Abstract
The Hawke Labor Party Government has generated some fundamental changes in the Australian political economy. One of the chief catalysts in this process have been national trade union officials. This article analyses the role of union officials in the light of changes to wage determination, particularly since the key ‘two-tier’ decision of May 1987. It argues that these changes have been to the detriment of wages and conditions for the Australian working class and that the arguments used to support the changes are neither theoretically, nor practically, sound. It concludes by briefly assessing an alternative strategy for the Australian labour movement.