Labour Organization Research Articles

Review: Labor Under Siege: Big Bob McEllrath and the ILWU’s Fight for Organized Labor in an Anti-Union Era, by Harvey Schwartz with Ronald E. Magden

Review: <i>Labor Under Siege: Big Bob McEllrath and the ILWU’s Fight for Organized Labor in an Anti-Union Era</i>, by Harvey Schwartz with Ronald E. Magden

북한 근로단체 간에 나타난 오더링(Ordering)과 네이밍(Naming)의 정치

In order to maintain social tension through competition, North Korea is mixing ‘the politics of ordering’ that clarifies the order between members or (groups) and ‘the politics of naming’ that gives the higher stratified meaningful names. In this paper, this was examined through North Korea’s four major labor organizations: the Youth League, the Women's League, the Vocational Union, and the Agricultural Workers' Union. First of all, the Joseon Labor party's dominance over the four major Labor Organizations was examined in terms of institutional and historical aspects. Among the Labor Organizations, it was clear through the order of holding their conferences that there was a cutting-edge distinction between the “Youth Alliance“ as a power-favored group and “the Other Labor Organizations“ as a power-marginalized group. In addition, even within “the Other Labor Organizations,” the status of each Labor Organization was changing over time depending on the power relationship with the supreme leader or his perception of the organizational situation. Additionally, North Korea's Youth Alliance has twice included the glorious name of their supreme leaders in its organizational name such as the “Kim Il-sung Socialist Youth Alliance” and the “Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-il Youth Alliance” while other Labor Organizations have never been bestowed until now. And recently, the status and role of the Women's Alliance have also been raised as its name was changed into the “Socialist Women's League“ at the Kim Jong-un period. It is necessary to recognize that North Korea's Ordering and Naming politics play a basic role of system enhancement, but at the same time, also have an inherent property of system dissolution in terms of class conflict.

CGE Analysis of the Impact of the 2024 Minimum Wage Increase on the National Economy in Indonesia

One of the minimum wage problems is caused by workers/laborers' needing to agree with the wage increase set. The minimum wage increase is still minimal compared to the high worker need. The Labor Organization president called the government to raise the provincial minimum wage (UMP) and district/city minimum wage (UMK) 2024 by 15%. This figure is obtained from the Decent Living Needs (KHL) survey results and other indicators such as inflation and economic growth. On the other hand, the minimum wage increase of 15% is considered by employers to be unrealistic, considering the condition of the national economy is hit by uncertainty. The government said that determining the minimum wage based on PP 36/2021 and considering the welfare of workers/laborers’ also looks at the Company's capabilities. This paper aims to see new macroeconomic and welfare conditions due to the increase in the minimum wage by 15%. Using the general equilibrium model of static computing (CGE), the analysis results show that an increase in the minimum wage leads to a decrease in demand for labor, especially in labor-intensive sectors. The increase in wages impacts increasing household income, thus indicating an increase in household welfare. However, inflationary pressures brought about by the minimum wage increase mask the increase in revenue, resulting in a decrease in household consumption budgets. This translates into a loss of net well-being, with a more significant impact on urban households than rural households. The output of most sectors, especially labor-intensive sectors, declined, but nominal GDP increased. The increase in nominal GDP is due to rising prices, not actual economic output.

Mapping, reflecting, and exploring education for the labour movement: a thematic literature review

ABSTRACT This article offers a comprehensive thematic literature review on labour education, exploring the major contributions as well as some of the limits of this scholarship and future directions for researchers. Based on an analysis of 180 English-language publications from the 1960s until today, we find several general trends that we analyse as four broad themes in this literature: the politics of labour education; labour education in, through, and with formal educational institutions; the pedagogy of labour education; and labour education, globalisation, and transnational solidarity. Identifying some of the gaps in the existing scholarship, we propose several future directions for research on labour education: connecting social movement scholarship and the labour education literature; labour education programmes that centre intersectionality, namely themes such as gender justice, anti-racism, and disability; labour education through solidarity with other social movements, such as the environmental movement; and labour education programmes led by different types of labour organisations beyond trade unions. Overall, this article contributes to our understanding of how labour education can strengthen the labour movement, reduce inequality, and promote decent work for all.

