Course coordinator
Mr Paul Dibley-Maher
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
Employee Relations and HR Practice examines the broad issues relating to managing people at work. The scope of inquiry extends to the macroeconomic environment including the economic, political, social and institutional context of work. The course is approached from a stakeholder perspective, emphasising the way that management, labour and the state, along with other key stakeholders, act, both separately and together, to structure the employment relationship and how that then transposes into HR Practice. Topics covered include the regulatory framework, employment law, bargaining structures and processes, managing diversity and inclusion, workplace discrimination, conflict and co-operation, Work, Health and Safety, employee wellbeing, HR Technology, HR policy, competencies and ethics.
Welcome to MGTS2607 Employment Relations.
Successive waves of employment relations legislative reform underscore the importance to managers of keeping abreast of employment relations at the Australian workplace.
In this course you will be exposed to the field of employment relations at both the enterprise and institutional levels. As a first step, you should read this outline very carefully to gain a general understanding of the aims, structure and organisation of the course, the assessment which you will be required to undertake, and the specific rules that apply to this course and which may vary from other courses that you have undertaken at UQ.
Employment relations seeks to explain the nature of relations, both individual and collective, that arise between employers, managers, employees and their representatives in the context of paid employment. Given the complexity of workplace behaviour, this course draws on several academic disciplines, including economics, law, politics, sociology and history, and each provides different insights into the study of employment relations.
Three main social forces are involved in shaping employment relations in Australia: capital, labour and the state. This course therefore considers the differing perspectives of all parties involved in employment relations. While at times considering international experience, the focus of the course is on Australia.
Within this general framework a wide variety of topics is investigated, including types and determinants of conflict at work; the activities of industrial tribunals, employer organisations and trade unions; the various methods of determining pay and conditions of employment (awards, collective agreements and common law contracts); and occupational health and safety.
A brief note on terminology: The field of 'employment relations' is wide-ranging. It includes not just those topics with which it is traditionally associated (e.g. trade unions, industrial tribunals, enterprise bargaining) but also relations between employers and workers at the enterprise more generally. In order to indicate the breadth of material canvassed by this course, at times we use the term 'industrial relations' in place of 'employment relations'. However, your teaching staff will be using the terms interchangeably through this course.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Before attempting this course, students are advised that it is important to complete the appropriate prerequisite course(s) listed on the front of this course profile. No responsibility will be accepted by the School of Business, the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law or The University of Queensland for poor student performance occurring in courses where the appropriate prerequisite(s) has/have not been completed, for any reason whatsoever.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
(MGTS1601 + 4 units courses) or MGTS2604
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ECON2810 or IREL1000 or MGTS7609 or POLS1401
Restrictions
Quota: Minimum of 35 enrolments
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Mr Paul Dibley-Maher
Tutor
Mr Paul Dibley-Maher
Dr Samantha Cooms
Dr Kohinur Akter
Dr Kaye Broadbent
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email business.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full Name
- Student ID
- Course Code
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to expose students to the field of employment relations at both the enterprise and institutional levels. In doing so, students will learn that employment relations seeks to explain the
nature of relations, both individual and collective, that arise between employers, managers, employees and their representatives in the context of paid employment. Given the complexity of workplace
behaviour, this course draws on several academic disciplines, including economics, law, politics, sociology and history, and each provides different insights into the study of employment relations.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Examine and discuss the broad issues relating to managing people at work in Australia from a stakeholder perspective, including political, economic and legal themes and debates.
LO2.
Quantify the significance of managing diversity, workplace discrimination and workplace health and safety for Australian businesses.
LO3.
Critically explore your own values, beliefs and practices on the materials presented.
LO4.
Communicate clearly, fluently and coherently, in a manner consistent with personal, professional and academic conventions.
LO5.
Practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills through research into contemporary employee relations issues and implications for practice.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio, Reflection |
Critical Reflective Journal (Portfolio)
|
50% |
Practice Reflection 9/08/2024 5:00 pm Full Portfolio 8/11/2024 5:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Critical Review Report | 50% |
Part A 9/09/2024 5:00 pm Part B 25/10/2024 5:00 pm |
Assessment details
Critical Reflective Journal (Portfolio)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Portfolio, Reflection
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
Practice Reflection 9/08/2024 5:00 pm
Full Portfolio 8/11/2024 5:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Longitudinal.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Each week you are INDIVIDUALLY required to write a critical reflection based on the material presented and your learnings from the lecture and tutorial.
The weekly critical reflections will be presented in a portfolio and submitted to Turnitin at the end of the course.
Your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences should form the bulk of the reflection, relaying how you understand the material presented, with a goal of personal growth and transformation.
Critically exploring your own values, beliefs, and practices in a structured and explicit way, facilitates life-long learning and allows you to develop.
As reflective writing is a formal academic genre, it is important that you still use published theory against which to reflect and analyse your experiences, with a coherent and cohesive written structure.
The portfolio will be made up of 10 reflective entries (approx. 250 words per entry) or 2500 words in total.
This critical reflection will commence in week 2 and continue through to week 13.
NOTE: The Week 2 critical reflection will be a practice exercise (no marks), where you will be given valuable feedback to assist in future reflections. This is a compulsory activity to help you understand how to write in a critically reflective way. Descriptive, rather than reflective, writing will not earn you any marks so it's important you complete the practice activity.
