International Employment Relations Network List
(IERN-L)
A Miscellany of International Employment Relations News
Miscellany 14, 9 May 2012
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Contents
Main Stories
Australia: Union Rorts and Sleaze Damage the Labour Movement
Australia: Health Services Union brings in internal investigator
Australia: Rival unions target Qantas
France: Déclaration de la Commission exécutive de la CFDT - Élection
présidentielle, répondre sans attendre aux difficultés des salariés
France : Vite une nouvelle loi !
ILO: Open markets alone will not create good-quality jobs, says ILO
ILO: No recovery in sight for labour markets, warns ILO
India: Air India pilots in mass sick leave protest
Kenya: Kenyans seeking jobs abroad
UK: First central government mutual faces union resistance
UK: Cambridge academics approve compulsory retirement age
In Brief
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China: Migrant worker wages increase by 21 percent
China: Pay disputes and factory relocations the focus of strike action in April
Colombia: General Secretary of the sugar cane workers’ union assassinated
Germany: Proposal to establish single national minimum wage
Kenya: COTU (K) urges the Govt. to create jobs for the youth
Nigeria: Union wants FG to establish research commission
Nigeria: Anti Strike Law: Adamawa Lawmakers, tug of war with labour unions
Nigeria: Assassins of Comrade Oyerinde Must Face Justice
Paraguay: Workers Arrested for Forming a Union
Singapore: Pay rise without higher productivity 'dangerous'
Singapore: 'Give pay rise to beat inflation'
South Africa: COSATU CEC statement
South Africa: COSATU NW gives feedback to Chubby Chick workers
UK: NHS Trusts ‘not being given time to prepare to cover strike’
UK: Boots Sunday pay move ruled unlawful
USA: IWW Shops Hold May Day Rally
Publications
Calls for Papers, Conferences, Seminars, Symposia
Other Sites
Awards
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Main Stories
Australia: Union Rorts and Sleaze Damage the Labour Movement
IR/Australia/Union Corruption
2
Chris Leggett, 9 May 2012
From time to time (for 27 April, see below), Miscellany has included occasional reports on
the allegations of malfeasance of officials of the Health Services Union (HSU). For those not
familiar with the Australian industrial relations context I have attempted here to update and
summarise the results of these allegations, which are damaging to Australia’s labour
movement.
After much procrastination Fair Work Australia’s report on its investigation into the HSU
was made public this week. It details evidence of the improper use of his union credit card
by the union’s former National Secretary, Craig Thomson − until last week a Labour Member
of Parliament, but now ‘exiled’ to the cross benches − to the tune of $500,000, spent on
sleaze, fine dining, and his promotion as a Labour electoral candidate.
Thompson’s successor at HSU, Kathy Jackson, who had been campaigning for an inquiry
into the union, was herself criticised in the report for having failed in her duties regarding the
lodgement of a financial report. From being a whistleblower on the HSU’s corruption she has
now been lumped in with the corrupters, and may be something of a scapegoat.
HSU’s National President, Michael Williamson, who had already been stood aside pending
the result of investigations into alleged crooked financial deals, was criticised for not
ensuring that union rules were followed over the issue of credit cards. Williamson was also
General Secretary of the HSU’s East Branch, for the dissolution of which the Acting National
President and the National Executive have applied to the Federal Court of Australia.
The publicity, especially that in the national broadsheet, The Australian, whose reporters’ and
columnists’ zealous propagation of neo-liberal theology would make even the late Milton
Friedman seem Keynesian, is seriously damaging the Australian labour movement, as much
due to the rorting* as to the revelation of the very generous salaries, compared to the officials
of other unions affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade unions (ACTU), paid to the
HSU officials, many of whose members are relatively poorly paid. My posting of reports in
Miscellany from The Australian are ever critical of the Labour Government’s Fair Work Act,
which replaced the previous Coalition (conservative) Government’s Work Choices, and its
regulatory agency Fair Work Australia.
The repeated reports in The Australian that it took Fair Work Australia three years to
complete its investigation into Thomson’s exploitation of his position for personal gain leave
mistrustful readers to infer that the procrastination was due to the dependence of the Labour
3
Government on Craig Thomson’s vote in an otherwise evenly divided House of
Representatives. Last week, Thomson’s membership of the Labour caucus could no longer be
sustained and his party membership was withdrawn. At the same time, the House Speaker, a
renegade from the Coalition placed in the position by Labour (so as not to lose another
crucial voter in the House by appointing one of its own) was required to step aside pending
investigations into allegations of sexual harassment and rorting.
*Rort (n) an act of fraud or sharp practice (Australian colloquial)
___________________________________________________________________________
Australia: Health Services Union brings in internal investigator
IR/Australia/Union Corruption/Health Services Union
The Australian, 27 April 2012 at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/healthservices-union-brings-in-internal-investigator/story-e6frg6nf-1226340618113
THE embattled Health Services Union has appointed an ombudsman to deal with
internal charges against two of its senior officials.
The union's suspended boss Michael Williamson and its national secretary Kathy Jackson are
facing internal charges and disputes over the rules of the union, which represents health
workers.
The move came as the union's senior officials met in Sydney to discuss ongoing brawling and
power struggles within its ranks.
The meeting will also consider Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten's move yesterday
to apply to the Federal Court to have the union's scandal-ridden East branch placed in
administration because it had “ceased to function effectively”.
The HSU national council announced today it had appointed former industrial relations
commissioner Errol Hodder to the position of union ombudsman
Acting national president Chris Brown said the union had previously had an ombudsman, but
the position had been vacant for a while.
“We've moved to fill it given there are pending charges against both Michael Williamson and
Kathy Jackson,” he said.
As ombudsman, Mr Hodder will investigate complaints and charges brought against members
and officers of the union.
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He will provide a report to the national executive and can recommend that action be taken
against any person he has investigated.
Mr Brown said the national council believed Mr Hodder had knowledge and experience in
dealing with disputes and understood how unions operated.
The national council voted 46-7 for Mr Hodder's appointment.
___________________________________________________________________________
Australia: Rival unions target Qantas
IR/Australia/Trade Unions/Demarkation/Airlines/Qantas
The Australian, 1 May 2012 at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/rival-unionstarget-qantas/story-fn59niix-1226343110461
TENSIONS between unions representing Qantas workers have erupted into open
warfare, after three unions took legal action in Fair Work Australia claiming their
members were subject to poaching threats by a rival union.
