Labor relations
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The field of labor relations looks at the relationship between management and workers, particularly groups of workers represented by a labor union.
Labor relations is an important factor in analyzing "varieties of capitalism", such as neocorporatism (or corporatism), social democracy, and neoliberalism (or liberalism).
Labor relations can take place on many levels, such as the "shop-floor", the regional level, and the national level. The distribution of power amongst these levels can greatly shape the way an economy functions.
Another key question when considering systems of labor relations is their ability to adapt to change. This change can be technological (e.g., "What do we do when an industry employing half the population becomes obsolete?"), economic (e.g., "How do we respond to globalization?"), or political (e.g., "How dependent is the system on a certain party or coalition holding power?").
Governments set the framework for labor relations through legislation and regulation. Usually, employment law would cover issues such as minimum wages and wrongful dismissal.
Industrial relations is the equivalent term in Australia, though in recent years the term workplace relations has also become common. This has become a prominent issue of late as the Liberal Government attempts to make sweeping changes to Australian working conditions and employee rights.
See also
Economic and finance related
Employment related
- Collective bargaining
- Efficiency wages
- Employment contract
- Indentured servant
- Labour and employment law
- Skilled worker
- Unemployment
- Unfair labor practice
- Remuneration
- *Commission
- *Employee stock option
- *Employee or Fringe benefit
- *Salary
- *Wage
International
Australia
- Australian industrial relations legislation, 2005
- Australian Industrial Relations Commission
- Australian Workplace Agreement
United Kingdom
United States of America
External links
- [Labor and Worklife Program] at Harvard Law School
- National Labor Relations Board: http://www.nlrb.gov
- Pennsylvania State University Labor and Industrial Relations Program: http://lsir.la.psu.edu/
- Cornell University Industrial and Labor Relations School: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/
- Michigan State University School of Labor and Industrial Relations: http://www.lir.msu.edu/
- University of Illinois Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations: http://www.ilir.uiuc.edu
- University of Minnesota Industrial Relations Center: http://www.irc.csom.umn.edu/index.aspx
- Society for Human Resource Management: http://www.shrm.org
- Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology: http://www.siop.org
- Queen's University Centre for Industrial Relations http://www.industrialrelationscentre.com
References
- Iversen, Torben. 1996. Power, Flexibility, and the Breakdown of Centralized Wage Bargaining: Denmark and Sweden in Comparative Perspective. Comparative Politics 28, no. 4 (July): 399-436.
- Jochem, Sven. 2000. Nordic Labour Market Policies in Transition. West European Politics 23, issue 3 (July): 115-(?).
- Thelen, Kathleen. 1993. West European Labor in Transition: Sweden and Germany Compared. World Politics 46, no. 1 (October): 23-49.
- Turner, Lowell. 1998. Fighting for Partnership: Labor and Politics in Unified Germany. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
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