‘They don’t waste money on women’: gendered entrepreneurial household dynamics and the total social organization of labour

ABSTRACT This article examines gendered household dynamics and the organization of labour in Entrepreneurial Households (EHs), using Glucksumann’s Total Social Organization of Labour theory (TSOL). It challenges the perception of EHs as neutral spaces and argues that analysing households provides a more nuanced understanding of the gendered dynamics in households where a member is formally self-employed or owns a business. While women may work for these businesses and contribute to household income through other employment, their labour is often unpaid, intertwined with gendered roles and viewed as a readily available household resource rather than formal employment subject to contracts. This leaves women vulnerable to coercion and exploitation, limiting their opportunities for formal employment and education outside the household. Even after years of significant informal work, they may remain without recognized careers or experience. Such gender dynamics and organization of labour also differ, depending on whether the registered business owner is a man or woman. The article subsequently highlights ongoing inequalities in household labour division, often obscured by the prioritization of ‘men’s work’, while emphasizing the crucial role of the broader household in business survival.

The Ruse of Recognition: Black Labor in the Afterlife of Slavery

Given the abolitionism professed by successive labor leaders in the years following the U.S. Civil War, why did the cause of interracial solidarity fail to gain traction in postbellum organized labor? Drawing on archival and secondary data on the encounter of Black and White labor from Reconstruction to the turn of the twentieth century, we trace the failure of interracial solidarity to the labor movement’s refusal to reckon institutionally with what Hartman calls the “nonevent of emancipation” and the “afterlife of slavery” for Black populations. Enslaved artisans dominated the skilled trades before the war, and White unions emerged correspondingly to exclude Black labor. When, after the Civil War, the formerly enslaved began to argue that they were being excluded from unions, White labor used emancipation as an anti-Black discursive technology to deny those claims. White labor also employed violence to exclude Black people from the labor movement. By addressing the research puzzle in this way, we offer a novel synthesis of Black studies and the sparse but important body of work on the sociology of slavery to reframe the mainstream approach to interracial solidarity in the sociology of labor and labor movements.

Peculiarities of the IT clusters development in Ukraine: problems and prospects for growth

The strategic importance of IT in today's innovation and information technology-oriented economy cannot be overstated. Its active introduction is crucial to promote economic development, increase civic engagement, and strengthen the national economy's competitive position. The development of information technologies not only catalyzes the transition from extensive to intensive production growth but also brings about significant changes in labor organization and management technologies. This article is dedicated to a comprehensive study of the economic processes in Ukraine's IT sector, with a particular focus on IT clusters. The primary objective is to determine the current state of these clusters and outline the directions of their future development. The article describes the key factors that limit the competitiveness of the Ukrainian IT sector and outlines ways to overcome them. The characteristics of IT cluster development in Ukraine are studied. The dynamics of IT exports are analyzed. The activities of the top 25 IT companies in Ukraine are characterized. The study shows that Ukraine's IT sector has demonstrated impressive resilience and adaptability during the war, successfully responding to digitalization and cybersecurity needs despite serious challenges such as the migration of professionals and changes in professional life. Key factors contributing to the development of IT clusters in Ukraine are identified. The article establishes that the state of development of the country's relevant technologies, innovation ecosystem, and infrastructure is the primary driver of the Ukrainian IT sector development. The main activities of these clusters aimed at improving innovative products are outlined. After the war, IT clusters are expected to play a vital role in the country's economic recovery, using their experience to develop innovations and stimulate growth through international investment and integration into international markets. Keywords: ІТ cluster, ІТ sector, innovation, investment, competitiveness, entrepreneurship

Management Configurations in an Internationalized Brazilian Organization: Human Resources Management, Market and Labor Relations Dynamics

The article analyzes the different configurations of management in a family-owned and recently internationalized firm and observes how the organization understands human resources management (HRM), market dynamics and labor relations in different contexts. This qualitative research consists of a case study based on a field survey and in-depth interviews with human resources managers in a large Brazilian family-owned organization operating in South America. The findings point out differences in management in the firm’s manufacturing plants depending on the country and similarities of the HRM practices within the same country. It was possible to observe a transitioning form of HRM toward the strategic level in the case of Brazil. However, this form of HRM is subsidiary to the traditional notion of HRM in other Latin American countries. Also, the firm monitors the labor market, and the labor relations it establishes are adapted according to the country. The study contributes theoretically by discussing management configurations for HRM, market and labor relations under a transnational approach, and the methodology allows comparative research. Finally, the research offers an empirical contribution by illustrating the management dynamics of a family-owned and recently internationalized firm in different regions of South America.

