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Labour Relations Theory

Code: 100481 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500258 Labour Relations OB 3

Contact

Name:
Oscar Molina Romo
Email:
oscar.molina@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

Group 1 - Óscar Molina Romo - Spanish

Group 51 - Óscar Molina Romo - Spanish

 

The subject will be taught taking into account the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals


Objectives and Contextualisation

  • To provide an overview about sociological theory of social conflict, consensus and bargaining
  • To study the process of institutionalization of social conflict
  • To study the relationships between social institutions and labour market
  • To study the role played by social actors/partners within industrial relations: trade unions, employer organizations and State
  • To study the changes in the Industrial Relations Systems

Competences

  • Advising union and business organizations and their members.
  • Clearly expressing ideas or facts in a compelling way.
  • Contextualising the social events from a (geographical, historical, economic, ecological, sociopolitical or cultural) global point of view.
  • Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
  • Drawing up and formalising reports and documents.
  • Identify the foundations of the main legal and organisational areas in the field of human work.
  • Identifying, analysing and solving complex problems and situations from an (economic, historical, legal, psychological, and sociological) interdisciplinary perspective.
  • Students must demonstrate they comprehend the relation between social processes and industrial relations dynamics.
  • Working autonomously.
  • Working effectively in teams.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Clearly expressing ideas or facts in a compelling way.
  2. Comparing the labour systems in Spain with the rest of countries.
  3. Defining the basic concepts of the relations between society and a company.
  4. Defining the industrial relations systems.
  5. Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
  6. Distinguishing the objectives of national and international institutions and their ethical codes.
  7. Distinguishing the old and new corporatism.
  8. Drawing up and formalising reports and documents.
  9. Giving examples of the position of social actors in the industrial relations.
  10. Interpreting the debate between the social agents and their social, governmental and corporate initiatives.
  11. Reaching a consensus in the industrial relations.
  12. Recognising the pressure groups and collective action.
  13. Students must know the basic concepts of the social organization of labour in a company.
  14. Students must know the basic concepts related to the social agents of industrial relations.
  15. Understanding the problems derived from conflict in the industrial relations.
  16. Working autonomously.
  17. Working effectively in teams.

Content

TOPIC 1. Work and employment in the contemporary capitalism

1.1 Fordism and post-fordism: regulation theory and social employment norm

1.2 Information society, flexible specialisation and network enterprise 

1.3 Postmodern theories and theories of the end of work 

TOPIC 2. Consensus theories

2.1 Oxford school: pluralist approach to industrial relations  

2.2 Institutionalism theory in industrial relations

2.3 System theory in industrial relations 

TOPIC 3. Conflict theories

3.1 Marxist theory to industrial relations: R. Hyman

3.2 Marxist theories of control

3.3 The Foucauldean Concept of Power

3.4 Critical management studies: power and control in industrial relations

TOPIC 4. The role of the State in industrial relations 

4.1 Neocorporatism theories in industrial relations

TOPIC 5. Europeanization/transnazionalization of industrial relations 

5.1 Europeanization of industrial relations and European social model

5.2 Responses to Europeanization/transnazionalization of industrial relations: transnational solidarity and exclusionary solidarity  

 

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Active supervision of practices and group work 22.5 0.9 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15
Interactive class: master class and participation 22.5 0.9 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16
Type: Autonomous      
Study 100 4 2, 5, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16

The course methodology is participative. Teaching will be be face-to-face.  The students will have one week devoted to master classes and one week devoted to practices at the classroom. During the practices at the classrooms the students will apply theoretical knowledge acquired through the analysis of real industrial relations cases. Practices at the classroom will be done through group work and will be evaluated during the course. Students will also have to elaborate a dossier of practices in which practices elaborated in the classroom will be presented in written, at the end of the course. In the dossier, the practices will be completed with analysis and references to additional bibliography. 

Fraudulent behavior: A student who cheats on an exam or try to cheat on an exam will be evaluated with a 0 in the subject and will lose the right to re-evaluation. A student who presents a practice in which there are signs of plagiarism or who cannot justify his/her arguments will be evaluated with a 0 and will receive a warning.  In case this behavior is repeated, the student will fail the subject (0) and will lose the right to re-evaluation.

