Decentralised negotiations in tertiary level institutions in the US and Australia

![CDATA[There has been a global change in the nature and pattern of employment relations. Australia has traditionally had a very centralised industrial relations system with a heavy reliance on industrial tribunals and a compulsory arbitration system where minimums were set in national and industry awards. The US, however, began with a far less decentralised system than Australia but has also experienced more decentralisation over the past 20 years. In particular, the growth of public sector academic unionism has led to a resurgence of enterprise bargaining, in the US, while legislation such as the Workplace Relations Act (WRA) has led to the same in Australia. This trend in increased enterprise bargaining has led to several debates centred on the notion that Australian industrial relations is moving towards an American style of employment relations. Therefore, this study takes a closer look at the negotiating tactics being used in collective bargaining at tertiary level institutions in the US and Australia and determine if in fact Australian industrial relations is becoming 'Americanised'.]]