The dispute has pitted Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes against Steve
Purvinas, the federal secretary of the Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association,
who rose to prominence during last year's Qantas dispute.Mr Purvinas is resisting attempts by
Qantas to have aircraft maintenance engineers, who are represented by Mr Howes along with
two other unions, undertake work that does not need to be signed off by licenced engineers,
who are represented by Mr Purvinas.Qantas wants to implement rules to create an "A" work
licence, with holders not required to have the same level of training and specialisation as
licensed engineers.Mr Purvinas wrote to union leaders, including Mr Howes and ACTU
secretary Jeff Lawrence on Saturday, accusing rival unions of being about to "cut a deal to
save their (heavy maintenance) arses". He wrote that A-licence engineers were about to be
employed "at our expense".Mr Purvinas said he would seek a commitment from Mr Howes
as well as the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union "that this is our work, that these
persons will be covered by the ALAEA when they attain Category A Licences and that any
approach by the company to negotiate an instrument to cover their employment be referred to
the ALAEA".
He said if that commitment was not made by today, membership of his union would be open
to maintenance engineers "to make sure our profession is not destroyed".In a follow-up email
yesterday, Mr Purvinas wrote that if rival unions "want to destroy our industry we will have
5
to protect our members' jobs".The AWU, the AMWU, and the electrical trades union
yesterday applied to Fair Work Australia seeking orders that the ALAEA not have the right to
represent members of the three unions.Glenn Thompson, the AMWU's assistant national
secretary, last night accused Mr Purvinas and his union of targeting their members."They are
encroaching on our traditional representation of unlicenced engineers, and it's a position we
are not prepared to sit idly by and accept," he said."We are concerned that the ALAEA has
taken a position in relation to representation of our members."We believe it's in the interests
of Qantas workers that we represent the interests of our members."We say that we have a new
regulatory regime and that our union has a right to cover our existing members."We will be
having discussions with Qantas on what the regulatory requirements mean for our members
and their working lives."Mr Purvinas attacked the unions over the release of the emails,
saying it showed the "union movement is in such disarray that emails can't be sent without
them being splashed all over the papers".Qantas and Mr Howes declined to comment
yesterday.
___________________________________________________________________________
France: Déclaration de la Commission exécutive de la CFDT - Élection
présidentielle, répondre sans attendre aux difficultés des salariés
IR/ER/France/CFDT/Election
CFDT, 7 May 2012 at http://www.cfdt.fr/rewrite/article/40456/salle-depresse/communiques/communique-de-presse-n°30-du-7-mai-2012.htm?idRubrique=8990
En élisant François Hollande hier, les électeurs ont choisi pour président le candidat qui dans
la campagne a eu un discours fort sur la nécessité de rassembler les Français, quelles que
soient leurs origines sociales et culturelles.
C’est également le candidat qui a annoncé clairement sa volonté de placer le dialogue avec
les partenaires sociaux, notamment les organisations syndicales, comme une des priorités
dans sa méthode de travail. La CFDT souhaite s’inscrire dans cette démarche.
La CFDT demande donc qu’une première rencontre entre le nouvel exécutif et les partenaires
sociaux soit organisée avant la tenue des élections législatives afin de décider des méthodes
de travail qui permettront d’apporter au cours du quinquennat des réponses aux
préoccupations des salariés sur l’emploi (notamment l’emploi des jeunes) et le pouvoir
d’achat (entre-autres sur le logement et l’énergie).
Une grande partie des difficultés auxquelles notre pays est confronté doivent trouver solution
au niveau européen. Les résultats des élections de ce dimanche en Grèce montrent combien
l’action européenne est déterminante. C’est pourquoi la France se doit d’obtenir des mesures
de relance, au-delà des mesures de maîtrise des dépenses publiques déjà en œuvre.
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Comme elle l’a fait pendant la présidentielle, la CFDT interpellera les candidats aux élections
législatives. Son interpellation s’articulera autour de trois axes forts :



Défendre la cohésion sociale, réduire les inégalités
Inventer un nouveau mode de développement
Construire un pacte social
_________________________________________________________________________
France : Vite une nouvelle loi !
ER/France/Harcèlement sexuel
CGT, 7 Mai 2012 at http://www.cgt.fr/Vite-une-nouvelle-loi.html
Le monde du travail est décidemment très dur pour les femmes. Aux inégalités de salaires,
aux temps partiels imposés, à la précarité, aux carrières ralenties, aux retraites réduites, les
lois existantes n’apportent pas de solution, faute d’être appliquées. Le harcèlement sexuel,
autre forme de violence sexiste serait maintenant impuni !
L’ancien ministre et ancien député du Rhône Gérard Ducray, condamné en appel en 2011
pour harcèlement sexuel à trois mois de prison avec sursis avait accompagné son pourvoi en
cassation d’une question prioritaire de constitutionnalité (QPC) attaquant la loi sur le
harcèlement sexuel. « Le fait de harceler autrui dans le but d’obtenir des faveurs de nature
sexuelle est puni d’un an d’emprisonnement et de 15 000 euros d’amende », stipulait l’article
incriminé. Il a été jugé trop flou :le 4 mai, les sages du Conseil constitutionnel ont rayé le
délit du Code pénal. Avec effet immédiat.
Des centaines de procédures judiciaires risquent d’être annulées. Les victimes dont les
procédures sont en cours voient ainsi s’ajouter des souffrances supplémentaires à celles
qu’elles ont subies du fait des comportements inadmissibles de collègues, souvent leurs
supérieurs hiérarchiques.
L’Association européenne contre les violences faites aux femmes au travail (AVFT) qui
milite pour un durcissement de la loi, demandait l’abrogation de ce texte, mais de manière
différée afin d’éviter tout vide juridique.
Avec de nombreuses associations, collectifs, syndicats, la CGT exige de nouveaux droits, une
nouvelle loi, dès le début de la prochaine législature : ce sont les harceleurs qui doivent se
sentir en danger !
Au contraire plus aucune personne harcelée ne doit se sentir isolée, sans défense. Sur le lieu
de travail, c’est une affaire syndicale avant d’être judiciaire.
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___________________________________________________________________________
ILO: Open markets alone will not create good-quality jobs, says ILO
ER/Labour Markets/Trade/ Workforce Development
ILO, 25 April 2012 at http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-mediacentre/news/WCMS_179293/lang--en/index.htm
Full and productive employment must become a key objective of the international trading
system if open markets are to translate into more and better jobs, said the Executive Director
of the ILO’s Employment Sector, Mr. José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs in a statement
delivered at the UNCTAD XIII Panel on Reflections on the international trading system
and inclusive development.
When countries liberalize trade without introducing policies to cushion the impact on workers
and companies, we have “destructive destruction”, he said. In other words, a climate in which
some enterprises are forced to close down, investment dries out, research and upgrading
declines, and jobs are lost.
Mr. Salazar was speaking at the XIII session of the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD) that is underway in Doha from 21 to 26 April 2012.
Many of the successful examples of export growth are no simple stories of trade
liberalization, but rather more complex multidimensional stories where several ingredients
come into play, he said.
Countries can adopt a number of measures to improve the employment outcome of trade.
