Industrial Dispute

Working days lost

According to the Australian Bureau of Statisics, in the 2024 September quarter, 63 disputes (strikes or lockouts) occurred, with 33,000 employees involved with 46,600 working days lost. Disputes occured in 7 industries and in 8 states and territories. To any business owner, these figures must be concerning.

Industrial disputes can arise from disagreements about wages, employment conditions, union representation, workplace policies or rights under industrial laws and can take various forms including:

• Workplace grievances from employees over issues such as unfair dismissal or unsafe work conditions.
• Strikes or lockouts where employees refuse to work or prevent employers prevent employees from working as part of a dispute.
• Union disputes where conflicts arise regarding union representation, right of entry or union demands.
• Legal breaches and allegations of non-compliance with workplace laws or modern awards.

If employers don't act quickly, industrial disputes can escalate quickly, disrupt business operations, damage employee and client relationships and impact the workplace culture.

Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors has a proven track record of assisting employers in navigating complex industrial disputes and can assist with the following:

• Dispute resolution and mediation
• Arbitration in the Fair Work Commission
• Advocacy for industry-wide reforms
• Workplace investigations
• Crisis management.

Contact us today

Don't let industrial disputes disrupt your workplace. Trust ABLA to provide advice on bargaining disputes or union interactions and let us support you in keeping your business running smoothly.