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
COLLECTION OF PRACTICES 40% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15
Exam 40% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
Presentation short articles 20% 1 0.04 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17

Continuous evaluation

1. Practices at the classroom: 20% of grade

2. Dossier of practices: the students will present, in written, at the end of the course, a glossary of the practices done at the classroom. This dossier will include the analysis of the exercises done as well as additional reflexions complemented with references from the articles of the mandatory bibliography, the recommended bibliography or other. 40% of grade

3. Individual exam: 40% of grade

 

Single evaluation

1. Individual exam: 40% 

2. Collection of practical exercises: 40%

3. Analysis of industrial conflict: 20%

 

Re-evaluation

In order to carry out the reevaluation of the subject, it is a necessary condition to obtain a minimum of 3.5 in the individual exam. If a score greater than 3.5 is obtained in the individual exam, it will be averaged with the rest of the components of the continuous evaluation. If the result of this average is less than 5, the student has the right to reevaluate

 

Students will be assessable as long as they have completed a set of activities whose weight is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade for the subject. If the value of the activities carried out does not reach this threshold, the subject teacher may consider the student as non-evaluable


Bibliography

Topic 1

Basic bibliography 

Hyman R. (1994) “La teoría de la producción y la producción de la teoría”, en Pollert, A. (comp.): ¿Adiós a la flexibilidad?. Madrid: Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Socia

De la Garza, E., Celis Ospina, J.C., Olivo Pérez, M.A., Retamozo, M. (2007): “Crítica de la razón para-post moderna (Sennet, Bauman, Beck)”, Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios del Trabajo ( RELET ), 12(19): 9-38

Alternative bibliography 

Alonso, L.E. (1999): Trabajo y ciudadanía. Estudios sobre la crisis de la sociedad salarial. Madrid: Trotta.

Alonso, L.E. (2006): “Centralidad del trabajo y cohesión social: ¿una relación necesaria?”, Gaceta Sindical, no. 7: 101-126.

Boyer, R. (2007): Crisis y regímenes de crecimiento: una introducción a la teoría de la regulación. Madrid: Miño y Dávila.

Castel, R. (1997): La metamorfosis de la cuestión social. Una crónica del salariado. Buenos Aires: Paidós.

Castells, M. (1997): La era de la información. Economía, sociedad y cultura. Vol. 1 La Sociedad Red. Madrid: Alianza Editorial.

Graeber, D. (2018) Trabajos de mierda. Barcelona: Ariel

Miguélez, F.; Prieto, C. (2001): “Crisis del empleo y de cohesión social”, Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales, no. 19: 223-240.

Míguélez, F.; Prieto,C (2009): “Transformaciones del empleo, flexibilidad y relaciones laborales en Europa”, Política y Sociedad, Vol. 46, no. 1-2: 275-287.

Pollert, A. (1994.): ¿Adiós a la flexibilidad?. Madrid: Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social.

Prieto, C. (2000): “Trabajo y orden social: de la nada a la sociedad del empleo (y su crisis)”, Políticay Sociedad, Vol. 34: 19-32 

Prieto, C. (2002): “La degradación del empleo o la norma social del empleo flexibilizado”, Sistema. 168-169: 89-106

Topic 2

Basic bibliography 

García Calavia, M. (2004) “Los «buenos» tiempos de las «relaciones industriales»: Una aproximación sociológica” en Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales,  22:89-111

Cruz Villalón, J. (2016) “Nuevas funciones de la negociación colectiva y alternación de su marco normativo” en Revista de Economía Laboral 13 (2): 6-33

Alternative bibliography 

Commons, J.R. (1967). Trade Unions and Labour Problems. New York: Augustyus . Kelly Editors

Dunlop, J.T. (1978). Sistemas de relaciones industriales. Barcelona: Peninsula 

Fernández Steinko, A. (2002). Experiencias participativas en economía y empresa. Madrid: siglo XXI.

Köhler, H. D.; Martín Artiles, A. (2009). Manual de la sociología del trabajo y de las relaciones laborales. Madrid: Delta Publicaciones.

Martín Artiles, A. (2003). Teoría de las relaciones laborales. Barcelona: UOC.

Perlman, S. (1962). Teoría del Movimiento Obrero. Mexico: Aguilar

Polanyi, K. (1989). La gran transformación. Madrid: La Piqueta.

Topic 3

Basic  bibliography 

Hyman, R. (1981). ¿Qué son las relaciones laborales?. Relaciones industriales. Una introducción marxista. Madrid: Ediciones Blume

Kights, D. y Willmott, H. (2007): ‘Poder y Subjetividad en el Trabajo: de la Degradación a la Dominación en las Relaciones Sociales’, en FernándezRodríguez, C.J. (2009), Vigilar y organizar. Una introducción a los Critical Management Studies, Siglo XXI, Madrid, 

Alternative bibliography 

Braverman. H. (1974): Labour and monopoly capital: the degradation of work in the twentieth century. New York: MonthlyReviewPress.

