How did public services fare? A review of Australian state public service labour markets during the global financial crisis

Colley, Linda (2012) How did public services fare? A review of Australian state public service labour markets during the global financial crisis. Journal of Industrial Relations, 54 5: 612-636.


Author Colley, Linda
Title How did public services fare? A review of Australian state public service labour markets during the global financial crisis
Journal name Journal of Industrial Relations  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2012-11
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1177/0022185612454962
Volume number 54
Issue number 5
ISSN 0022-1856
1472-9296
Start page 612
End page 636
Total pages 25
Place of publication London, United Kingdom
Publisher Sage
Collection year 2013
Language eng
Abstract Public employment was traditionally seen as a ‘good job’, and governments were seen as ‘model’ employers. That reputation has faded in recent years due to factors including public management reforms that changed traditional public service employment. This research considers how the Australian public service labour market fared compared to the private sector during the global financial crisis. The research compares public and private sector outcomes in Australian states, focusing on two indicators of the size of the public service and wage outcomes. It finds that the global financial crisis did not enhance job prospects or conditions in Australian state public services, and potentially further detracted from public perceptions of governments as ‘model’ employers and the desirability of public service jobs. The crisis also highlighted the institutional tensions and complexities of the contemporary public employment environment.
Keyword Australian states
Employment in recession
Labour markets
Model employer
Public service employment
Redundancy
Wages
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Institute for Social Science Research - Publications
Official 2013 Collection
 
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Created: Mon, 15 Oct 2012, 09:19:46 EST by Dr Linda Colley on behalf of Institute for Social Science Research