First, they must pay more attention to promoting full and productive employment and
productive capacities. Second, export and investment promotion policies must go hand in
hand with industrial policies. Third, trade reforms have to be introduced gradually so that the
labour markets have time to adapt.
“The lack of a positive employment impact is the main reason why trade liberalization has
often translated into increased inequalities”, said the ILO’s Executive Director for
Employment. “If we want to achieve a fairer and more inclusive globalization, then open
trade and social protection should be considered as complementary policies”.
Investing in people and infrastructure is another very important element, especially when it
comes to training workers and upgrading their skills. This last idea was highlighted in a
separate statement addressed by the ILO Director-General Juan Somavia to the
conference.
8
“Ensuring that enterprises find the skilled workforce they need and ensuring that workers find
jobs that correspond to their skills is one of the most pressing issues to address in the current
situation of high unemployment that particularly hits the young”, read the statement by Mr.
Somavia. “Reducing this mismatch is crucial for enterprises and economies to grow and for
the young to find jobs”
___________________________________________________________________________
ILO: No recovery in sight for labour markets, warns ILO
ER/Labour Markets/2012
ILO, 29 April 2012 at http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-mediacentre/news/WCMS_179449/lang--en/index.htm
GENEVA (ILO News) –Despite signs that economic growth has resumed in some regions,
the global employment situation is alarming and shows no sign of recovery in the near future,
says the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The ILO’s “World of Work Report 2012: Better Jobs for a Better Economy” says that
around 50 million jobs are still missing compared to the situation that existed before the
crisis. It also warns that a new and more problematic phase of the global jobs crisis is
emerging.
First, this is due to the fact that many governments, especially in advanced economies,
have shifted their priority to a combination of fiscal austerity and tough labour market
reforms. The report says such measures are having devastating consequences on labour
markets in general and job creation in particular. They have also mostly failed to reduce fiscal
deficits.
The narrow focus of many Eurozone countries on fiscal austerity is deepening the jobs crisis
and could even lead to another recession in Europe”, said Mr. Raymond Torres, Director of
the ILO Institute for International Labour Studies and lead author of the report.
Countries that have chosen job-centred macroeconomic policies have achieved better
economic and social outcomes”, added Mr. Torres. “Many of them have also become more
competitive and have weathered the crisis better than those that followed the austerity path.
We can look carefully at the experience of those countries and draw lessons.”
Second, in advanced economies, many jobseekers are demoralized and are losing skills,
something which is affecting their chances of finding a new job. Also, small companies have
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limited access to credit, which in turn is depressing investment and preventing employment
creation. In these countries, especially in Europe, job recovery is not expected before the end
of 2016 – unless there is a dramatic shift in policy direction.
Third, in most advanced economies, many of the new jobs are precarious. Non-standard
forms of employment are on the rise in 26 out of the 50 economies with available
information.
There are, however, a few countries that managed to generate jobs while improving the
quality of employment, or at least one aspect of it. For example, in Brazil, Indonesia and
Uruguay employment rates have increased while the incidence of informal employment has
declined. This was mainly due to the introduction of well-designed employment and social
policies.
Fourth, the social climate has aggravated in many parts of the world and may entail
further social unrest. According to the report’s Social Unrest Index, 57 out of 106 countries
with available information showed a risk of increased social unrest in 2011 compared to
2010. The two regions with the largest increases are Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East
and North Africa.
The report says that fiscal austerity combined with labour market deregulation will not
promote employment prospects in the short term. In general, there is no clear link between
labour market reforms and higher employment levels. Moreover, some recent reforms –
especially in Europe – have reduced job stability and exacerbated inequalities while failing to
create jobs.
However, the report argues that if a job-friendly policy-mix of taxation and increased
expenditure in public investment and social benefits is put in place, approximately 2 million
jobs could be created over the next year in advanced economies.
Other main findings of the report include:

Employment rates have increased in only 6 of 36 advanced economies (Austria,
Germany, Israel, Luxembourg, Malta and Poland) since 2007.

Youth unemployment rates have increased in about 80 per cent of advanced countries
and in two-thirds of developing countries.

Poverty rates have increased in half of developed economies and in one-third of
developing economies, while inequality rose in half of developed countries and onefourth of developing economies.

On average, more than 40 per cent of jobseekers in advanced economies have been
without work for more than a year. The majority of developing economies show a
decline in both long-term unemployment and inactivity rates.
10

Involuntary part-time employment has increased in two-thirds of advanced economies.
Temporary employment has also risen in more than half of these economies.

The share of informal employment stands at more than 40 per cent in two-thirds of
emerging and developing countries.

In 26 out of the 40 countries for which information is available, the proportion of
workers covered by a collective agreement declined between 2000 and 2009.

28 per cent of the selected group of emerging and developing countries implemented
policies to reduce social benefits during the crisis compared to 65 per cent in advanced
economies

At 19.8 per cent of GDP in 2010, global investment remains 3.1 percentage points lower
than the historical average, with a more pronounced downward trend in advanced
economies. In all regions, investment in small firms has been impacted
disproportionately by the global crisis.
__________________________________________________________________________
India: Air India pilots in mass sick leave protest
IR/India/Airline/Industrial Action
CIPD, 8 May 2012 at http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2012/05/air-indiapilots-in-mass-sick-leaveprotest.htm?wa_src=email&wa_pub=cipd&wa_crt=news_4&wa_cmp=pmdaily_080512
Around 100 pilots working for Air India have called in sick today, in a co-ordinated protest
against the airline’s training policy which has led to flight cancellations.
The pilots are unhappy that they are being passed over for training to fly the Boeing 787
Dreamliner, the new model which is being introduced for long-haul flights. The Indian Pilots
Guild (IPG), historically the main pilots’ union at the airline, wants its members to receive
the training rather than those from the former Indian Airlines, which merged with Air India in
2007.
Four flights have so far been cancelled and more disruption is expected following the
unofficial walkout, which started on Monday night.
Civil aviation minister Ajit Singh called for the pilots to go back to work, labelling the action
‘illegal’, ‘destructive’ and ‘inappropriate’.
"A strike needs a notice in advance. The Air India pilots have called in sick. Such kind of a
strike is illegal," Singh said in a television interview. He called for talks to resume, adding:
“This is not appropriate... every section has grievances, they should have some patience."
Air India’s management have taken a hard line with the protest, reportedly sending medical
teams to visit the houses of absent pilots. It gave the absentees a deadline of 6pm today to
11
return to work, and has so far sacked 10 of the pilots. It has also derecognised the IPG.
Training for the 787 Dreamliner is a contentious issue because the model is seen as
representing the future of the airline, which is heavily in debt and has received government
rescue loans. Pilots who are trained to fly the new planes are likely to enjoy better promotion
prospects, which is why pilots from the former Indian Airlines – affiliated to a different
union, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) – have previously taken court action
to ensure equal representation on the training programme, which is now management policy.
