Concerned workers who wanted to defend themselves from exploitation and improve their lifestyle formed trade unions. They do this by assisting them in maintaining and improving the wage rates & working conditions of their members. Trade unions have been encountering many problems, resulting in union memberships decline, which is now the major issue facing trade unions.
             During the fifties and sixties, trade union membership was at its peak. In 1960 union membership represented around 52% of the workforce. In the past few decades, membership has been significantly declining; with 57% in 1985, 54% in 1990 and 33% in 1995. Australia does have higher union membership compared to the rest of the world, but there is a marked decline acceleration of union membership.
             There are abundant issues that are causing membership decline in most trade unions in Australia. These issues include the changing composition of the workforce, fewer large employers in traditional industries (that have had strong union membership), a smaller public sector, an increase in people employed in the service sector (that have had weak union membership), greater numbers of small to medium size enterprises, increasing numbers of workers in part-time and casual employment, an increase in women in the workforce and government legislation discouraging the union movement.
             Trade unions have made changes to the union movement and the way they work, however the press has continued to present negative coverage of trade unions to the general population. All these reasons, which are discussed below, cause a negative change in people's attitudes towards trade unions.
             Unions believe that the Federal, State and Territory levels of government are making laws with aims to reduce the union movement in Australia, consequently causing serious damage to trade unions. This is true in which the legislation being introduced by the government attempts to minimise the role that t...