Workplace Regulation at Metters' Stoveworks, 1902 to 1922: Did Arbitration Make a Difference?

This paper explores the impact of the NSW arbitration system on workplace industrial relations at Metters' Stoveworks in Sydney between 1902 and 1922. It is argued that far from dominating the industrial relations environment, the arbitration system had a muted impact, shaped by the interaction of workplace militancy and union and management strategies. The analysis of regulatory structures and practices at Metters suggests the relationship between arbitration and workplace industrial relations was complex and contradictory. While on the surface it appears that various arbitral awards assisted worker control, a closer examination reveals the importance of workplace militancy, often independent of the union, in achieving this control.