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ILERA Newsletter #8

International Labour and Employment Relations Association

Update on the Asian Congress

Tokyo 2026: Registration is now open

The 11th ILERA Asian Regional Congress will take place from 3–5 September 2026, in Tokyo. Preparations are progressing smoothly, with 13 special sessions accepted and 68 track submissions under review.

Registration deadlines:

Early Bird Registration: 31 May 2026
Presenters Registration: 30 June 2026
Participants Registration: 31 July 2026

For more details and to register, please visit:
11th ILERA Asian Regional Congress 2026

More details

2027 ILERA World Congress

Looking ahead to the 2027 ILERA World Congress

Every three years the global ILERA community comes together for the ILERA World Congress. In 2027, we are delighted to welcome colleagues to Sydney, Australia, for the 21st ILERA World Congress, to be held from 30 August to 3 September 2027.

The Congress theme, “Sustainable, productive and decent work: Bridging research, practice and policy”, reflects ILERA’s long-standing commitment to bringing together research, policy and practice to address the major challenges shaping work and employment around the world.

The program is organised around five broad tracks:

Decent, safe and healthy work
Equitable and inclusive work
Strong and democratic institutions
Work in the digital age
Sustainable climate transitions

Together with the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA), we look forward to welcoming delegates from universities, policy making, regulation, unions, employer organisations, and international institutions from around the world.

There will be extensive opportunities for engagement throughout the World Congress, including dedicated ILERA Study Group meetings, so we strongly encourage colleagues to join a Study Group and become involved if you have not yet done so. The Congress will place a strong emphasis on practitioner engagement, creating opportunities for exchange across research, policy and practice communities. Alongside the academic program there will be practitioner sessions, side events and networking opportunities designed to encourage dialogue across sectors, professions and countries.

We have established an Early Career Researcher Committee to strengthen opportunities for emerging scholars and support participation, networking and engagement across the Congress. We warmly encourage early career colleagues and doctoral researchers to become involved.

A vibrant social program will run across the week, providing opportunities to reconnect with colleagues, build international networks and enjoy time together outside the formal program. Sydney is particularly beautiful at this time of year, with mild weather and the conference venue has stunning harbour views and easy access to beaches, cultural precincts and restaurants.

Please sign up for conference alerts through ILERA 2027 Congress website https://www.ilera2027.com

Calls for sessions and papers will be released soon.

We look forward to welcoming you to beautiful Sydney in 2027!

Professor Rae Cooper, ILERA President and World Congress Chair

Professor Chris Wright, World Congress Scientific Committee Chair

Book/Paper introductions

The nexus of green transition and diversity

Co-edited by Mehtap Akguc, Jane Parker, Marouane Laabbas el Gennouni and Bart Vanhercke

The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) is starting to profile the forthcoming fifth book in the prestigious ILERA/ILO/Elgar book series, entitled The nexus of green transition and diversity. This upcoming publication explores the critical intersection between green transition policies and workplace diversity, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in ensuring an inclusive shift towards sustainable economies.
Source: ETUI News.

The Politics of Unpaid Labour: How the Study of Unpaid Labour can Help Address Inequality in Precarious Work

By Valeria Pulignano and M. Domecka

Published by Oxford University Press, this new book sheds light on the often-overlooked dimension of unpaid labor and its profound implications for contemporary employment. It explores how incorporating the study of unpaid labor into mainstream analyses can provide vital insights for addressing and mitigating inequalities within precarious work environments. A book review symposium discussing this work was recently featured in the Industrial and Labor Relations Review. Source: ILR Review

Special Issues

Special Issue in the British Journal of Industrial Relations (BJIR)
The Special Issue in BJIR (Guest Editor: Peter Turnbull) features the following articles:

Trade Union Power and the Quality of Working Life Under Industry 4.0: Bargaining Outcomes in Truck and Car Components Plants Valeria Pulignano, Lorenzo Frangi, Yennef Vereycken, Lynford Dor, Rutherford Tod and Lander Vermeerbergen Read more
Building Power From the Bottom-Up: How Union Leaders Navigate Power Relations Under Algorithmic Management Christine A. Riordan, Hye Jin Rho, Yeaseul Hur, Patricia Tabarani and Deborah M. Figart Read more
Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Employee Pay in the United Kingdom: Evidence From Matched Employer–Employee Data Felix Schulz, Danat Valizade, Mark Stuart, Magdalena Soffia, and Jolene Skordis Read more
Implementing Automation: The Shopfloor Politics of Technological Change in the Canadian Aerospace Sector Daniel Nicholson Read more
Who Benefits From Right-to-Disconnect Legislation in Europe? Cross-National and Gendered Effects on Employee Wellbeing Cherise Regier Read more
Envisioning the Future of Work: From Ideas to Reforms David A. Spencer
Read more

Special Issue in Work & Occupations
The Special Issue in WOX (Guest Editors: Chris Tilly and Valeria Pulignano) features the following articles:

