Trade Unions and the National Training Reform Agenda in Australia, 1983—1996

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From its election in 1983 to its defeat in 1996, the Labor Government in Australia initiated major reforms to the vocational education and training (VET) system. Here the author examines these reforms from the perspective of ‘skilled‐oriented unionism’—a strategy explicitly followed by unions in Australia. While much progress was achieved, particularly at national and industry levels, enterprise‐based reform lagged behind, reflecting the relative strengths and weaknesses of union organisation. In addition, union conflict and uncertainty over the appropriate labour market orientation for VET adversely affected the reform agenda.