Call for Papers s9

Call for Papers A Special Stream in the 26th Annual Conference of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand, February 8-10 2012. Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

New forms of labour organising: exploring organisation and disorganisation

Convenors: Rosaria Burchielli, Annie Delaney & Maree Keating [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

“The era of globalization has seen two parallel but contradictory developments. On the one hand, global economic processes have been accompanied by rising unemployment, growing inequalities, a decline in the capacity of the welfare and developmental state, and the flexibilization of labor. On the other hand, the same economic processes have led to increases in female labor force participation, with an expansion also of global norms, policies, and networks calling for gender equality and human rights, including social and economic rights”.. While traditional forms of labour organising, such as mainstream trade union membership, have been unable to organise the majority of women in a global context and defend their socioeconomic rights, there is mounting evidence of new forms of labour organising, including within the challenging domain of informal work.

This stream is seeking papers that address organising strategies for improving conditions for workers with little organisation; who have experienced disorganisation or are in precarious or informal work. Papers that address innovative approaches used by unions or non-government organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) around women workers’ rights and transnational organising are welcome. Topics may include transnational labour organisation; union and NGO/CBO collaborations; the emerging role of NGOs and CBOs in worker rights, protection and organising; the sexual politics of labour organising; disorganisation and worker networks; improving labour conditions of workers in precarious and informal employment.

Papers may cover factors influencing labour organising, effective and innovative ways to organise within or outside traditional unions, as well as alternative methods for workers to address challenges. The role of NGO and community groups in organising around labour issues in developed and developing countries is of interest. Papers may also address issues such as floor wages and labour organising in the transnational space, as well as questions that impact on organising such as who is a worker, and how to address labour standards and conditions across the supply chain. Questions that arise include: What is the contribution of NGO and CBO groups to labour organisation? Do such actors enhance worker rights and protection and what are their relationships with trade unions? What opportunities are emerging for addressing women workers’ rights? What are the issues around using the transnational organising space?

Papers may be refereed, or non-refereed. Refereed papers (3,000-5,000 words including references, tables, figures and endnotes) are to be submitted between 15 Aug and 15 September 2011. The deadline for non-refereed papers and abstracts (200 words) is 1 December 2011. Please submit papers via the Authors’ Centre on the conference website.

For more information about the conference and authors’ guidelines etc see http://www.aomevents.com/AIRAANZ2012

. Moghadam VM, Franzway S, Fonow MM (eds.) (forthcoming, November 2011) Making Globalization Work for Women: The Role of Social Rights and Trade Union Leadership. SUNY Series, Praxis: Theory in Action. Albany, NY.