Regulation of work and employment: Towards a multidisciplinary, multilevel framework

工作和就业仍然是人们生计、福祉和身份认同的核心关切。但是，工作和就业的条款、性质和质量是如何确定的？换句话说，塑造和复制这些术语的监管体系是什么？本系列旨在探讨导致地方、国家、超国家和国际各级监管模式的各种力量的复杂性和动态。该系列将有助于加深对这些问题的了解；它将为政府、企业和工会的政策、战略和做法提供信息。对工作和就业的监管总是引起关于经济关切(例如竞争力和生产率)与社会关切(例如工人权利、平等和社会正义)之间相互竞争的需求的辩论。然而，全球金融危机造成了高度的紧张，因为企业在处理劳资关系碎片化的同时，努力协调在激烈的竞争中生存的需要。在这种情况下，对工作和就业的监管是一个中心争议点。这种争议在围绕英国欧盟成员国身份的辩论中得到了证明(Monks，2013)。对于政府、政策制定者和政府间机构来说，这意味着很难制定“游戏规则”和干预程度。大多数工人及其家人以及工会对监管表示欢迎，因为他们认为监管是体面工作、工作与生活平衡以及健康和安全的关键要素(van Wanrooy等人，2011年；Sanséau和Smith，2012年)。然而，许多雇主认为，高度的监管可能会阻碍他们在当地经济中投资和创造就业机会，反而会驱使他们前往监管程度较低的国家。从工人运动的角度来看，这种说法可能会引发一场国际‘底层竞赛’，即雇主提供的是糟糕的工作条件，而不是体面的机会。这些矛盾体现在关于国家和超国家层面监管的不同讨论中。例如，英国政府的“繁文缛节挑战”(BIS，2012)、EU15项目(OECD，2012)和规则制定标准报告(澳大利亚商业委员会，2012)表明，监管被视为企业的负担。CBI(2012)指出，监管阻碍了业绩和经济增长，并阻碍了投资。事实上，在过去二十年中，各国政府改革(即减少)对劳动力市场和工作场所的监管干预的努力有所增加。然而，经合组织(2004,2012)认识到，监管框架对于有效的市场和有效的政府至关重要。在国际层面上，来自德国等经济体的证据表明，就业保护与强劲的经济产出可以并存。这突显出，监管不应再成为专家讨论的主题。这一研讨会方案提供了一个建立创新的合作对话的及时机会，其中汇集了各种讨论，以期改进我们在学术方面的学习并影响决策和做法(见Bamber等人，2010年；Bamber等人，2011年)。我们提议举办六个研讨会，重点是：1.规范工作和就业的相互竞争的方法。工作场所监管：人力资源管理和投资者关系问题。3.国际规则。规章制度和个人工作经验。法规和公司。监管的未来。研讨会1确定了看似不同的话语中的共性，提出了关键问题。研讨会2-5在不同的分析层面(工作场所、国际、个人和组织)探讨监管。研讨会6确定了未来的议程，力求推动讨论，告知和影响政策和实践。

Work and employment remain a central concern to people's livelihoods, wellbeing and identities. But how are the terms, nature and quality of work and employment determined? In other words, what is the system of regulation that shapes and reproduces these terms? This series aims to address the complexities and dynamics of the forces that give rise to patterns of regulation at local, national, supranational and international levels. The series will contribute to developing understanding of these issues and in doing so; it will inform policies, strategies and practices of government, businesses and unions.The regulation of work and employment has always generated debate about the competing demands between economic concerns (e.g., competitiveness and productivity), and social concerns (e.g., worker rights, equality and social justice). However, the global financial crisis has created a high degree of tension as businesses struggle to reconcile the need to survive intensified competition whilst dealing with the fragmentation of industrial relations (IR). In this context, the regulation of work and employment is a central point of contention. Such controversy is evidenced in the debates around UK membership of the EU (Monks, 2013). For governments, policy-makers and inter-governmental agencies, this translates into struggles to set the 'rules of the game' and the degree of intervention. Most workers and their families, as well as unions welcome regulation as they see it as a key element of decent work, work-life balance and health and safety (van Wanrooy et al., 2011; Sanséau and Smith, 2012). However, many employers argue that a high degree of regulation may discourage them from investing and creating jobs in a local economy, instead driving them to countries with a lower degree of regulation. From the perspective of the labour movement, such arguments can precipitate an international 'race to the bottom' in terms of employers offering poor conditions rather than decent opportunities. These contradictions are seen in diverse discussions about regulation at national and supranational levels. For example, the UK government's "Red Tape Challenge" (BIS, 2012); the EU15 Project (OECD, 2012), and the report on Standards for Rule Making (Business Council of Australia, 2012) show that regulation is seen as a burden on business. The CBI (2012) notes that regulation stymies performance and economic growth, and hinders investment. Indeed, in the last two decades there has been an increase in governments' efforts to reform (i.e. reduce) regulatory interventions into labour markets and workplaces. However, the OECD (2004, 2012) recognises that a regulatory framework is essential to efficient markets and effective government. At an international level, evidence from economies such as Germany suggests that employment protection and strong economic output can coexist.This highlights that regulation should no longer be a theme reserved for specialist discussion. This seminar programme presents a timely opportunity to establish an innovative, collaborative dialogue where diverse discussions are brought together with a view of improving our learning in academic terms and to influence policy-making and practices (see Bamber et al., 2010; Bamber et al., 2011).We propose six seminars focusing on:1. Competing approaches to regulation of work and employment.2. Workplace regulation: human resource management (HRM) and IR issues.3. International regulation.4. Regulation and the individual experience of work.5. Regulation and the firm.6. The future of regulation.Seminar 1 identifies the commonalities in seemingly disparate discourses, setting out key questions. Seminars 2-5 each explore regulation at a different level of analysis (workplace, international, individual and organisational). Seminar 6 establishes an agenda for the future that seeks to advance the discussion, inform and influence policy and practice.