However, the IPG argue that the new planes were ordered before the merger with Indian
Airlines and therefore that their members should receive preference.
IPG President Jitendra Awhad said, "The management is not taking this situation seriously
and that is why this has happened. We are open to discussions, at least some of our demands
should be met. That's why we've asked the Aviation Minister to step in immediate
___________________________________________________________________________
Kenya: Kenyans seeking jobs abroad
ER/Kenya/Labour Markets/Employment Agents
COTU (K), undated, accessed at http://www.cotu-kenya.org/press-release/re-kenyansseeking-jobs-abroad
The Central Organization of Trade Unions COTU (K) wishes to caution all Kenyans
particularly the youth seeking employment abroad due to the high youth unemployment rate
in the country that now stands at close to 50% that they risk ending up in slavery and
servitude despite assurance from some government officers and a clique of unscrupulous
employment agents and bureaus.
It is disturbing that whereas the media has been awash with reports of pain and suffering
afflicted on these youth seeking jobs abroad, more continue to troop the Middle-East
countries in search of jobs for which COTU (K) now calls on the government to immediately
order for the closure of all the Foreign Recruitment and Employment Bureaus and Agents
operating in the country until such a time that both the Ministry of Labour and Foreign
Affairs come up with a law to regulate the operations of those bureaus and agents under the
Ministry of Labour.
The high unemployment rate in the country particularly for the youths has become a curse for
this country where young Kenyans have degenerated Into slaves in these Arab countries and
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COTU (K) continues to receive numerous complaints from these young Kenyans suffering
abroad calling for COTU (K)’s intervention but due to the archaic laws that govern the
operations of these foreign recruitment agents and bureaus, we are unable to make any
meaningful impact.
Unscrupulous individuals running these foreign recruitment agents continue to entice these
youths into taking up employment abroad while aware that they (agents) have already been
paid the total sum salary that such unsuspecting youth anticipates to receive upon arrival in
these countries hence leave these youths at the mercy of the employers who subject them to
worst forms of slavery including rape and at times killed for alleged failure to “comply” or be
“accomplices” in criminal engagement as well as evils by their employers.
Francis Atwoli, MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL
_______________________________________________________________
UK: First central government mutual faces union resistance
IR/ER/UK/Public Sector/Mutuality
CIPD, 30 April 2012 at http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2012/04/firstcentral-government-mutual-faces-unionresistance.htm?wa_src=email&wa_pub=cipd&wa_crt=news_1&wa_cmp=pmdaily_300412
The government’s first John Lewis-style mutual to be created from a central government
service has drawn strong criticism from civil service unions.
Launching the new mutual today, Cabinet Minister Francis Maude said that transforming
MyCSP, the civil service pensions administrator, into a staff and management run partnership
would benefit employees, taxpayers and service users.
“As a mutual, MyCSP will deliver better services for its pension scheme members, millions
of pounds of savings for the taxpayer and a real sense of ownership for employees over what
they do,” Maude said.
“We are transforming a neglected back-office operation into a new competitive and
responsible business – the rest of the world is watching.”
The government will contract MyCSP to manage pensions for the 1.5 million members of the
Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). Maude said the move was a significant
landmark in opening public services up to competition from a diversity of providers.
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Under the mutual system employees will receive a 25 per cent stake in the business,
representation at board level and a share in profits.
A private company - Equiniti Group’s Paymaster business, which won the bid to join the
mutual – has a 40 per cent stake, while the government keeps a 35 per cent stake so taxpayers
will benefit as the business grows in value.
Meanwhile, the government has predicted the move will produce annual cost savings of 50
per cent by 2022, while improving the service.
Lord Hutton of Furness has been appointed as the first chairman. He said: “I am a firm
believer in the power of engaging employees to drive innovation.”
However, the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), which represents civil service
staff, said employees will lose their civil service status and access to the pension that they
administer.
It said that despite government claims it wants to give employees more say over their work, it
has imposed this decision without consulting staff.
In a survey of the 500 affected staff, the union found that 94 per cent did not agree turning
MyCSP into a mutual would empower staff and drive up performance and 95 per cent said
they wanted to retain their civil service status.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Instead of listening to the people who actually
do the job, senior officials and ministers are imposing their unpopular ideas on unwilling
staff. They should be investing in public services to make them better, not selling them off for
private companies to make a profit.
"We believe ministers know that the public do not want more privatisation, so they are using
mutuals to shield their true aims. This is privatisation by another name.”
________________________________________________________________
UK: Cambridge academics approve compulsory retirement age
ER/UK/Universities/Internal Labour Markets/Retirement Age
CIPD, 3 may 2012 at http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2012/05/cambridgeacademics-approve-compulsory-retirementage.htm?wa_src=email&wa_pub=cipd&wa_crt=news_1&wa_cmp=pmdaily_030512
Cambridge University has introduced a compulsory retirement age of 67 for its academics to
promote “intergenerational fairness” and enable career progression, PM has learned.
Academics at the university voted in favour of an Employer Justified Retirement Age (EJRA)
14
for themselves last week after an internal consultation had concluded.
The move, which was prompted by the abolition of the default retirement age last October,
will not apply to any non-academic staff employed by the organisation.
Indi Seehra, HR director at the university, told PM: “Introducing the EJRA for academics
will support intergenerational fairness. It will allow our academics to progress through the
promotional stages in the course of their career and help to create a balanced distribution of
ages.”
He added the reform will also promote more innovation in the university’s research, as
combining generations of academics can “refresh” academic thinking and inquiry.
“In an environment where innovation is needed, you need new people to come in to the
cohort to create innovation. But you need the capacity to allow them in, and if you haven’t
got people leaving then that will be a restriction on the capacity for new people,” said Seehra.
He added that more than 60 per cent of the academic opportunities in recent years at the
university have become available because somebody had retired.
“We have a low turnover rate, it’s about two per cent, and where turnover does occur
retirement is a prominent factor. Hopefully the EJRA will keep a balance between a fair
number of people continuing to retire and new people being able to join the academy.”
The policy will allow academics to apply for an extension for up to three years beyond
retirement age.
The university joins its rival Oxford in bringing in compulsory retirement for academics, as
Oxford’s EJRA came into force in October last year.
The use of employer-justified retirement ages was highlighted last month when a landmark
case concluded involving Leslie Seldon, a solicitor forced to retire at 65.
Seldon lost his appeal to the Supreme Court, and while the case will lead to further legal
argument, it indicated that the circumstances in which employers can justify forced
retirement may be wider than previously thought.
However, Matthew Knight, chair of UHR, the body for HR professionals in the university
sector, told PM he doubts many other universities will seek to introduce an EJRA.
