The very movement from enquiry into the classic ‘industrial relations’ (for more than a century) to ‘employment relations’ (currently) is itself a commentary on the significant changes that have occurred in the world of work. Industrial relations was popularly, even mistakenly, believed to be synonymous with the world of work which was characterized solely by trade unions, collective bargaining and strikes in the classic industries like mining, textiles, and so on. However, structural changes in economic activity over the years, significantly in the socalled era of globalization, indicate that these industries are no longer dominant and that the service sector is increasingly becoming the largest employer of labour services. Yet another reason is that contrary to expectations, there has been persistence of a large majority of workers in informal employment, which often lacks well-defined employee space. Unionization and collective bargaining are not the norm either in the ‘sunrise sectors’ or the informal sector and hence non-union settings assume importance.  

The networks of relationship prevalent in the large informal economy defy the conventional notions of ‘industrial relationship’. We need new tools of analyses to understand the world of work and employment in this vastly heterogeneous setting. The forces dominating the new economic environment such as marketization, privatization, flexibilization and informalization have profoundly affected not only the work titles in the labour market but also the role and even presence of classic institutions of ‘regulation’ like the State, trade unions, and so on. From the classic collective bargaining, where agencies of workers and employers bargained over terms and conditions of employment, we are facing new forms and levels of bargaining, viz. a coalition of organizations negotiating with local government agencies for informal workers. Even within the classic collective bargaining, we are witnessing some innovations, for example, contract workers are redefining the contours of employment relations. Thus, new settings, new actors, new methods of governance, new strategies, and new roles are emerging. However, there are conflicts and clashes within the pressure groups. The old styled and the modern type employer organizations differ in terms of the role of the foreign investors. The rise of regional governance in the new economic environment has created conflicts and competition between the regional governments in search of capital, pushing them to varying degrees of deregulation in the domain of employment relations. The movements in the business cycle could constitute one factor that has slowed down the transformation and indeed reversed the transition. Recent decades have witnessed some significant changes in employment relations. The foregoing discussion should indicate to the paper writers the research potential inherent in this field.  

Employment relations in special economic zones (SEZs): the applicability of labour laws, labour administration, their impact on collective institutions, unionization and working conditions. 

Labour administration and labour inspections are changing owing to several factors like State withdrawal, manpower crunch, changing policies and orientations of the State, changes in the attitudes of employers and trade unions towards labour administration, etc.  

Impact of the recession on industrial conflict; emergence of alternative forms of protest, dynamics of conflict like new strategies, cooperation or conflict between unions, unusual instances of understanding and cooperation between employers and unions (for example, Ashok Leyland), emergence and role of industrial violence, State intervention in conflicts (for example, in the case of Honda Motorcycles).  

Social dialogue, its role in tackling crises and making rules of employment relations: studies of collective agreements in a region/industry/sector, dynamics of collective bargaining (strategies, issues, role of the State, etc.); analyses of innovative collective agreements and practices; collective bargaining by informal economy workers like street vendors or contract workers. 

Employment relations in select developed and developing countries— comparative analysis, evaluation of best practices and lessons for the future.