Chapter 2

Employment relations in the contemporary economy

For access to much of the latest research into changes in work, employment, and employment relations, then go to the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Future of Work website:
www.leeds.ac.uk/esrcfutureofwork/

For further information about how BECTU’s (Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union) organizes and represents workers in the television industry, and other media, go to its website:
www.bectu.org.uk/

There is a large amount of material available on the web concerning the impact of globalization on workers’ rights in developing countries. Action Aid, Cafod, and in particular Oxfam, with its Make Trade Fair campaign, publish useful reports that can be downloaded from their websites:
www.oxfam.org/
www.cafod.org/
www.actionaid.org/

Two US-based organisations that campaign against labour exploitation by multinationals, and to extend labour rights are:
www.campaignforlaborrights.org/
www.behindthelabel.org/

Details of Naomi Klein’s campaigning journalism can be accessed from her website:
www.nologo.org/

The International Labour Organization has a very informative website. Follow the links from its home page to access material concerning its work promoting standards and fundamental principles and rights at work:
www.ilo.org/

Two voluntary associations of companies and other stakeholders which promote good practice in respect of labour standards are the Fair Labor Association in the US and the Ethical Trading Initiative in the UK:
www.fairlabor.org/
www.ethicaltrade.org/

For the responses of the trade unions to globalisation, then the website of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) is a good place to start. The British Trades Union Congress (TUC) also has an international department, and its website contains some informative material about union campaigns around the world. Follow the link from its home page:
www.icftu.org/
www.tuc.org.uk/

The International Centre for Trade Union Rights campaigns to extend workers’ and union rights around the world:
www.ictur.labournet.org/

The most comprehensive online guide to union activity around the world is the labourstart website. This is an exceptionally useful resource. You can browse by country and updates on employment relations developments are posted on a daily basis:
www.labourstart.org/

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Oxford University Press, Online Resource Centre, Chapter 2.

Chapter 2