The case for upholding an EJRA at Oxford and Cambridge “reflects their particular system
for promotions and tenure, so it’s much clearer to make the case for an EJRA”.
“I don’t at the moment see a significant number of other universities going down this road, in
fact I would say the reverse,” said Knight. “I would say there are very few, if any, that are
seriously considering it. That isn’t to say there aren’t worries or concerns about the effects of
15
the abolition of the DRA depressing promotion and succession opportunities - those worries
are around.
“But for most people, it’s too soon to know how serious those concerns are going to be. Also,
I think most organisations are taking the view that the right approach to this is to make sure
that there are good management processes in place so that this doesn’t become a huge
problem.”
___________________________________________________________________________
In Brief
China: Migrant worker wages increase by 21 per cent
ER/China/Migrant Workers/ Wages
China Labour Bulletin, 1 May 2012 at http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/110049
China’s rural migrant workers got an average pay increase of around 21 percent last year,
according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on 29 April. The average
monthly wage for the estimated 159 million rural migrant workers employed away from their
home area increased by 359 yuan to reach 2,049 yuan. Similar rates of increase were seen
across China, with wages in the traditional manufacturing heartland of the eastern coastal
provinces increasing by 21 percent to 2,053 yuan, while wages increased to 2,006 yuan on
average in the central regions, and 1,990 yuan in the west.
__________________________________________________________________________
China: Pay disputes and factory relocations the focus of strike action in
April
IR/ China/Industrial Action
China Labour Bulletin, 4 May 2012 at http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/110050
After an upsurge in strike action last month, generated in part by transport workers’
dissatisfaction over the cost of fuel, the focus of labour activism returned to the factory floor
in April, particularly in those factories that were planning to downsize or relocate.
___________________________________________________________________________
Colombia: General Secretary of the sugar cane workers’ union
assassinated
16
IR/Columbia/Anti-Unionism
ITUC, 7 May 2012 at http://www.ituc-csi.org/colombia-general-secretary-of-the.html
The Colombian and international trade union movement is in mourning once more: Daniel
Aguirre, the General Secretary of the National Union of Sugar Cane Cutters
(SINALCORTEROS) was assassinated on 27 April. The ITUC joins its Colombian affiliates
CUT, CHT and CTC in strongly condemning this most recent assassination, which brings the
number of murders committed this year to seven.
___________________________________________________________________________
Germany: Proposal to establish single national minimum wage
ER/ Germany/Minimum Wage
Fedee, 1 May 2012 at http://www.fedee.com/about-fedee/newsflash
Germany’s leading coalition party, the CDU, has decided to introduce a mandatory minimum
wage covering all sectors of the economy. Agreement has yet to be reached with the other
two coalition parties, but the CDU proposal would involve the establishment of a wagesetting body drawn from both sides of industry.
___________________________________________________________________________
Kenya: COTU (K) urges the Govt. to create jobs for the youth
ER/Kenya/Labour Markets/Labour Migration
COTU (K) , 1 May 2012 at http://twitter.com/#!/COTU_Kenya
Sec. Gen Atwoli urges the Govt. to create jobs for the youth to do away with the suffering
Kenyans are going thro in the Arabian Countries.
___________________________________________________________________________
Nigeria: Union wants FG to establish research commission
IR/Nigeria/Unionism/Research Workers
Daily Trust, 26 April 2012 at
http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160729:unionwants-fg-to-establish-research-commission&catid=13:education&Itemid=31
17
The Senior Staff Union of Research, Development and Associated Institutions of Nigeria
(SSURDAIN) has called for the establishment of a National Research and Development
Institutions Commission (NARICOM) through an act of the National Assembly to address
anomalies within the system. The union also called on government to pay all outstanding
arrears of 53.3 per cent salary increase from July 2009 to June 2010 as was paid to workers in
tertiary institutions.
___________________________________________________________________________
Nigeria: Anti Strike Law: Adamawa Lawmakers, tug of war with labour
unions
IR/Nigeria/Adamawa State/Anti-strike law
Daily Trust, 23 April 2012 at
http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160339:antistrike-law-adamawa-lawmakers-tug-of-war-with-labour-unions&catid=16:labourreport&Itemid=14
The 25 lawmakers began consideration of a bill seeking to ban “essential service workers” in
the state and local government services from participating in strikes. Tagged ‘Adamawa State
Strike Prohibition Law 2012,’ when passed into law, would totally ban traffic warders, health
workers, staff of internal revenue service and fire service workers from organising or
participating in any strike.
___________________________________________________________________________
Nigeria: Assassins of Comrade Oyerinde Must Face Justice
IR/Nigeria/NLC/ Assasination
NLC, 4 May at http://www.nlcng.org/search_details.php?id=330
Nigeria workers were shocked beyond words by the tragic assassination this morning of
Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, Deputy General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC).
___________________________________________________________________________
Paraguay: Workers Arrested for Forming a Union
IR/Paraguay/Anti-Unionism
18
ITUC, 4 may 2012 at http://www.ituc-csi.org/paraguay-workers-arrested-for.html
Three trade union leaders – Leoncio Britez, Gustavo Jara and Teodoro Enciso – employed by
the company Maehara S.A. were arrested for helping to unionise the company’s workforce.
These arrests blatantly violate the National Constitution of Paraguay as well as ILO
Convention 87.
___________________________________________________________________________
Singapore: Pay rise without higher productivity 'dangerous'
ER/Singapore/Wages/Labour Supply
Straits Times Newsletter, 1 May 2012 at
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_794256.html
AMID continuing calls for Singaporean workers to be paid more, another warning of the
risks of raising wages without an accompanying rise in productivity has come, this time from
the very top. In a May Day message that tackled the issue head-on, Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong warned against merely relying on tightening the supply of foreign workers to achieve
better salaries.
___________________________________________________________________________
Singapore: 'Give pay rise to beat inflation'
IR/Singapore/Central Wage Fixing/Low Wage Workers
Straits Times Newsletter, 3 May 2012 at
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_794843.html
THE National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has proposed to the National Wages Council
(NWC) that workers be given a minimum dollar amount as an increment to their basic pay instead of getting it as a one-off payment. The fixed dollar amount should be enough to offset
the impact of inflation for low-wage workers, sources said. This move to boost the pay of
low-wage workers comes amid the drive by the Government and NTUC to raise the pay of
these workers, especially those in the cleaning and security sectors.
___________________________________________________________________________
South Africa: COSATU CEC statement
IR/South Africa/COSATU/campaigns
19
COSATU, 26 April 2012 at http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=6075
The Central Executive of the Congress of South African Trade Union held a special meeting
on 23-25 April 2012, attended by National Office Bearers, affiliated unions and provincial
structures. It discussed the way forward in the ongoing campaign against e-tolling, labour
brokers and labour law amendments which could cripple trade union rights.
