The use of arbitration has dominated industrial relations in Australia since its formal sanctioning and encouragement by governmental policy, and most major industrial disputes are settled through conciliation and arbitration. The system has strong popular and political support, but its support among employers and unions has varied over time. Thus, its history has been marked by disagreements among interested parties regarding how it ought to operate. Individual papers consider labor legislation prior to the introduction of compulsory arbitration, the legal origins of the Australian model of conciliation and arbitration, the reactions of employers and labor unions, the effects on the economy and wages, its use in specific cases, and theoretical implications. Tables, figure, and chapter notes.