Union Strategy and Union Democracy in a Decentralised Industrial Relations Environment: The Case of the National Tertiary Education Union

Abstract

This paper examines the issues of union democracy and union strategy in a regulatory environment that encourages fragmentation of bargaining outcomes rather than the maintenance of organisational solidarity. The paper considers these issues in relation to the experience of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) of enterprise bargaining in universities. A number of instances that threatened to undermine the achievement of union objectives are considered. The paper concludes that the flexible application of union democratic principles may strengthen union strategies rather than weaken them. The promotion of ‘strategic legitimacy’ through democratic forms may be crucial for unions operating within a hostile regulatory environment.