THE workplace relations (WR) environment of many AREEA members has deteriorated since the Fair Work Act took effect, according to the results of the latest survey in the AREEA Workplace Relations Research Project.

Conducted every six months since April 2010, the survey aims to reveal the long-term impacts of the Fair Work Act on employers in the resource industry.

The index score for respondents’ satisfaction with their WR environments started out at a level of 75.9 out of 100 in April 2010, falling to 65.1 in October 2010 and falling again to 61.7 in April 2011.

While the index score recovered slightly in the latest survey in October 2011 to 64.5, it remains more than 10 points below the initial index score when the Fair Work Act had been in force for just a few months.

In a report on the latest survey, RMIT University’s Dr Steven Kates said it is clear employers are finding it difficult to make positive changes in the workplace.

“At a time when greater flexibility and higher productivity are needed, we find there is less of both in the resource industry than required,” Dr Kates said.

“It is becoming evident that employers are being frustrated in their efforts to make positive changes at the workplace that would lead to increased productivity, and that union activity is becoming more difficult to deal with.”

The fifth survey in the AREEA Workplace Relations Research Project will be sent to AREEA members in April 2012. For further information about the project or to participate, please contact AREEA senior workplace policy adviser Lisa Matthews on (02) 9211 3566 or at [email protected].

To view the full RMIT University report for Survey 4, click here.