Comparativism is no longer a purely academic exercise but has in creasingly become an urgent necessity for industrial relations and legal practitioners due to the growth of multinational enterprises and the impact of international and regional organisations aspiring to harmonise rules. The growing need for comprehensive, up-to-date and readily available information on labour law and industrial relations in different countries led to the publication of the International Encyclo paedia for Labour Law and Industrial Relations, in which more than 40 international and national monographs have thus far been published. This book on Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations goes a step further than the Encyclopaedia: some 15 of the 21 chapters pro vide comparative and integrated thematic treatment. They aim to describe the salient characteristics and trends in labour law and in dustrial relations in the contemporary world. Our work is, however, more than a set of papers written by individual authors. Twelve of the nineteen contributors, the associate editor, and the publisher were able to meet to discuss the chapters, carefully evaluating, reviewing and co-ordinating our collaborative efforts. The meeting was exceptionally informative and productive. It was sponsored by and took place at Insead (Fontainebleau) with the additional support of the Catholic University of Leuven and Kluwer Publishers. I thank them for their courtesy and assistance. The book is obviously not exhaustive so far as countries and topics are concerned.

This analytical book examines how the common law of the employment contract is likely to evolve. Tracing the radical evolution of this area over the last 40 years, it explores how many of the changes in common law have been triggered by the judicial ‘discovery’ of the key attributes of the relationship. The author concludes that these key attributes of the contract, including the imbalance of power between employee and employer, are likely to remain the key driver for change.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the new methods of transnational labour regulation that are emerging in response to globalisation.

This edited collection draws together papers delivered at a symposium on New Frontiers in Empirical Labour Law Research held at the University of Cambridge in April 2014. It contains contributions from established and emerging experts across a range of disciplines (including employment relations, industrial psychology, sociology, economics and political science) to consider four broad themes: the case for empiricism in labour law; the potential for mixed methods; methodological possibilities and insights from other disciplines; and practical challenges and words of caution for those conducting empirical research. This collection seeks to cultivate confidence and competence in empirical methods among both established and young labour law scholars, through an intergenerational and interdisciplinary 'lessons learned' dialogue. It contributes to the broader debate regarding empirical research methods in labour law, and casts light on how empirical research can be conducted in highly contested fields to enhance labour law policy-making. This collection aims to inspire labour lawyers to embark upon new forms of empirical research, both to enrich their existing research projects, and to ask new research questions. It offers the first stage of a collaborative and interdisciplinary dialogue on empirical labour law research, to emphasise the importance of collaboration and intergenerational mentoring in building empirical capacity.

This collection draws together contributions from leading Australian and international labour law scholars, based on papers delivered at a conference to mark the 21st birthday of the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law at the University of Melbourne. Collectively, the contributions provide an account and exploration of labour law scholarship's evolution over the last two decades, and its future trajectory. They explore a number of enduring and emerging themes in labour law, including:The Foundations of Labour Law ScholarshipFrom Labour Law to Labour Market RegulationLabour Law, Equality and Human RightsEffectiveness and Enforcement in Labour LawSidestepping the Law Through Legal StructuresInternational and Comparative Labour Law PerspectivesThe Future of Work and Labour LawThe book offers conclusions about the progress that labour law scholarship has made in facing fundamental changes in the organisation of capital, work and labour markets, as well as suggesting ideas for how labour law might continue to evolve to meet new challenges.

Written by prominent UK labour lawyers, this textbook is comprehensive and engaging, with detailed commentary and integrated materials.