___________________________________________________________________________
South Africa: COSATU NW gives feedback to Chubby Chick workers
IR/South Africa/ Workplace Discrimination
COSATU, 8 May 2012 at http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=6101
The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the North West will convene a mass meeting
with the dismissed workers of Chubby Chick and the community of Ikageng location in
Potchefstroom. The meeting will give feedback to the workers about the status of their case,
after they were dismissed for fighting against racism in the workplace where white workers
are racially discriminating against their black counterparts and white workers are given
preference over black workers.
___________________________________________________________________________
UK: NHS Trusts ‘not being given time to prepare to cover strike’
IR/UK/Public Sector/NHS/Strike
CIPD, 30 April 2012 at http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2012/04/nhs-trustsnot-being-given-time-to-prepare-to-coverstrike.htm?wa_src=email&wa_pub=cipd&wa_crt=news_3&wa_cmp=pmdaily_300412
The NHS Employers organisation has said it has “serious concerns” that NHS trusts are not
being given sufficient opportunity to prepare for industrial action by health service workers in
two weeks’ time.
Members of the Unite union working in the NHS are joining civil servants affiliated to the
PCS union in strikes and other forms of industrial action on May 10th, in protest against
pension reform.
20
___________________________________________________________________________
UK: Boots Sunday pay move ruled unlawful
IR/UK/Retail/Overtime- Penalty Rates
CIPD, 3 May 2012 at http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2012/05/bootssunday-pay-move-ruledunlawful.htm?wa_src=email&wa_pub=cipd&wa_crt=news_1&wa_cmp=pmdaily_040512
A move by Boots to cut Sunday pay for some of its staff has been ruled unlawful by an
employment tribunal. Last June, the retailer reduced rates of Sunday pay from double time to
time-and-a-half for employees hired before October 2000.
___________________________________________________________________________
USA: IWW Shops Hold May Day Rally
IR/USA/IWW/Union Organising
IWW, 5 May 2012 at http://www.iww.org/en/content/iww-shops-hold-may-day-rally
The boss was sweating bullets. The IWW was in the house, his workers were about to stop
work for May Day, and he wasn’t happy about it at all. But there was nothing he could do
about it since all his workers were IWW members and they support the union. This was at
Buy Back recycling in Berkeley, which functions under an IWW contract as does Curbside
The boss was sweating bullets. The IWW was in the house, his workers were about to stop
work for May Day, and he wasn’t happy about it at all. But there was nothing he could do
about it since all his workers were IWW members and they support the union. This was at
Buy Back recycling in Berkeley, which functions under an IWW contract as does Curbside
Pickups, the work place next door, whose workers were also about to stop work for May Day,
2012. Pickups, the work place next door, whose workers were also about to stop work for
May Day, 2012.
__________________________________________________________________________
Publications 2012
The ILO launched its annual report “World of Work Report 2012: Better Jobs for a Better
Economy” on Monday 30 April 2012. The new study examines the performance of different
countries since the start of the global crisis through the prism of the quantity and quality of
jobs..
21
________________________________________________________________________
Employment Trends unit of the ILO Employment Sector (2012) Global Employment Trends,
Download at http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/global-employmenttrends/WCMS_171571/lang--en/index.htm ISBN 978-92-2-124924-5
The annual Global Employment Trends report offers the latest global and regional
information and projections on several indicators of the labour market, including
employment, unemployment, working poverty and vulnerable employment. It also presents a
number of policy considerations in light of the new challenges facing policy makers in the
coming year.
___________________________________________________________________________
Pierluigi Rausei, Michele Tiraboschi Work: a reform in midstream (ADAPT 2012 @
University Press) access at http://www.bollettinoadapt.it/acm-on-line/Home.html
________________________________________________________________
26th AIRAANZ Conference 2012: Re-Organising Work, Association of Industrial Relations
Academics of Australia and New Zealand, published papers, ed. Robin Price, Brisbane,
Queensland University of Technology.
________________________________________________________________________
Pocock, B., Skinner, N and Williams, P. (2012) Time Bomb: Work, Rest and Play in
Australia Today, NewSouth Books, may be ordered at
http://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/isbn/9781742232959.htm
_________________________________________________________________________
Baird, M., Hancock, K. and Isaac, J. eds. (2012) Work and Employment Relations: An Era
of Change, The Federation Press, ISBN: 9781862878501 may be ordered at www.federation
press.com.au
__________________________________________________________________________
Bamber, G. J., Lansbury, R. D. and Wailes, N. (2012) International and Comparative
Employment Relations: Globalisation and Change, Allen and Unwin, ISBN:
9781742370651 may be ordered from academic@allenandunwin.com
___________________________________________________________________________
22
European Commission (2012) White Paper on Pensions (16/02/2012). White Paper on
Pensions .
This document is the follow up of the Green Paper 'Towards adequate, sustainable and safe
European pension systems' published in July 2010. Its purpose was to initiate a European
debate on the key challenges concerning pensions, the main question being: how can the EU
best support the efforts of Member States to ensure adequate, sustainable and safe pensions
for their citizens both now and in the future. On the basis of the responses to the open
consultation launched by the Green Paper, the White Paper identifies the most important
measures to be taken forward in this respect at the European level.
___________________________________________________________________________
International Labour Review, Vol. 150 (3-4)
Posting of workers, EU enlargement and the globalization of trade in services, by S.
LALANNE
Job attitudes, behaviours and well-being among different types of temporary workers in
Europe and Israel, by E.J. GRACIA, J. RAMOS, J. M. PEIRÓ, A. CABALLER and B.
SORA
Primary school student employment and academic achievement in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
and Peru, by D. POST
Trade union influence in Spanish manufacturing firms, by C. GARCÍA-OLAVERRI and
E.HUERTA
Special feature: DECENT WORK IN GLOBAL PRODUCTION NETWORKS
Decent work in global production networks: Framing the policy debate, by S.
