Beyond our control: labour adjustment in response to the global recession by multinational auto companies in Australia

In response to the global recession, many multinational companies (MNCs) in the auto industry adjusted labour levels in their plants around the world. This paper examines the responses of Ford, GM, and Bosch in relation to plants in their home countries and in their subsidiary companies in Australia. The case studies revealed the emergence of 'hybrid' forms of employment relations practices among these MNCs, which were the product of convergence around commercial imperatives, as well as divergence due to the roles played by governments and trade unions in the respective countries.