International Labor Relations

International Labor Relations (ILR) encapsulates the multifaceted interactions and dynamics shaping the global workforce's landscape. In an increasingly interconnected world, characterized by globalization, technological advancements, and economic interdependence, labor relations extend beyond national boundaries, influencing and being influenced by various factors. This abstract provides a succinct overview of the key themes, challenges, and opportunities within the realm of International Labor Relations. The study of ILR encompasses diverse aspects, including cross-border labor migration, multinational corporations' employment practices, labor standards, and international trade agreements' impact on employment. Central to ILR is the examination of the interactions between governments, employers, workers, and international organizations, as they navigate complex socio-economic and political contexts. Globalization has profoundly shaped ILR, fostering the integration of economies and labor markets across countries. As a result, labor issues increasingly transcend national borders, posing both opportunities and challenges for workers, employers, and policymakers. Technological advancements, such as automation and digitalization, further complicate labor dynamics, influencing employment patterns and skills requirements on a global scale. Challenges within ILR include ensuring decent work conditions, protecting workers' rights, and addressing inequalities in labor markets. Issues such as informal employment, gender disparities, and the informalization of labor pose significant hurdles to achieving inclusive and sustainable growth. Moreover, the rise of global supply chains has raised concerns about labor exploitation and the enforcement of labor standards across borders. International organizations play a crucial role in shaping ILR through the development and implementation of labor standards, conventions, and guidelines. Institutions like the International Labour Organization (ILO) provide platforms for dialogue and cooperation among governments, employers, and workers to address labor-related challenges and promote social justice. In conclusion, International Labor Relations are complex and dynamic, influenced by globalization, technological advancements, and economic forces. Addressing the diverse challenges within ILR requires collaborative efforts from governments, employers, workers, and international organizations to ensure fair and inclusive labor practices and promote sustainable development globally. Received: 25 December 2023 / Accepted: 25 February 2024 / Published: 23 April 2024

Quality, Formality and the Evolution of International Labour Law: The New ILO Quality Apprenticeships Standard

Abstract In an era of sequential crises and spiralling youth unemployment, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted a historic instrument: the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No 208). This article explores the recommendation as both a landmark in the regulation of training and a site of regulatory innovation and contestation at the heart of contemporary labour law. It first traces the history of apprenticeship standards and the discursive processes that generated the new Recommendation. The article then adopts a dual analytical framework to explore key aspects of the Recommendation as driving and illuminating both the regulation of apprenticeships and the broader evolution of labour law. We highlight the Recommendation’s articulation and ascription of ‘quality’, including as crucial to the debates on the personal scope of labour law; the evolving presence of precarious work in the international normative arena; equality, diversity and inclusion as a heightening aspiration of both apprenticeship regimes and international labour norms; the Recommendation’s exclusion of non-apprenticeship training, and traineeships as an urgent site of future international standard-setting; and the significance of the instrument’s notion of informality for the regulation of informal apprenticeships, not least in the Global South, and for the global debates on the concept, transition, and regulation of informal work.

Revelation of the list of occupational diseases and diagnostic criteria for occupational diseases

The list of occupational diseases reflecting the latest advances in the identification and recognition of occupational diseases, and providing guidance on the protection of workers' health rights and interests and the prevention, recording, notification and compensation of related occupational diseases. Diagnostic criteria for occupational diseases are an important basis for making diagnoses attributable to occupational diseases, and provide a theoretical basis for health monitoring of occupational groups and occupational hygiene supervision. This thesis starts with the definition of the occupational disease elaborates in detail the development history of list of occupational diseases in International Labour Organization (ILO) , compares the list of occupational diseases in China (2013 version) with the list of occupational diseases in international (2010 version) , and then introduces in detail the latest diagnostic standards of the major occupational diseases. And finally, it puts forward relevant suggestions on the list and diagnostic level of China's occupational diseases, so as to provide certain insights for the further improvement of the list and diagnostic standards of occupational diseases.

Does skill emigration hurt unskilled workers? Theory and cross‐country evidence

AbstractHow does out‐migration of skilled workers affect unskilled workers' wage in the source country? When skilled workers emigrate, unskilled wages tend to go down in some countries. If the sector that uses both skilled and unskilled workers shows a lower degree of capital intensity as compared to sectors that use only skilled workers in production, it is a common outcome. We use 19 years of cross‐country data from the International Labor Organization (ILO) spanning Asia and Latin America to show that skill emigration reduces unskilled wage unambiguously for panel fixed effects and difference generalized method of moments (DGMM) estimates. The structure is also subjected to system GMM with endogenous covariates and allied robustness checks. Importantly, we find a critical level of tertiary education, such that countries generating more skill shall face weaker negative impact on unskilled wages.

