Industrial disputes tipped to jump as bargaining agreements expire

The atmosphere is ripe for more industrial disputation than we've seen for some time, an industrial relations lawyer says, as Deutsche Bank notes that agreements covering more than 130,000 employees at listed companies are set to expire by the year's end.

Lawyer and adviser Peter Vitale says "it wouldn't be unusual for there to be industrial disquiet when there are a large number of union agreements up for renewal."

Noting public observations from directors at prominent companies predicting a lot of disruption, Vitale says the ongoing Qantas dispute is not a catalyst for further high-octane industrial battles, but a symptom.

"That [the dispute] reflects unions being emboldened to take action more readily and also adjusting to the nuances of the Fair Work Act and being able to exploit it better," Vitale says.

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