I sat in on my first EBA back in '98, and I can tell you Hugh's analogy is spot on. At the time I naively thought we would first settle the company commitment to make-up for the 2 year pay freeze we gave them (due to losses incurred because of poor management decisions), then automatically increase wages in line with CPI, and then talk about productivity. How wrong I was. What I saw was 12 months of company industrial thuggery (they would justify it as simply playing "hard ball").
At the time we were in a weakened state due to circumstances beyond our control, and then as well as later on they ruthlessly took advantage of us in their never ending quest to cut wages and conditions. Do you know why? Because it's easier than doing their jobs!
I have no particular affection for the EBA system, but what's the alternative? If IR laws can be tightened to truly compell employers to bargain in good faith, and I mean truly, then maybe some good may come of it. One thing's for sure, they'll never do it off their own bat, of that I am totally convinced.
Last edited by KRUSTY 34; 14th Nov 2011 at 20:08.