An introduction to the "Gloves-off economy" / Annette Bernhardt, Heather Boushey, Laura Dresser, and Chris Tilly -- Working beyond the reach or grasp of employment law / Noah D. Zatz -- Putting wages back into competition : deunionization and degradation in place-bound industries / Ruth Milkman...

The year 2003 was characterised by employer proactivism, and a preparedness to pursue new legal manoeuvres to prevent or terminate protected industrial action. A number of employers also resorted to lengthy lockouts (with few positive results) as bargaining tactics in enterprise negotiations. It...

The expected surge of employer militancy did not eventuate on the legislative or industrial fronts. Employers appeared largely satisfied with the federal regulatory framework and continued to experiment with the choices it offers. In an election year and facing an unwilling Senate, they pulled...

Employers and their associations found themselves in a more complex environment largely of their own making. Desired change through the federal system appeared too incremental yet repeated association calls for a hardening of the Workplace Relations regime fell foul of the Senate. At state...