Economic Citizenship and Workplace Conflict in Anglo‐American Industrial Relations Systems

Abstract

This paper argues that the expansion of individual employment rights is presenting a series of challenges to the collective model of economic citizenship that prevailed in most of the AngloAmerican world during the last century. We examine developments in the management of workplace conflict in Anglo-American countries to highlight the institutional manoeuvrings that have been taking place to mould the nature of national regimes of employment rights. We argue that Governments almost everywhere are actively seeking to create institutional regimes that weaken the impact of employment legislation and we find that statutory dispute resolution agencies are eagerly trying to develop organizational identities that are aligned with rightsbased employment disputes.3

Can International Human Rights Law Help Restore Access to Justice for Disabled Workers?

“…Currie and Tegue ( [71], p. 2) refer to a "huge expansion in individual employment rights that has occurred almost simultaneously across Anglo-American (sic) countries", and which "can be traced back to the 1970s" ( [71], p. 7). However, the authors go onto argue ( [71], p. 11) that "active efforts are occurring to design institutional arrangements to dull the impact of" this expansion.…”

“…Currie and Tegue ( [71], p. 2) refer to a "huge expansion in individual employment rights that has occurred almost simultaneously across Anglo-American (sic) countries", and which "can be traced back to the 1970s" ( [71], p. 7). However, the authors go onto argue ( [71], p. 11) that "active efforts are occurring to design institutional arrangements to dull the impact of" this expansion. These efforts might be argued to have accelerated under the UK coalition government (2010-2015) and to have focussed on weakening enforcement, including through curtailing the enforcement powers and resources of the Equality and Human Rights Commission 2011 ( [72], p. 319); cuts to legal aid and to legal advice services ( [40], para.…”

The genesis of private dispute resolution in Irish industrial relations

“…Supply‐side developments also contribute: including decisions by state conflict resolution agencies to devote more personnel and resources to assist organisations in proactive conflict avoidance and a growth in the availability of private practitioners, operating independently, or attached to consulting firms (Bray et al, 2018; Brown, 2014; Currie & Teague, 2016; Roche, 2015). The adoption of IBB has been linked to legacies of cooperative labour–management relations or ‘workplace partnership’, and efforts to achieve transformational change in the face of disruptive market pressures have been key influences (Bray et al, 2018; Cutcher‐Gershenfeld, 2014; Cutcher‐Gershenfeld & Kochan, 2004; Dobbins & Dundon, 2016; Eaton & Kochan, 2014; Kochan et al, 2016; Roche & Geary, 2006).…”

Brexit: EU social policy and the UK employment model

“…In countries beyond the EU like Australia, Canada and New Zealand—countries that broadly share the Anglo‐American employment relations model that prevails in the UK—individual employment rights in areas such as equality, health and safety and employee rights in cases of business restructuring have been strengthened. Thus, although some UK employment laws have their origins in Brussels, in real terms, these reflect a type of regulatory convergence—with the possible notable exception of the USA—across advanced economies in relation to employment standard‐setting (Currie and Teague, ).…”