Wednesday 2 September 2009

Theme 1 (for National Reports): ‘Regulatory Frameworks and Law Enforcement in New Forms of Employment’

Theme for Workshops: Labour and Social Security Law in the Informal Economy

Session 1
Enforcement (translated session)

This session will address a number of questions: How are labour standards enforced? What happens with enforcement of labour standards in the informal economy? Do labour statistics give an accurate picture of compliance with labour law? What are the enforcement strategies and mechanisms of the state? For example, do States expect all employers to comply with labour laws, yet provide inadequate resources/mechanisms to secure compliance? What is the role of trade unions and other non-state actors in enforcement of labour standards?

Session 2
Regulation

We will be looking for analytical papers on regulation with respect to work in the informal economy. The World Bank has suggested that labour regulation such as unfair dismissal laws are an impediment to economic development. Is labour regulation a good or a bad thing for social and economic development?; What is the extent and impact of exemption of certain groups from application of labour regulation; labour regulation and limitations on business development; regulating the informal economy.

Session 3
Organisations

Issues which could be covered in this session include: organising workers in the informal economy/precarious employment; legal rights to take direct action; institutional support for organising; freedom from restraint.

Thursday 3 September 2009

Theme 2 (National Reports): Workers’ Representation and Social Dialogue at the Workplace Level

Theme for Workshops: Networks and Voice in Working Life

The idea here is to deal with social and industrial organisation facilitating the exercise of 'voice' in working life. Again this theme suits analysis in both advanced and developing states. Issues might include trade unions, works councils, corporate governance, bargaining, employment agreements, corporate social responsibility, organising the self- and un- employed, social and industrial action.

Session 1:
Work and Human Freedom (translated session)

The idea here is to deal with some of the broader issues which concern the interaction of working life and social and private status, excluding issues covered elsewhere (Eg. the Roundtable on Work and Family Life). The theme might cover human rights, voluntarism in employment, work for the dole, forced labour, right to work, working time and overtime.

Session 2:
Bargaining and Employment Agreements

Issues include: shaping of parameters of bargaining; what are states trying to do with bargaining systems; bargaining laws undergoing change as states seek different outcomes through bargaining process; achieve different arrangements at workplace level.

Session 3:
Labour Participation in Corporate Governance

Issues might include Works Councils, finding ways to influence decision-making, codes of conduct, corporate social responsibility.

Friday 4 September 2009

Theme 3 (National Reports): Emerging Patterns of Social Protection in Light of Structural Changes

Theme for Workshops: to be determined

These workshops are expected to examine how the core values of labour law can be maintained through exploration of interrelations between labour law as traditionally conceived and other areas of social law and labour market regulation.

Session 1:
International Labour Market Regulation

Issues that arise in context of labour migration; labour rights of migrant workers; working visas and ‘illegal’ migrant workers.

Session 2:
Social Protection, Unemployment, and Skills Development/Capacity Building

This session will explore the values of social security and its interrelationship with labour law, including: the role of the state in providing social security and the influence of economic theory on public policy; regulating for social security in light of diverse and changing national economic and social characteristics and individual preferences.