labour's industrial relations policy is corporatist, Liberal's is individualist. The main issue is who will rid is to national debt.
The Darwin Water Front
- Militant trade unionism is not the only reason for our declining living standards and the difficulties of balance of payments but there is no doubt that both would be improve without it.
Airline Deregulation
Regulation Industrial Relations
- The less the airlines are protected from consumer choice, the less that it will pay for employees to go on strike.
Corporatism and the ACTU
- Corporatism with its concentration arbitrary power is an evil system and Italian Fascism is the best example of that.
Replying to the ACTU
Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- In Australia, a small wage restraint was bought by offering more power to the ACTU and the unions.
- In Australia, the only basic human right not respected is the right to sell one's labour.
The Source of Union Power
- The power of the unions is both political and industrial.
- A monopoly is only as effective as the barrier that holds out competitors.
Labour Markets
- Restoration of personal liberties, increased productivity, low inflation and full employment should be the goals of any labour market reform.
- However, any reform must take into account of the consideration power of the unions.
Robe River Iron and The Common Law
- The Robe River Iron Associates (RRIA) should not be demonised for using the law to recover their company property and their poor public relations should not be used as an excuse to bully them.
Super Unions
- For any society to function, there must be near consensus about fundamental rules.
- Competition with the established rules has a better record than the protectionism imposed by ministers and union officials.
The Liberals IR Policy
Industrial Relations Monopoly Competition Regulation
- To protect the public from monopolies, the best alternative is to allow competition. Any reduction will reduce the pain of getting our economic house in order.
The 'right' that never existed
Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- There is no inherent right to strike only to stop working. By preventing other people from taking their jobs, they are subtracting their rights.
The Government and The Wage Round
Protectionism Industrial Relations
- The government should not be entrenching the unions. They should be doing what is right for the economy.
Of Wages and Wheat
Industrial Relations Regulation Politics
- The Liberals must establish the few important principles now. Continual deregulation is one of them.
Whither Florence Nightingale?
Protectionism Industrial Relations
- If individual nurses could be rewarded for their productivity, union protectionism would not work, and patients and taxpayers would not be bled.
The Pilots and The Libs IR Policy
- The whole point of the Liberal policy was the salary of pilots should be market driven but the leader of the Liberal party missed the opportunity to educate the Australian people on the least painful way to bring the current account into balance.
On Not Subsidising Ansett
Protectionism Industrial Relations
- Since the Prime Minister cannot subsidise every everyone that has been disadvantaged by a strike, he should not subsidise the wealthy that have the ear of the government.
Youth Employment
- Many government programs subsidise employers to hire apprentices. This is admitting that young, unskilled employees are overpriced due to the minimum wage.
The Rake's Progress
Industrial Relations Competition
- The rhetoric against the Australian Federation of Air Pilots is unfair. They are not the enemy, they should be left to be dealt with by market forces.
The Annual Convention of The Industrial Relations Society of WA (Inc)
- The fundamental reason why the labour market deregulation has not proceeded was indicated by a trade union official belief that most of society cannot get along. Unfortunately, he did not believe that most of society would appreciate directing their own affairs.
Healthcare, Unions, Solidarity and Conflict
Industrial Relations Healthcare
- One characteristic of a protected industry is that few of the decision makers have to bear the consequence of their decisions.
- Another characteristic is that authority is used to set prices instead of demand and supply determining prices.
What Right to Strike?
- Any strike is a collusion by employees to raise the price of their labour and there is no inherent human right to do so.
- Sanctions that clearly subtract from other people's rights should be illegal.
Trade Policy: The Litmus Test
- Free trade has always been in Australia's best interests. The Liberal's trade policy has called for Australia economy to be integrated internationally by the year 2000.
Sharabhron Ardeshiran v Robe River Iron Associates
- The legislation enshrines anti-business prejudice even though it was intended to address prejudice.
The Wage Case
Industrial Relations Economics
- High minimum wages kill off jobs and increase foreign debt. In order for Australia to have a trade surplus, Australians must improve competitiveness sustainably. Unit costs must be lower than other countries.
Tripartitism Examined
- Tripartitism is used to describe arrangements between government, trade unions and employer councils. Tripartitism uses committees as an alternative to deregulation and privatisation.
Making Full Employment Legal
Industrial Relations Individual Rights
- The Coalition promise to de-criminalising individuals selling their labour will improve our living standards and pay off our foreign debts.
What Right to Strike?
Industrial Relations Competition Individual Rights
- A competitive labour market works only if both employers and employees are competitive. Union sanctions affect the rights of individuals.
Australia Fritters Away Its Wealth
Regulation Industrial Relations
- Deregulators have had the most success in the financial markets due to the former treasurer's championing financial deregulation and neither the banks nor the bank employees union opposing deregulation.
A Basic Right to Work
Industrial Relations Politics Individual Rights
- Trade Unionists, Industrial Judges and Politicians are being unfair to our weakest citizens by denying them their basic human right to sell their own labour.
Budget Headaches - Burke and Hawke
Budget Industrial Relations Politics
- The best thing that can be done for the unemployed due to the recession is to reduce the wages of those that are closest to unemployment.
OECD Approach to Unemployment
Industrial Relations Business Politics
- Unemployment levels are kept artificially higher than which an employer can hire a potential employee.
17% Holiday Loading
- Abolition of holiday loading could have been the greatest job creation scheme of it was not set aside due to misguided notions of equity.
The Incomes Accord
- The Labour Party's policies have caused an inflexible labour market and have prevented workers from negotiating a job. This has caused a drop-in employment for a long time to come.
Football
Industrial Relations Subsidies
- The defence of subsidising the rich is everybody get their share and therefore the process is fare. It is both futile and unfair.
Youth Employment
Industrial Relations Competition
- By preventing youths from competing with adults through laws that deny them gain experience that will assist them in future.
About
John Hyde OAM is a former Australian politician. He was elected as the member for the Division of Moore in Western Australia for the Liberal Party.
John Hyde OAM is the author of Dry: In Defence of Economic Freedom.