New Zealand employer attitudes and behaviours: What are the implications for lifting productivity growth?

This article addresses two issues. First, the rise of individualism in New Zealand employment relations as collective bargaining coverage has declined. Second, the effect this rise in individualism is having on achieving a high wage, high skill economy. In its discussion, the article draws on previous work on the historical rise of individualism, with a special emphasis on developments under the Employment Relations Act (ERA) 2000. The article focuses on the role of employer attitudes and, based on results from surveys of private sector organisations employing 10 or more staff, employers‟ dislike of collective bargaining and unions dominates findings. Finally, the article asks whether individualism can be aligned with a productive, high wage and high skill economy. It is argued that it is more likely that the economy will end up in a low skill, low wage situation.