Industrial Relations and the Green Transition.
Towards inclusive and sustainable growth

 

The XIII European Regional Congress of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) will take place in Barcelona on 8-10 September 2022 and will explore the contribution of industrial relations to the Green Transition towards a low carbon economy. 

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The Covid-19 crisis has made even more necessary the implementation of radical transformations in the economies to make them socially and environmentally sustainable. As part of the response to climate change, but also to the pandemic, many countries are currently debating the implementation of so-called New Green Deals.

 

The congress will provide an opportunity to discuss the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining in fostering green transitions at micro, meso and macro level. 

 

 

 

 

Tracks

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Track 1

LABOUR MARKET REGULATION AND INEQUALITIES 

Labour market regulations constitute a key element of the European Social Model. For many years, attention to these regulations has focused on its impact on employment levels and firms’ competitiveness. Changes in regulations over the last four decades contributed to extend flexible and non-standard forms of employment, whilst reducing workers’ protection. The increase in inequalities resulting from these trends has contributed to shift the focus back on their role in enhancing quality of employment and impact on reducing labour market generated disparities.  

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This track aims at gathering contributions on the role of labour market regulations in reducing inequalities. Since there are many dimensions to these inequalities, including gender-based, income, employment opportunities etc.), papers are welcomed to explore the role of labour market regulations in explaining these dimensions of inequality. 

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We are interested in papers and special sessions on:

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• The role of minimum wages in reducing inequalities

• Enforcement of labour regulation, especially in relation to minimum wages

• Influence of labour market institutions and employment relations on the different dimensions of inequality (income, wealth, training and employment opportunities etc.)

• The impact of non-standard employment and precarious work

• Labour market regulations and the gender pay gap

• The transformation of labour market regulations at the light of transitional regulations

• The role of courts and tribunals as actors in employment relations

• Labour standards and their regulation in global value chains.

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Track 2

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY AND DIGITALISATION

Collective bargaining constitutes the main instrument for industrial democracy in most societies. By empowering workers to negotiate working conditions, collective bargaining has become a key institution regulating labour markets, protecting employees and enhancing quality of employment. 

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There are however, significant differences in the way workers’ voice and representation is channelled across European countries. In spite of strong pressures to change and adapt, these institutions exhibit a high degree of resilience. 

The digital economy and its manifold manifestations are nonetheless challenging the capacity of collective bargaining institutions and actors to protect effectively workers. These include the extension of platforms, the use of robots and artificial intelligence tools, the increase and growing diversity in subcontracting and outsourcing practices, among others. 

All together, these developments, pose new challenges but also opportunities for democratic participation at workplace level. Against this background, this track welcomes papers on: 

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• Collective bargaining and workers’ representation in the platform economy

• The reconfiguration of spaces for workers’ representation

• The use of digital mechanisms to enhance participation

• Implications of the extension of Artificial Intelligence mechanisms for industrial democracy

• Old and new forms of workers’ voice

• European works councils and the representation of workers at transnational level

• Collective bargaining, outsourcing and workplace fragmentation

 

 

Track 3

SOCIAL DIALOGUE, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND THE JUST TRANSITION

Climate change, environmental degradation and scarcity of resources poses enormous social challenges that require the involvement and effort all social actors. Moving towards a low carbon economy whilst ensuring high levels of inclusiveness, employment levels and quality, requires not only an active role of the state, but also the capacities of social partners to find innovative solutions. 

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Companies need to green their practices in order to reduce their environmental impact, but this may lead in some cases to job losses. The participation of workers in this transition is accordingly essential since the effectiveness of any policy measure and its capacity to deliver socially just outcomes will depend on joint efforts from workers and employers. 

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Against this background, this track welcomes papers and special sessions addressing the role of social dialogue and collective bargaining in promoting a just transition, including:

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• The extension of just transition pacts and collective agreements 

• The role of social dialogue in governing transition towards a low carbon economy

• Green jobs and collective bargaining

• Worker participation in greening workplaces

• Global value chains and environmental sustainability

 

 

Track 4

PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS AND THE COVID19 PANDEMIC

The important role of the state in responding to the Covid-19 health, economic and social crisis has brought aspects related to the employment conditions of public employees to the agenda. This has been the case for health workers, but also for care workers, education and other public administration agencies. Without fully recovering from the cuts experienced during the adjustment to the 2008 crisis and austerity policies, some workers have experienced an intensification of their working hours, along with increased risks from the pandemic crisis. Following protests by health workers, other groups in the public sector have started calling for improvements in their working conditions. Therefore, governments are faced with the need to negotiate and modernize the collective agreements of these workers in a context characterized by an uncertain recovery. 

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This track welcomes papers and special sessions on:

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• Public sector employment relations between two crises: changes and challenges

• Conflicts in public sector employment relations during the pandemic

• The changing trade union landscape in public sector employment relations

• Outsourcing and quality of employment in the public sector

• Public sector wage-setting and its implications for collective bargaining coordination

 

 

Track 5

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE; CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

The extension of new technologies and digitalisation has impacted upon all the dimensions of human resource management, from recruitment to performance management, training and development or employee satisfaction. Moreover, the transition to remote work accelerated by the Covic-19, has brought new challenges for HR, including issues related to time management, performance assessment and monitoring, or managing remotely teamwork. 

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Another big change in recent years is the integration of Artificial intelligence in HR. Applications of AI mechanisms range from hiring processes, but also performance management, organizational structure etc. The use of AI tools has important implications for HR practice, but it also raises important ethical and legal questions in relation to the extent and type of data collected and used. 

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This track welcomes papers addressing the impact of technological change on HR and the responses to these changes, including the following topics:

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• HRM practices and the quality of work

• Remote work and HRM

• Teamwork in a remote environment

• Consequences of digitalisation for HRM policy fields and employment relations

• New developments in HRM, for example talent analytics or automatic decision making

• New practices in the policy fields of HRM in and beyond the single firm

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