BARRIENTOS, F. MAYER, J. PICKLES and A. POSTHUMA
Economic and social upgrading in global production networks: A new paradigm for a
changing world, by S. BARRIENTOS, G. GEREFFI and A. ROSSI
Economic and social upgrading in global production networks: Problems of theory and
measurement, by W. MILBERG and D. WINKLER
Further reading
Notes and debates
23
Documents and communications
Book reviews
___________________________________________________________________________
Japan Labor Review, Vol. 9 (1) Winter 2012
Special Edition: ‘Labor Relations in Japan’
Access at http://www.jil.go.jp/english/JLR.htm
Introduction
Articles
Japan's Labor Unions: Past, Present, Future
Unionization of Non-Regular Workers by Enterprise Unions
The Functions and Limits of Enterprise Unions in Individual Labor Disputes
The Current Status and Significance of General Unions: Concerning the Resolution of
Individual Labor Disputes General Unions and Community Unions, and Japanese
Labor Law
Article Based on Research Report
The Scheduled Increase in the Pension Age a JILPT Research Activities and the Effect
of Job Security Measures for the Elderly in Supporting Their Subsistence
JILPT Research Activities
________________________________________________________________
Calls for Papers, Conferences, Seminars, Symposia, Meetings
__________________________________________________________________________
International: The E-Journal of International and Comparative Labour Studies
The following is a list of indicative, but far from exhaustive, topic areas: - collective and
individual labour issues; - equality and discrimination; - school-to-work transition; industrial relations; - vulnerable workers and precarious working; - employment productivity;
24
- role of skills and human capital in a global context – immigration issues, labour law. For
more information http://www.adaptbulletin.eu/docs/e_journal_cfp.pdf
___________________________________________________________________________
Korea: The Korean Journal of Industrial Relations
The Korean Journal of Industrial Relations (KJIR) is published by the Korean Industrial
Relations Association. There is no due date for the submission. We receive articles around a
year. Web/URL:
http://www.lera.uiuc.edu/news/Calls/2007/Korean%20Journal%20of%20Industrial%20Relati
ons.htm
__________________________________________________________________________
Italy: Proiezione del film “Workers - Pronti a tutto”, 10 Maggio 2012 | Roma – Cinema
Barberini, Piazza Barberini 24, ore 20.30
Partecipa il Segretario Generale della CGIL, Susanna Camusso
___________________________________________________________________________
UK: The Crisis, Austerity and Labour Market Change
May 18th - 12.30-2pm, Working Lives Research Institute Seminar, WLRI, London Met
University, 31 Jewry St, Room JS3-74, EC3N 2EY. By Dr Kevin Doogan, Jean Monnet
Professor of European Policy Studies, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.
___________________________________________________________________________
UK: Transnational Industrial Relations and the Search for Alternatives, Greenwich
University, 31 May 2012 to 1 June 2012. For abstract submission or more information,
contact Lefteris Kretsos (l.kretsos@greenwich.ac.uk).
___________________________________________________________________________
Ireland: IFSAM 2012 Conference, Limerick, Ireland, 26-29 June 2012. Website:
http://www.ifsam.org/
___________________________________________________________________________
UK: BUIRA 2012 Conference, University of Bradford, 28 - 30 June 2012. Calls for
abstracts have now closed, however if you have submitted an abstract to the conference
please check that your submission was successfully submitted. As this is the first time we
have used this electronic submission system you may not have been aware that you should
25
have received this confirmation. If you did not receive confirmation of your submission
please contact k.gilbert@strath.ac.uk attaching a copy of your abstract.
___________________________________________________________________________
USA: ILERA Study Group (Public Sector)
Leading Public Service Organisations in Challenging Times, July 2-5, 2012 in Philadelphia at
ILERA.
Governments are looking towards their senior civil servants and top managers to implement
challenging programmes of organisational and workforce restructuring and routinely include
leadership as a core competency for top level positions. The study group is interested in
papers that address a number of issues in relation to leadership in a period of restructuring,
not only relating to central government but also in other public services such as health,
education and municipal services. Abstracts and papers are invited on this topic. We are also
interested in receiving shorter papers from policy makers and practitioners that contributes to
our understanding of current developments. The abstract should be around 500-750 words
and submitted to Stephen.bach@kcl.ac.uk or lorenzo.bordogna@unimi.it no later than 16th
March 2012. Acceptance decisions will be communicated by the 30 March 2012. Accepted
papers should be submitted by 15 June 2012.Full call for papers:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/iira/study/publicsector.htm
___________________________________________________________________________
USA: ILERA Study Group #9 (Pay Systems)
If you are interested in making a presentation at Study Group #9 the 16th World Congress of
the ILERA in Philadelphia, please send an email with the title and brief description to
daniel.j.b.mitchell@anderson.ucla.edu.
__________________________________________________________________
USA: ILERA Study Group (Research Methods)
The study group will meet during, USA, 2–5 July 2012 (http://www.ilera2012.com/). The
focus of the meeting will be on Partisanship in Industrial Relations Research. The aim of
this study group is to examine issues around the topic of whether IR can be truly objective.
Please send abstracts or papers as a Word or 'rtf' file by e-mail to both coordinators: Professor
Keith Whitfield whitfield@cardiff.ac.uk and Professor Ralph Darlington
26
r.r.darlington@salford.ac.uk no later than Friday 30 March 2012. Acceptance decisions will
be communicated by 15 April 2012. Accepted papers should be submitted by 15 June 2012.
__________________________________________________________________________
USA: ILERA - Global Meeting of Deans/Directors/Chairs of Programs in Industrial
Relations and Human Resources
In conjunction with the 16th World Congress of ILERA in Philadelphia during 2-5 July,
2012, a global meeting of Deans/Directors/Chairs of university and college programs in
industrial relations and human resources will be held from 4 pm - 5:30 pm on Monday, July
2, 2012. To participate in this forum, please send an email request to: ac@ilera2012.com
Please include name, address, name of the university, email, phone and some information on
the programs at your university like name of the degree and annual enrollment.
___________________________________________________________________________
USA: 16th World Congress of ILERA, 16th World Congress of ILERA, 2-5 July 2012,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Website: http://www.ilera2012.com/
Register at: http://www.ilera2012.com/Registration/default.asp
Reserve accommodation at:
http://www.ilera2012.com/Accommodations/default.asp
Review program at:
http://www.ilera2012.com/Congress-Program/default.asp
Arrange travel at:
http://www.ilera2012.com/General-Information/default.asp
__________________________________________________________________________________
Australia: Special Issue of Labour and Industry
Governance and CSR: Implications for Labour.
Papers are due to s.h.young@latrobe.edu.au by end of August 2012
___________________________________________________________________________
Portugal: IREC 2012: Challenges for Public and Private Sector Industrial Relations and
Unions in times of Crisis and Austerity
27
5-7 September 2012, CIES-ISCTE/IUL, Lisbon, Portugal
This year the conference is organised jointly with the Research Network on Work,
Employment and Industrial Relations of the European Sociological Association, but
participants are not required to be ESA members.
The conference will consist of plenary and workshop sessions focusing on the impacts of
crisis and austerity upon the institutions and actors of European industrial relations systems in
both the private and public sectors, and the methodological issues involved in their study.
• What is the concrete impact of the crisis upon industrial relations systems in Europe, and
what are the comparative implications of these transformations?
• What are the differential impacts of austerity upon private and public sector employment
and labour relations?
• To what extent have the crises accelerated transformations already in progress in European
industrial relations, and to what extent have they spawned qualitatively new challenges?
• Have the crises accentuated the complex trends towards both convergence and divergence
across European industrial relations?
• How are unions and employers’ associations in the private and public sectors facing up to
the varied challenges of current transformations?