NOTE: It is the position of UQ that the use of AI and MT outputs without attribution, and contrary to any direction by teaching staff, is a form of plagiarism and constitutes academic misconduct. This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submit via Turnitin on Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Critical Review Report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
Part A 9/09/2024 5:00 pm
Part B 25/10/2024 5:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
There are two parts to this assessment task. The first part will provide you with valuable feedback to ensure you are 'on the right track' and can continue on to complete the second part of this task, the critical review report. NOTE: It is the position of UQ that the use of AI and MT outputs without attribution, and contrary to any direction by teaching staff, is a form of plagiarism and constitutes academic misconduct. These assessment tasks evaluate students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
PART A - Report Plan - 10%
- Choose one (1) of the Workplace relations topics or issues, as outlined in any of the first ten lectures, that you would like to explore further. NOTE: You can choose any topic/issue from these ten weeks, even if the topic has yet to be discussed in class.
- Undertake a 'first sweep' review of the topic/issue, and select two recent articles that address this issue from opposing perspectives. (NOTE: If you are unsure about the suitability of your articles or chosen issue, please check with your tutor.)
- Prepare a brief plan for your report, outlining the topic/issue you are planning to critically review (maximum 1 page).
- In this plan, summarise the issue you are investigating, providing enough information for the reader to understand the situation/context and why the issue IS an issue.
- You must include full details of the two articles chosen for your critical review.
- You must use APA 7 referencing style
- NOTE: This task will help with the completion of Part B.
PART B - Report - 40%
- In relation to your chosen topic/issue, and with reference to the two articles offering opposing perspectives regarding the topic/issue, complete a critical review in the form of a report.
- In your report's introduction, summarise the underlying issue so that the reader understands the situation/context. (NOTE: Use the feedback you received in Part A to help complete this part of your report.)
- THEN, critically evaluate the substance of your chosen articles with regard to your chosen issue.
- FINALLY, present your own conclusions in relation to your critical evaluation.
- NOTE: Though the report is based on a minimum of two key articles, you are encouraged to read widely and, as appropriate, draw on other relevant literature to inform your thinking. You should use a minimum of 8 academic references to do this.
- You have a word limit of 2000 words (+/- 10%), (excluding references). NOTE: It's more challenging writing a 'tight' report with a restricted word limit, however this is exactly the type of situation you will find yourself in once you begin working in industry. Therefore, spend time reading and thinking about the most important aspects of the issue you are exploring, and focus your thoughts accordingly.
- You must use APA 7 referencing style
- When you submit your work, include a cover page (name, student ID, course code/name, report title, and the number of words in your report) plus a bibliography showing all sources of information using APA 7 referencing style.
Submission guidelines
Submit via Turnitin on Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
WEBSITES
It is also useful to conduct your own literature searches when undertaking assignments. Some key documents have been posted on Learn.UQ (Blackboard), including the supplement to the textbook. The following may be useful additional starting points:
Employer
- Australian Industry Group: www.aigroup.com.au. See especially: http://www.aigroup.com.au/workplacerelations
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland: www.cciq.com.au/employer-assistance/
Government
- Commonwealth Government Department of Employment: http://employment.gov.au
- Department of Justice and Attorney General (Qld): www.justice.qld.gov.au/fair-and-safe-work/industrial-relations
- Fair Work Ombudsmanﾠhttps://www.fairwork.gov.au
Industrial tribunals
- Fair Work Australia: www.fwc.gov.au.
Trade union
- ACTU: www.actu.org.au (check out useful links)
- Queensland Council of Unions: www.queenslandunions.org.au
JOURNALS
Useful information will be found in the following journals, which are held in the SS&H Library (call numbers appear in square brackets after the title of the journal):
- The Journal of Industrial Relations (JIR) [SS&H Per HD4811.J63]: JIR is the journal of the Industrial Relations Society.
- Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources [SS&H Per HF5549.A2P45]: This is the official quarterly journal of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) and contains articles aimed at both academics and practitioners, with a particular focus on Australia and Asia.
- Australian Bulletin of Labour [SS&H Per HD8842.A78]: The material in this journal is produced predominantly by labour economists. It often contains useful statistics concerning employment and employment relations issues.
- Labour and Industry [SS&H Per HD8841.L3]: This is an Australian journal which publishes academic articles on a wide range of work- and employment-related issues, generally written from a critical sociological perspective.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
Introduction to ER & Course expectations Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 |
Lecture |
Approaches & Theories of ER in Australian context
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
Tutorial |
Introduction to ER
Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 3 |
Lecture |
Key Parties Part 1: The State
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Approaches and Theories of ER in Australian context
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
|
Week 4 |
Lecture |
Key Parties Part 2: Trade Unions and Employer Associations
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Key Parties Part 1
Royal Queensland Show Public Holiday - Wednesday 14 Aug 2024 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 5 |
Lecture |
Arbitration / Awards / Employment Relations Law
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Key Parties Part 2
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 6 |
Lecture |
Employee Participation and Voice
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Arbitration / Awards / Employment Relations Law
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 7 |
Lecture |
Agreements / Rule making / Employment Relations Law
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Employee participation and voice
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 8 |
Lecture |
Industrial Conflict and Employment Relations Law
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Agreements / Rule making / Employment Relations Law
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 9 |
Lecture |
Equity Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Industrial Conflict and Employment Relations Law
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Mid Sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
In-Semester Break |
Week 10 |
Lecture |
Indigeneity at Work
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Equity Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 11 |
Lecture |
Work, Health & Safety and Employee Wellbeing
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Indigeneity at work
Royal Queensland Show Public Holiday - Wednesday 14 Aug 2024 - Check Blackboard for announcements about affected classes. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 12 |
Lecture |
HR Policy/Employment Relations/Professional Ethics
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Tutorial |
Work, Health & Safety and Employee Wellbeing
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 13 |
Lecture |
Revision of Course Content |
Tutorial |
HR Policy/Employment Relations/Professional Ethics
Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.