Broad based employer organizations have successfully advocated deregulation of New Zealand labour relations on the basis that employers have felt unduly restrained by predominantly national occupational awards and existing union structures and activities. This paper examines this premise through ·an interview survey of South Island employers. Little support is found for the contention that unions or the award system place significant restraints on smaller or medium sized firms that are the

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... ation of much New Zealand industry and employment, or that such employers have felt moved to demand the sort of labour relations reform now advocated by the central organization of employers.