About ILERA
The International Industrial Relations Association (IIRA) was established in 1966 in response to a growing need to develop and exchange knowledge in the field of industrial relations, at the international level, and provide academics and practitioners with a forum for discussion and research. Its founding members were the British Universities Industrial Relations Association, the Industrial Relations Research Association (USA), the International Institute for Labour Studies (Geneva, Switzerland) and the Japan Institute of Labour. In 2010 it was decided to change its name to
International Labour and Employment Relations Association, ILERA.
Why the change in name?
When the IIRA was established in 1966, the founding members hailed mostly from English speaking countries. At the time, the label industrial relations referred to relations between employers and workers, with a focus on relations in unionized companies and in the public sector. Since 1966 the range of issues covered at IIRA congresses has broadened. At the same time, it seems that in many English speaking countries the label industrial relations has come to have a narrower meaning. As a result, many persons looking at the name of the Association assumed that it covered only employer-worker relations in unionized companies, and were unaware that IIRA members also are interested in a broad range of issues. Moreover, since 1966, there have been significant changes in labour markets, in part due to new technologies and globalization. The Association has also become increasingly relevant in developing countries where many persons work in the informal economy.
Over the years, the association has broadened the scope of subject matter to issues such as the transnational movement of labour, non-standard work, labour market regulation and trade and labour standards, and discrimination in employment. Many felt that there was a need for our name to reflect this new world of work, the broader subject matter and the reality of developing country labour markets. The new name refers to labour to include all those who work whether in paid employment, self-employment or the care economy. It covers people and work - and not only work. It also aligns the Association more clearly with the International Labour Organization including the very broad range of subject matter found in ILO conventions. The term employment relations is used to describe all types of workplace relations and is intended to be broader than the industrial or manufacturing sector.
How was this decided?
Although the name of the association had been discussed for about a decade, a formal proposal to change the name was first put forward during the 14th World Congress in Lima in 2006. Then on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the IIRA at the 8th European Regional Congress in Manchester, United Kingdom in September 2007, a special panel discussion was organized on: IIRA: past and Future. What next for the International Industrial Relations Association? After a robust and rich discussion, it was decided that the Executive Committee should propose a new name for the association. During the 15th World Congress in Sydney in August 2009, the Executive Committee proposed that the name be change to The International Labour and Employment Relations Association. This was approved by the Council. The Executive Committee met during the 9th European Regional Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark in June 2010 and decided that the new name would come into effect on 1 July 2010. It also approved the new logo.
How will this change the way we work?
The Association will continue its rich interdisciplinary tradition, linking the academic and policy making communities. We will continue to focus on traditional issues and also ensure that we evolve and respond to new and emerging issues in the world of work. With the new name, we hope to reach new scholars, practitioners and policy makers around the world.
For more information, please visit the website.
