When the law does not work: clothing outworkers in Australia

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the nature and effectiveness of legal and social initiatives aimed at establishing and enforcing minimum employment conditions among outworkers in the Australian clothing industry. The factors undermining the enforcement of legal minima are analysed and insights gained to the effectiveness of the Australian system of industrial relations regulation. By contrasting the situation of clothing outworkers with that of other employees in the Australian context, the forces shaping industrial relations outcomes are highlighted.