Written assignment: Employment Relations
Assessment:
In this assessment task you are required to read the materials and articles-management and ethical leadership and those below that relate to the Aurizon dispute (see below) and answer the following question.
Your response MUST include discussion for the following sources, viz.:
Brown, ME & Mitchell, MS 2010, 'Ethical and Unethical Leadership: Exploring New Avenues for Future Research', Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 4, October, pp. 583-616.
Amernic, J & Craig, R 2013, 'Leadership Discourse, Culture, and Corporate Ethics: CEO-speak at News Corporation', Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 118, No. 2, pp. 379-394.
and those below that relate to the Aurizon dispute (see below) and answer the following question.
This is the main Question:
Describe how the Unitarist and Pluralist approaches to conflict would explain the positions of (a) management and
(b) unions in the Aurizon dispute. Identify which one of the approaches provides the better explanation. Explain how you reached this conclusion.
The format of this assessment item should follow a discussion essay format with a brief introduction, a body and a brief conclusion. For example, in your opening paragraph you should state the position that you will take in terms of responding to the question outlined above.
You also need to support any claims that you make by referring to the sources you use. It would be expected that reporting of the Aurizon dispute would be found in the media. It would be anticipated that material on unitarism and pluralism would be sourced from peer-reviewed or scholarly sources. The question is asking you to think of whether the particular frames of reference (unitarism and pluralism) explain the actions of management and unions.
Brigden, C 2012 ‘Unions and collective bargaining' in 2011' Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 361-376.
We would suggest that you read the short section on ‘Developments in Industrial Relations' pp. 367-368 as this section provides some insights on the approach adopted by Aurizon. The author links lock out approaches taken by employers to that taken by Qantas. There is a short summary of the Qantas matter earlier in the article.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2014 ‘Coal train drivers will be locked out for 48 hrs', ABC News, 26 February 2014
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-26/coal-train-drivers-will-be-locked-out-for-48-hrs/5284344
Accessed 12 March 2014.
Hannan, E and O'Brien, A 2014 ‘Rail operator Aurizon locks out striking drivers', The Australian, 26 February 2014
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/rail-operator-aurizon-locks-out-striking-drivers/story-e6frg6n6-1226837664910 Accessed 12 March 2014.
Kirkwood, I 2014 ‘Commission to investigate Aurizon drivers' dispute', Newcastle Herald, 2 March 2014 http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2122937/commission-to-investigate-aurizon-drivers-dispute/
Accessed 12 March 2014.
Kohler, A (2012) ‘Industrial disputes: the bucks and the business ‘, ABC: The Drum Posted 21 March 2012, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-21/kohler-industrial-disputes-the-bucks-and-the-business/3903104 Accessed 23 August 2013.
Validakis, V 2014 ‘Aurizon to lock out train drivers after strike action', Mining Australia, 25 February 2014
http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/aurizon-to-lock-out-train-drivers-after-strike-act
Accessed 12 March 2014.
Length:
650 words (± 65 words). Given the short length of this assessment item you should aim to be clear and concise in your writing in order to adhere to the word limit. Note this word count does NOT include the words used to compile your ‘References' section at the end of your submission.