2011 Theme for Denver Announced: “Employment Relations for Economic Recovery and Sustained Growth”
By Eileen Appelbaum, President Elect
To submit an online proposal for the Denver meeting, visit the 2011 Meetings page at the LERA website beginning October 15, 2009.
by Eileen Appelbaum, LERA President Elect
The recent boom and bust cycle was fueled by flat or declining median wages, rising inequality, a mountain of consumer debt and reckless behavior by financial institutions. Reconnecting economic growth with rising wages and benefits is a necessary catalyst for reestablishing sustained economic growth.
With consumer spending a major component of GDP, rising employee earnings are key both to achieving sustainable profits and wealth creation and to avoiding a prolonged period of jobless growth and high unemployment. Employment relations are critical to the creation of good jobs and competitive business models capable of delivering quality outcomes.
The theme for the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Labor and Employment Relations Association in January 2011 is Employment Relations for Economic Recovery and Sustained Growth. The dimensions of the employment relations system encompass the wage setting practices in organizations across an array of industries; the role of unions, employee representation, collective bargaining and industrial relations; the availability and affordability of education, training and workforce development; the organization and management of work for quality performance and cost effectiveness; the access of employees to work and life policies and practices at the workplace; and the sufficiency of pensions and retirement income security. Government policies – health care, unemployment insurance, labor law and enforcement, immigration, minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and paid sick days – also have direct effects on management practices, employment relations, and household income.
The LERA Program Committee welcomes proposals for stimulating, creative, and controversial panels and workshops related to this theme as well as other proposals that deal with topics of current interest and the mission of LERA. We encourage submissions from the perspectives of multiple disciplines – including but not limited to economics, sociology, political science, labor and employment law, industrial relations, and human resource studies – and the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including investors, managers, workers, and unions. Those submitting proposals will be asked to categorize their proposal into one of eight areas of labor and employment relations: international and comparative industrial relations, industry studies, work and occupations, labor economics and labor markets; law, regulations, and dispute resolution; unions and labor studies, human resources, and labor- management relations.
Session proposals for both symposia and workshops will be considered. The Program Committee recommends a maximum of six (6) participants in your session, including chairs, presenters, and discussants to allow time for questions from the audience. Chairs, presenters, panelists, and discussants may only participate in one role and in one session on the program, although they may co-author other papers that are on the program. Exceptions are allowed for those who are invited to present in the LERA Refereed Papers, AILR/LERA Best Papers, and the upcoming LERA Research Volume Preview sessions.
Those wishing to submit papers rather than sessions are invited to submit to the LERA Refereed papers competition. Student authors are also invited to submit to the UCIRHRP Student Papers competition. Both of the above are refereed papers and winners are invited to publish in the LERA Proceedings.
To submit an online proposal, visit the LERA website beginning October 15, 2009. Organizers are requested to provide a brief session abstract and to list all participants, either confirmed or invited. Proposals must reach the LERA National Office no later than January 25, 2010.
Hit the HOME button at the top left to return to the main Newsletter page.