Burawoy, M. (1989): El consentimiento en la producción. Los cambios del proceso productivo en el capitalismo monopolista. de Burawoy. Madrid: Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales.

Edwards, R. (1982): Las transformaciones de la fábrica en el siglo XX. Madrid: Alianza.

Fernández Rodríguez, C.J. (2009), Vigilar y organizar. Una introducción a los Critical Management Studies, Siglo XXI, Madrid, 

Foucault, M (1996). La verdad y las formas jurídicas. Barcelona: Gedisa

Hyman, Richard (1981). Relaciones industriales. Una introducción marxista. Madrid: Ediciones Blume

Hyman, Richard (2001). Understanding European Trade Unions. London: Sage.

Topic 4

Basic bibliography 

Schmitter, P. (1985) “Neocorporatismo y estado” en REIS 31:47-78

Sanz de Miguel, P. (2021) “Corporatismo y coproducción en la lucha contra el emploe irregular. Un estudio de caso” (Corporatism and co-production against irregular employment: a case study) en Revista Española de Sociología.  30(4), a77.

Alternative bibliography

Esping-Andersen, G. y Palier, B. (2010). Los tres grandes retos del Estado de bienestar. Barcelona: Arial

Köhler, H. D.; Martín Artiles, A. (2009). Manual de la sociología del trabajo y de las relaciones laborales. Madrid: Delta Publicaciones.

Martín Artiles, A. (2003). Teoría de las relaciones laborales. Barcelona: UOC.

Offe, C. Schmitter, P. (1995) “Las paradojas y los dilemas de la democracia liberal” en Revista Internacional de filosofía política, núm. 6: 5-30

Pérez Yruela, M; Giner, S. (1985) “Corporatismo: el estado de la cuestión” en REIS 31:9-46

Royo, Sebastian (2002). A new century of corporatism?.London: Praeguer

Schmitter, P (1992) Teorías del neorcorpartismo: Ensayos de Philippe C. Schmitter Guadalajara (México):Universidad de Guadalajara 

Topic 5

Basic bibliography 

Jepsen, M.y Serrano, A. (2011):“El modelo social europeo. La frágil producción política de un proyecto social comunitario”, Pasajes: revista de pensamiento contemporáneo. 35:53-66  

Beneyto, P. i Rocha, J. (2014) “Crisis económica, acción sindical y relaciones laborales transnacionales en la Unión Europea” Actas del XI Congreso Español de Sociología, Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociología Universidad Complutense de Madrid 10-12 de julio de 2013 / coord. por Heriberto Cairo Carou, Lucila Finkel Morgenstern, Vol. 4, 2014 (Adenda) págs. 275-282

Alternative bibliography 

Afonso, A. and Rennwald, L. (2018). “Social class and the changing welfare state agenda of radical right parties in Europe”. In: Manow P, Schwander H and Palier B (eds) Welfare Democracies and Party Politics: Explaining Electoral Dynamics in Times of Changing Welfare Capitalism.Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 171-196.

Bieler, A. and R. Erne. 2015 “Transnational Solidarity? The European Working Class in the Eurozone Crisis” in: L Panitch and G. Albo (eds.) Transforming Classes, Socialist Register 154–178, London: Merlin Press.

Connolly, G. Stefania, M andMartínez Lucio, M. (2014). “Trade union renewal and the challenges of representation: Strategies towards migrant and ethnic minority workers in the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom”. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 20(1), pp. 5–20. 

Fichter, M. (2008). “German TradeUnions and RightExtremism: UnderstandingMembershipAttitudes”, European Journal of Industrial Relations, 14(1), pp. 65-84. 

Keune, M. and Marginson, P. (2013). Transnational Industrial Relations as Multi-LevelGovernanceInterdependencies in European Social Dialogue. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 51(3), pp. 473-497

Standing. G. ¿Por qué el precariado no es un concepto espurio?, Sociología del Trabajo, 82, pp. 

Stöss, R. (2017). Trade unions and right-wing extremism in Europe. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Berlin. 

Yilmaz, F. (2016)How the Workers Became Muslims. Immigration, Culture, and Hegemonic Transformation in Europe. University of Michigan Press

 


Software

No


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 51 Spanish first semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 51 Spanish first semester afternoon