• Are new forms of social movements and collective action around labour issues emerging in
these crises? If so, which; and what, if any, are the emergent relationships between old and
new forms of collective action?
Papers may be theoretical and/or empirical (both qualitative and quantitative). As in previous
conferences, cross-national papers are especially welcome. The conference will be hosted at
ISCTE-Lisbon University Institute by the Centro de Investigação e de Estudos em
Sociologia.
Deadlines:
April 30 submission of abstract proposals ; May 30 acceptance of papers; June 15 early bird
registration; August 1 submission of papers
For full details, visit the conference web site at
http://conferencias.cies.iscte.pt/index.php/IREC2012/irec2012
__________________________________________________________________________
28
UK: 2nd International Conference on Vulnerable Workers and Precarious Work in a
Changing World
Date:
10-11 September 2012
Venue:
Middlesex University Business School, Hendon campus, The
Burroughs, NW4 4BT, London.
___________________________________________________________________________
Canada: International Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalization and Work
(CRIMT) Conference, on Union Futures: Innovations, Transformations, Strategies,
October 25th to 27th 2012, HEC Montréal, Montral, Canada.
Original academic and actor contributions are invited on one or more of the following
themes. 1. What do Unions Stand For? 2. Who do Unions Represent? 3. What are the
Dynamics of Union Activism? 4. What are the Strategies for Union Power? 5. How do
Unions Innovate? For details on each of these themes and on how to submit proposals, see
the full call for papers at http://www.crimt.org/UnionFutures.html . The deadline for
submission of proposals is April 30th, 2012. They must be sent to Nicolas Roby, CRIMT
Scientific Coordinator at nicolas.roby at umontreal.ca.
__________________________________________________________________________
Australia: Pacific Employment Relations Association Conference, Hervey Bay,
Queensland, Australia, 19 to 21 November, 2012. Information at http://www.pera.net.au.
Theme: People, Management and Employment Issues: Sustainability, Inclusiveness and
Knowledge Management. Full paper 13 September 2012.
___________________________________________________________________________
Australia: 27th AIRAANZ Conference, 6-8 February 2013, Freemantle, Western Australia.
Information from www.conferencewa.com.au/airaanz2013; email trish.todd@uwa.edu.au;
email al.rainnie@gbs.curtin.edu.au . Submission deadline for refereed papers 21 September
2012.
__________________________________________________________________________
Australia: 8th Asian Regional Congress of the International Labour and Employment
Relations Association, 9-12 April 2013, Melbourne, Victoria.
Theme: Work and Employment in the Asian Century
29
The program will be organised around four track themes:
1. The changing contours of employment relations and labour market regulation.
2. Human Resource management – trends and challenges.
3. The future of worker voice and representation, and
4. Globalisation, corporate social responsibility and decent work.
Call for Abstracts Open, February 2012; Deadline for Special Interest Symposia,
27 July 2012; Deadline for Abstract Submissions, 28 September 2012; Registration Open
11 April 2012.
For more details about the program, please click here:
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Netherlands: 10th European Conference of the International Labour and
Employment Relations Association, Imagining new employment relations and new
solidarities. Amsterdam, 20 - 22 June 2013
Call for Papers and Submission of Abstracts
Abstracts must be 350-500 words in length and can be submitted on the conference website
as of 1 May 2012.
Over the last two decades employment and labour relations in Europe have undergone
important changes. Manufacturing employment is decreasing and various types of service
employment are rising, together with female participation levels. The standard employment
relationship is losing its dominant position with the growing use of flexible and part-time
contracts, temporary agency work and (dependent) self-employment. Segmentation between
stronger and weaker groups is increasing. Social solidarity is under pressure in many
countries as a consequence of the increasing diversity of populations and of the labour force.
Collective bargaining is decentralizing but there are also attempts to transnationalise
bargaining within multinationals or within certain sectors. Trade unions are slowly losing
membership and power but worker involvement in social innovation is wanted more than
ever. The role of the EU is getting more important and new forms of governance are being
experimented with. Change is accelerating as a result of the crisis and austerity is leading to
profound restructuring of the public sector, affecting employment conditions and service
provision.
30
Within this context, we want to foster a reflection and debate on the future of employment
relations and new forms of solidarity. Such questions include: What can or should
employment relations look like in the future? What is the future of the public sector? Can or
should growing segmentation and polarization be countered? What new types of governance
support collaborative efforts to tackle today’s collective problems? What new types of
solidarity can we foresee between group of workers or workers in different countries? What
new types of cooperation or conflict can we foresee between workers and employers?
Papers presented at the Conference will be organised around five broad tracks (for more
detailed descriptions, see conference website):
Track 1: Industrial relations actors in a changing labour market. Track 2: Europeanisation of
social and employment policies. Track 3: Public sector restructuring: consequences for
employment relations and public services. Track 4: New forms of regulation and governance.
Track 5: HRM and Social Innovation.
Abstract submission deadline: 31 December 2012. Acceptance decisions will be
communicated by: 1 February 2013.
Apart from regular sessions with paper presentations there will be interactive sessions with
short presentations.
Symposia
We welcome proposals for special symposia. Symposia are self-contained sessions of one
and a half hour. They can be on the general theme of the conference or on one of the track
themes. The convenor of a symposium is requested to submit a proposal of about 1000
words, including the theme of the symposium, the details of speakers and the abstracts of
their papers. Proposals can be submitted at the Conference website as of 1 May 2013.
Conference Venue
The conference will be held at the historic Oudemanhuispoort building of the University of
Amsterdam, located in the city centre.
The 10th European ILERA Conference is organized by a consortium of universities in the
Netherlands which are home to research groups studying labour and employment relations, in
collaboration with the Dutch Labour and Employment Relations Association (DLERA).
Contact
31
For more information please visit: www.ilera-europe2013.eu as of 1 May 2012 or contact the
conference management at: Amsterdam Institute for Advanced labour Studies (AIAS),
Plantage Muidergracht 12, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.info@ilera-europe2013.eu
www.ilera-europe2013.eu
___________________________________________________________________________
Australia: Fifth International Community, Work and Family Conference, The fifth
international Community, Work and Family Conference will take place at the University of
Sydney, 15-17 July 2013. Information at www.CWF2013.aifs.gov.au
___________________________________________________________________________
Other Sites
ILO: The International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS) was established by the
International Labour Organization in 1960 as a centre for advanced studies in the social and
labour fields. It produces the annual "World of Work Report". The International Labour
Review, a global multidisciplinary journal of labour and social policies is also published
under the aegis of the IILS.
http://www.ilo.org/
___________________________________________________________________________
UK: Working Lives Research Institute
Subscribe to the WLRI mailing list for regular news updates, including our regular WLRI
electronic-newsletter, and subscribe to our WLRI press release mailing list.
___________________________________________________________________________
32