Barriers to Women Professionals’ Career Growth during Covid-19 in India

The slow advancement of women in their workplaces remains a social concern for corporates and industry experts across the globe (International Labour Organisation Report, 2018). During the covid-19 pandemic, the advancement of women got significantly impacted owing to the increased burden of domestic responsibilities and other personal challenges. According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Report (2021), women in India were seven times more likely to lose their jobs during the pandemic and eleven times more likely to not return to work after the job loss. With the Covid-19 pandemic on the rise and spreading, companies were forced to redesign their work systems, initiate and adopt a remote-work setup option. While, a majority of companies continue with the hybrid model, some companies are slowly eliminating it and returning to the regular office norms as before. This change is likely to impact women, especially the working mothers, owing to the uneven distribution of child-care responsibilities, domestic work, etc. Additionally, conventional barriers such as discriminatory practices, mentoring, networking challenges and role conflicts are expected to persist or rather increase in the changed-working models – be it the hybrid, remote, or completely offline system. The present study focuses on identifying the constraints faced by the Indian women striving against the current for their career advancements, both during the Covid-19 pandemic disruption phase and post-pandemic scenario. The insights from the study will be helpful to gain a cumulative understanding about the challenges faced by women owing to the emerging work system and in addressing the future concerns more systematically.

Neurodiversity and the Accessible University: Exploring Organizational Barriers, Access Labor and Opportunities for Change

The access needs of neurodivergent individuals in organizational settings are many and varied - and so are their everyday contributions to the creation of collective access. In this study, we contribute to the growing body of CSCW research on accessibility and investigate the invisible access labor of neurodivergent students in three computer science institutions. We use an exploratory, multi-stakeholder approach, combining semi-structured interviews (n=26) and document analysis. We adopted a broad definition of neurodiversity: our study included individuals with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, cyclothymia and individuals with neurological conditions that developed as a result of illness, trauma or injury. Our findings show that neurodivergent students face a number of structural and attitudinal barriers to access in the educational environment and within the disability support system. We identified barriers in three main areas: (i) assistive technology access barriers, (ii) cognitive and physical access barriers, and (iii) social access barriers. We examined how stigma, individualized understandings of disability and intersectional disadvantage shape organizational practices and explored how students are creatively improving collective access through micro-interventions, although these efforts are largely invisible. We then draw on our findings to identify opportunities for change. We propose access grafting as a bottom-up approach to rethinking and reorienting organizational strategies to improve equitable access.?

Economy of production: A theory of household labor organization and material reuse

AbstractHousehold economic studies of preindustrial societies have overlooked one very specific and common material aspect: thrift. This article introduces a theory of economic production for household analysis that focuses on the economic use of materials, space, and labor. This framework is especially integral to understanding emergence of hierarchies. In emerging hierarchies, craft production at the household level can play a key part in the accumulation of power because the scale and type of craft production are moderated by the availability and abundance of material, space, and labor. Control of craft production can mean control of material, space, and labor, and thrifty control can increase production; this is key to emerging economies, particularly those located in a frontier area. Because women are often most associated with household labor, examining cultural definitions of thrift and waste provides a more complete understanding of household gender relations and reframes the importance of women's labor. Using an example from a 14th‐century Mississippian frontier site in Virginia, I show that women engaged in craft production and that by using materials, space, and labor economically, they increased their power over time. An economy of production theoretical perspective highlights a significant factor, thrift, in household organization and agency.

Вопросы обеспечения благоприятных условий труда работников в мировой экономике

Labor process in the world occupies an essential place in the life of every person, since an employee spends a significant part of his time in the workplace within a certain production environment. Of course, the conditions of this environment have a great impact not only on human labour productivity, but also on fatigue, efficiency, health, and longevity. Formation of favorable working conditions is an ongoing process that is implemented in all organizations of the world's countries, regardless of their activities specifics. Its result should be creation of conditions that meet the requirements of safety and comfort, which will lead to a reduction in injuries, increased job satisfaction and the situation in which it is carried out, and increase of labour results quality. The purpose of the research is to study the initial conditions to ensure the performance of employees’ labour functions in the global economy based on the regulations and standards of the International Labor Organization. Research methods of the problem, such as a systematic approach, economic analysis, analysis and synthesis, comparisons, generalizations, and graphical method of analysis form the methodology of the problem study. As a result the assessment of the International Labour Organization activities on regulation and study of issues related to the working regime is given/ The problems related to working hours and their impact on people are considered and the analysis of key indicators of compliance with working conditions in our country and abroad is carried out. Conclusions are formulated on compliance with the work and rest regime of enterprises’ employees in the world countries.

