As the Bill was considered by a Parliamentary Select Committee, workers held major rallies and tens of thousands of workers walked off the job. The leadership of some unions even campaigned against their members opposing the Bill, saying they should instead call for the Bill to be amended. Existing unions were transformed into Incorporated Societies. However, the Act effectively gives the employer the power to dictate whether a collective or individual contract will exist. Although collective employment contracts are allowed, negotiations are left entirely to the businesses and employees, with no provision made for outside guidance or intervention.
New workers have no right to join a contract that applies to the rest of a workforce.
When collective employment contracts expire, conditions within them convert into individual employment contracts for workers under the old contract, until new collective or individual contracts are negotiated. An agent can be a lawyer, a union or even a friend. There is no restriction on the number of agents or negotiators in each company. Employers, however, are not required to negotiate or conclude a contract with the nominated agent of a worker. It is illegal to strike to pursue a multi-employer collective contract.