As Canada and the world begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are eager to re-focus our attention on enduring challenges and new opportunities in the world of work and employment relations. The global pandemic highlighted and exacerbated social fissures in the quality of work and in particular, challenges faced by essential workers. Economic recovery presents an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned and explore new opportunities to advance employment relations in Canada and around the globe.
Researchers from all fields (labour relations, human resource management, labour economics, organizational psychology, etc.) whose work addresses questions related to work and employment relations are invited to submit one or more proposals for a paper, workshop, or symposium related, but not limited, to the following themes:
Economic recovery from the pandemic has been accompanied by significant labour market churn, marked by widespread resignations in some jurisdictions. Some observers contend that the pandemic has given workers the opportunity to critically assess conditions of work, including the nature of the social contract between employers and employees. While some workers quit their jobs as part of the 'Great Resignation', others are seeking change and improvements to work through employee voice. High-profile union organizing campaigns, from Amazon warehouses to Starbucks cafes, reflect new efforts to gain a voice in the conditions of work. This conference theme explores both new and conventional efforts by workers to gain an effective voice at work.
Extreme weather events and natural disasters have laid bare the increasing urgency to address the climate crisis. Global warming forecasts and climate science confirm the critical need to shift towards more sustainable development. Such transitions will have significant implications for work and employment relations. While some stakeholders have highlighted the opportunity created by the climate crisis for transitions away from carbon-based industries, the evidence that economic shifts will lead to decent work and sustainable development is mixed. This conference theme engages scholarship that critically engages the potential link between economic transitions and sustainable development.
What will the world of work look like post-COVID? While geographically-fixed industries may display little change in the organization of work, the shock of COVID may result in permanent changes for office work and the prevalence of virtual workplaces. Trends towards the fissuring of workplaces began well before COVID-19, but the global pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented diasporic impact on employees, especially office workers. Labour market shocks and economic recovery give us an opportunity to re-imagine work and employment relations post-COVID. What happens to organizational culture and employee relations when office work shifts more permanently towards remote work and virtual offices?
Following the murder of George Floyd in the United States and the confirmation of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools in Canada, employers were quick to proclaim their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations. However, the evidence for progress on DEII remains scant and under-studied. The rise of right-wing populism and resurgence of overt racism threatens to reverse equity gains. This conference stream seeks to advance anti-racist scholarship and mobilize knowledge on diversity, equity, inclusion and indigeneity at work.
Burnout, especially among health care and other essential workers, has highlighted the importance of mental health at work. While the emotional demands of caring for COVID patients has been part of the story, there is a more general recognition of the linkages between occupational health and psychosocial wellbeing. In many ways, COVID exacerbated existing workplace stressors like understaffing and lack of respect at work. Addressing burnout demands more than workplace wellness initiatives. What lessons has COVID taught us about psychosocial health and safety at work?
Vaccine mandates and other public health measures have once again highlighted the role the State and public policy play in employment relations. In addition to the controversies over public health measures, the study of industrial relations contributes to debates over the role of State regulation, particularly in app-based employment and gig work more generally. Several Canadian jurisdictions announced legislative initiatives to address the legal and regulatory gaps faced by workers in the platform-based economy. This conference theme examines the law of work, the role of the State, and the impact of public policy on work and employment relations.
The economic disruptions of COVID have resulted supply chain failures and general disruptions to global production networks. In this theme, we encourage international perspectives, especially from the global South, to assess the current state of work in global value chains and the future of international trade and production networks.
How to Submit Proposals
Interested persons are invited to submit their proposals, in either English or French. Applicants may also submit workshop proposals (ex. 4 proposals tied to the same theme) or symposium proposals (two or more workshops on the same theme). All propositions will be subject to peer-review, under the responsibility of the organizing committee.
To submit a proposal for an individual presentation or paper, an abstract will be sufficient. For workshop or symposium proposals, please submit a one-page summary, including a title as well as the name and affiliation of all presenters. Please indicate which of the seven themes the proposal is tied to (if any).
If you are planning to participate remotely, please indicate this in your proposal.
All proposals should be addressed and sent to the organizing committee, by May 1, 2022, at the following address: cira2022@queensu.ca