Stretching Flexibility (1996)
Enterprise Bargaining, Women Workers and Changes to Working Hours
Stretching Flexibility examines the impact on women workers of demands to work increasingly flexible hours.
The report includes case studies which highlight, in particular, that employer's and employee's definitions of' 'flexibility' are not necessarily synonymous. Many changes to working time arrangements have only been partly implemented and often depend on the discretion of the manager or supervisor.
The report stresses the need for the maintenance and strengthening of minimum standards and protection through a comprehensive 'no disadvantage' test, as well as the maintenance and strengthening of consultation requirements.
The report's recommendations aim to minimise disadvantage experienced by women as a result of changes to working time arrangements, and to ensure that the different requirements that women may have for flexible working arrangements at various stages of their lives are addressed in the enterprise bargaining process.
