The Effect of Enterprise Bargaining on Downsizing in the Australian Retail Banking Sector 1993-1998: a Union Perspective

This paper assesses the effect of enterprise bargaining on the incidence of downsizing in the Australian retail-banking sector between 1993-1998. It appears that the downsizing negotiations performed by the 'Big 4' banks were undertaken in a conflictual fashion, devoid of co-operation. Moreover it seems that enterprise bargaining neither ensured nor prevented downsizing: the decision to downsize was the sole prerogative of the 'Big 4' banks. Enterprise bargaining gave the 'Big 4' greater flexibility in determining staff numbers, yet also enabled the Finance Sector Union to negotiate processes aimed at restricting the number of retrenched employees.