The mythology of 'staff' employment : a weapon of mass construction
Hearn Mackinnon, Bruce 2004, The mythology of 'staff' employment : a weapon of mass construction, in AIRAANZ 2004 : Proceedings of the 18th Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand Conference : new economies: new industrial relations, Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand, Waikato, NZ, pp. 246-253.
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Title
The mythology of 'staff' employment : a weapon of mass construction
AIRAANZ 2004 : Proceedings of the 18th Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand Conference : new economies: new industrial relations
Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand Conference
Start page
246
End page
253
Publisher
Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand
Place of publication
Waikato, NZ
Summary
This paper explores the use of symbols and myths by management of Rio Tinto as important components of their weaponry for implementing a de-unionisation program throughout their Australian operations. The special use of language, categorisations and generalisations, have been crucial to the company’s successful implementation of “staff” employment. The ability of management to challenge and undermine traditional mythologies and develop new ones has been an essential ingredient in the company’s recipe for success in its efforts to deunionise its workforce. In particular, the paper explores management’s skill in promoting either the equalisation or differentiation aspects of “staff” employment. The paper concludes that one of the distinguishing features of “staff” employment has been it’s ability to promote the appearance of equalisation while actually leading to an enhanced differentiation of power between workers and managers.
Notes
Reproduced with the specific permission of the copyright owner.
ISBN
090929190X
Language
eng
Field of Research
150306 Industrial Relations
Socio Economic Objective
970115 Expanding Knowledge in Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
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