Technological Change, Work and Power: A Framework for Analyzing How Actors and Institutions Distribute Power in the AI-Driven Technological Change Process Chris Tilly and Valeria Pulignano (2026) Read more
Building Worker Voice and Power in AI Decisions: Three Cases in the German ICT Industry Virginia Doellgast, Benjamin Langes and Tobias Kämpf (2026)
Read more
Technology Makers as De Facto Work Designers in American Healthcare Deepa K. Lyer, Anshul Rana and Adam Seth Litwin (2026)
Unfulfilled: Collaborative Robots and the Persistence of Tough Jobs in E-Commerce Warehousing Aleksandra Kowalski (2025)
Read more
Contested Automation: Double Indeterminacy, Union Power, and Job Quality in Call Centers Shane O'Brady and Joonmo Kim (2026) Read more
Lost in Automation? Algorithmic Management and the Evolving Role of Middle Managers – Insights From the Spanish Dark Stores Sector Tiago Vieira and Sarah Junte (2025) Read more
How Does the Local State Mediate the Relationship Between Technological Change and Work? Evidence from Warehousing in England, Work and Occupations Adam Winton, Charles Umney and Gabriella Alberti (2025)
Read more

Recent Papers

Position of Japan Regarding Changes in Work Environment Following Introduction of AI Technology

By S. Iwatsuki (2025)

This paper provides an international comparative analysis of how corporate organizations respond to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace. It specifically highlights Japan's relative position in adapting to these technological shifts, examining the impact of AI on labor-management relations and organizational management. The study offers empirical insights into how Japanese firms navigate the evolving work environment compared to their global counterparts.
Source: JILPT Document

👍 Thumbs Up / 👎 Thumbs Down

**👍 What employees in Belgium think about AI**
Most Belgian employees expect AI will reduce jobs, but only half of them understand that it will primarily reshape their roles and skills. Eight out of ten Belgian employees say that their company does not provide enough AI training, while managerial employees claim the opposite. Employees in Financial Services, and Technology, Media & Telecom are most optimistic about AI. Employees in Public Services and Healthcare see less promise. See more at: EY Insights

**👎 Court challenge to EU minimum wage directive**
On January 14, 2025, Nicholas Emiliou, one of the European Union’s Advocates General, advised the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to annul the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive (AMWD). The non-binding opinion regarding Case C-19/23 of the CJEU, which could open the door to the complete annulment of the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, followed a complaint from two member states.
See more at: CJEU Document

**👍 / 👎 Japan's 2026 Spring Wage Offensive (Shuntō)**

👍 Thumbs Up - Japan's 2026 spring labor-management negotiations (Shuntō) concluded with average nominal wage increases exceeding 5% for the third consecutive year. Driven by historic labor shortages and corporate profitability, the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO) reported significant gains. This signals strong momentum for base pay improvements across large enterprises and a definitive shift away from decades of wage stagnation in Japan.

👎 Thumbs Down - However, the reality for many workers and smaller businesses remains severe. Despite historic nominal gains, Japan's real wages have continued to decline for a fourth consecutive year due to persistent inflation, rising social insurance premiums, and new tax levies eroding take-home pay. Furthermore, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are struggling to absorb soaring labor costs, with record numbers of "labor shortage bankruptcies" reported in early 2026, highlighting widening structural gaps in the Japanese labor market.
See more at: Nippon.com

Greetings from the editor in chief

The editor in chief for this edition of the ILERA Newsletter is Dr. Katsuyuki Kubo

Dr. Katsuyuki Kubo is a Professor of Business Economics at Waseda University in Tokyo. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science. His research focuses on corporate governance, executive compensation, labor economics, and AI. He has published extensively in leading academic journals such as Corporate Governance: An International Review and contributed to multiple books in his field. Dr. Kubo is an executive member of the Japan Industrial Relations Research Association.

About ILERA

The International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) was established in 1967. Its general purpose is to promote the study of labour and employment relations throughout the world in relevant academic disciplines, by such means as:

encouraging the establishment and development of national associations of labour and employment relations specialists;
facilitating the spread of information about significant developments in research and education in the field of labour and employment relations;
organising worldwide and regional congresses; and
promoting internationally planned research, by organising study groups on particular topics.

How to join

Industrial relations directors, officers or practitioners as well as social dialogue specialists, labour administrators, employment relations specialists, human resource consultants, members and representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations, government officials, labour lawyers, students, academics and all others dealing with employee relations would greatly benefit from becoming a member of the International Labour and Employment Relations Association and from participating in our congresses.

Types of membership

There are three categories of members of ILERA namely, full member (or national member), institutional associate member, individual associate member.

Full Members may be national or regional industrial relations associations, the primary purpose of which is the advancement of knowledge and research in the industrial and employment relations field or national or regional committees where such associations do not exist.
Individual associate membership is open to persons engaged in industrial relations research or teaching activities in academic or research institutions, as well as practitioners in the industrial relations field
Institutional associate membership is open to universities and colleges or departments thereof and other research institutes concerned with the scholarly study of industrial relations