Congress to Investigate Union Corruption

Virginia Foxx (R‐NC), chairwoman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce in the U.S. House of Representatives, has sent written inquiries to multiple unions in an effort “[t]o ensure workers represented by labor organizations are shielded from malfeasance by union officials.” With respect to the Service Employees International Union, Rep. Foxx wrote: “A prominent example of this corruption is related to your union's own activities. On March 10, 2023, Attia Little, former union property services division operations manager, was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised probation and ordered to pay $399,450 in restitution. Ms. Little pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $500,000 from the union, which she used for parties, trips, furniture, and other personal expenses.”

Career education and development scale for secondary and tertiary students in Vietnam

AbstractThis article reports on the measurement properties of the Vietnamese versions of the Career Education and Development Scale‐Senior and the Career Education and Development Scale‐Tertiary. The International Labour Organization Vietnam facilitated collection of data from students in high schools (N = 1463) and universities (N = 645) who completed these new measures along with comparator measures of self‐efficacy and career‐related beliefs, and expectations. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed an eight‐factor model equivalent for high school and university students. Correlations with comparator measures provide evidence of concurrent validity. These new measures of career preparedness support Vietnam's national efforts to advance career development, research, and practice. Future research recommendations focus on testing the measures’ properties across different sociocultural factors and gender.

Post-Pandemic Challenges of Textile Industry Workers in India: Analysis of Social Security Laws of Select Asian Countries

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic ensued a challenging period for global health; however, the loss of livelihoods throughout the lockdown also led to a significant economic issue that warranted a reassessment of the existing socio-economic structures. Manufacturing lines were severely impeded, particularly in the Indian textile industry, the second-largest employer and labour-intensive industry. The initial lockdown did not provide manufacturers enough time to prepare for the impending catastrophe, compelling many to shut down their operations. The above circumstances highlighted the lack of resilient social security laws in India. Despite initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme and other initiatives like grain distribution to families below the poverty line, lack of economic security came to the forefront. There is a need to have a competent social security legal framework in India to ensure economic stability for all that would fall in line with the noble ideas of the framers of the Constitution as enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy, the guiding light for all state action in India. India has not ratified the International Labour Organizations Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention of 1952. The focal area of the current research would be to look into the sufficiency of the legal framework (International and National) to protect the economic interests of the workers. The authors examine the following: 1. Examine the Code on Social Security, 2020 passed by the Indian legislature interpreting it in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on textile manufacturing in India along with other steps initiated by the government for the textile industry. 2. Carry out a comparative analysis of the social security laws of other Asian countries (Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China) to carve out best practices that can be adopted in India. 3. Analyse and contrast the statistical data of the four predominant textile manufacturing and exporting economies on selected parameters.

Influence of organizational factor on change productivity and work intensity (based on the example of US economy sectors)

Based on the results of existing research and the empirical data obtained by the author, a number of conclusions have been made about the nature and degree of influence of the labor organization factor (labor force, actually living labor) on productivity and labor intensity in industries/sectors of the US economy. This analysis covers the period from 2010 to 2022, when the American economy, subject to an extremely high degree of servization, entered the stage of “re-industrial turn”, formed on the basis of a new sixth technological structure, characterized, in addition to technological innovations, by a significant increase in the role of a person - a qualified worker with creative content of work. Based on the results of regression analysis, the grouping of industries/sectors of the US economy according to the elasticity of productivity and intensity depending on the indicators of labor organization in American companies, expressed through the corresponding regression coefficients, allowed us to draw conclusions about the ambiguity in the nature and significance of the influence of the sought factor on the explained variables. Currently, a number of American industries are forced to use extensive forms of labor organization, in particular to increase the actual hours worked, in order to maintain profitability and competitiveness, despite increasing social costs. The identification of four groups of sectors of the American economy according to this criterion indicates a change in the structural policy of the United States, characterized by a sectoral focus in the field of stabilization and increasing productivity growth rates due to the organizational factor.