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The problem of the incidence of taxation has generated a substantial body of literature over the years. Within this diverse literature, however, two major areas of research can be identified. One broad method of approach has been to examine, at both theoretical and empirical levels, the shifting behaviour which individual economic units seek to adopt in response to the imposition of taxes and the extent to which such shifting is successful. Perhaps the best known example of this type of research, although one which has not as yet yielded unequivocal conclusions, relates to the shifting of the corporation income tax.'

&dquo;IN THE past, as I see it, there has been a tendency to draw a dividing line in unionism. On one side have been placed things that are traditionally union matters-wages, working conditions-but on the other side are placed issues that are not touched by unions. My reasoning is that there should be no dividing line. Anything that constitutes discrimination or hardship against our people-then in we go.&dquo;' This statement by R. J. Hawke (now President of the A.C.T.U.) highlights what could be an important future development in trade union policy. Hawke has suggested that the trade union movement will attempt to establish a hire purchase company for union members, and that it will intimately involve itself in attempts to bring about reform in government education and taxation policies. If these events do occur the character of Australian trade unionism may change. However, since Hawke has been president for less than a year it is too early to judge whether these changes will take place. For this reason, and because of space limitations, speculation on the effects of such developments is not included in this note. Other important developments such as the events surrounding the A.C.T.U. Congress of 1969, the 1969 National Wage Case, and amendments to penal clause legislation, have been examined by other writers and are not discussed here.2 The issues and incidents that are recorded and discussed in this note are a reflection of the author's judgement about what constituted the other significant developments in Australian trade unionism in the year 1969-70.3 STRIKE ACTIVITYIn the period under review strike activity received a great deal of attention in the press media. Fears were expressed, by government leaders and employer organizations, that Australia was experiencing an extraordinary high level of strike activity. That these fears were partly correct can be seen from the statistics included in Table 1. During the last three quarters for which officials figures are available the number of strikes continued to increase. The average duration of strikes, though slightly longer than in quarters of the previous year, did not exceed the average for the period 1951-67. The magnitude (or size) of strikes fluctuated but remained below that experienced in earlier years. Days lost per worker and workers directly involved in strikes were not significantly higher than in the immediately preceding quarters; though they were substantially higher than the average experienced in the period 1951-67. If allowance is made for the special nature of strike activity in the first quarter of 1968 and the second quarter of 1969,4 and cognizance is taken of the longer strikes in the second quarter of 1970 ( unofficial figures), then it would seem reasonable to conclude, from the above evidence, that strike activity increased in 1969-70. What are the reasons for this increase?