Welcome to the Global Labour Research Centre (GLRC). Our faculty and associates are at the forefront of critical work and labour studies research in the public interest. The GLRC brings together academic, labour and community researchers with the common goal of addressing the most pressing social, political and economic issues of our time. From paid and unpaid work to labour market restructuring, education and training, labour law, public policy, health and safety, workplace equity, working class culture, labour and social movements, the GLRC seeks to involve the local community with the aim of overcoming the distance between those doing the research and those who are the objects of study
The Centre is also a training incubator for students, activists, workers and other stakeholders interested in progressive policy development and social change. Faculty presentations in labour and community settings, public policy discussions with government and civic stakeholders, and the media attest to this work. Our annual Graduate Student Symposium offers an unparalleled opportunity to present research and engage with peers and other labour experts. Finally, our Perspectives opinion pieces provide an opportunity to spark public debate and engage in public dialogue, while our GLRC Snapshots communicate real-world impacts from academic research to wider communities.
The quality and character of “work” defines so much of our lives — from our social status in society, to our economic well-being and even our self-image. In a globalizing world, the availability and organization of work is being dramatically transformed, often in more precarious and insecure ways. Stronger statutory minimum wages and employment protections, the removal of barriers to unionization and better equal pay rules are central to achieving more inclusive, equitable and sustainable livelihoods. Wider measures include fair taxation policies, more supportive unemployment insurance and income protections, extended child and elder care benefits, access to affordable housing and improved social services investments. The worsening reality for many workers around the world calls attention to the urgent task of rebuilding and renewing labour’s voice inside and outside of unions, and of fostering a collective sense among workers that things can be changed for the better. In this sense, I hope you will consider getting active with the GLRC today!
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I’m delighted to take on the role of Director, and to join the dedicated and vibrant community of scholars, practitioners and students at the GLRC. I’m fortunate to inherit the solid foundation provided by past directors Mark Thomas and Stephanie Ross, and interim director Kelly Pike.
This is an important moment for the GLRC community. We are experiencing a time of turbulence in the diverse world of work. Multiple forces – such as the climate emergency, forced mobility and immobility, and automation – converge to threaten livelihoods of individuals and groups all across the globe. At the same time, growing inequality, fractured social relations, and historical and ongoing structural violence provoke great rifts between us, often setting up fierce competition and conflict rather than cooperation and creativity. Rapidly shifting global landscapes provide both opportunities and challenges for real-world research, practical education, and engaged leadership on pressing issues related to work, labour and livelihoods.
My vision for the GLRC is to enhance, expand and mobilize our diverse and inclusive community of scholars and practitioners to advance engaged, relevant, and political research to critically examine and address these urgent issues. The GLRC is well-positioned for encouraging and supporting trans-disciplinary collaboration, imagination, and action, as it has become a hub for pan-university research excellence and collaboration amongst York’s nationally and internationally renowned faculty who study work and labour issues. The GLRC also facilitates graduate and undergraduate student training and community-building, promotes community engagement for social justice-oriented research through links to a substantial community of practitioners and the broader public, and acts as a vehicle for internationalization, pursuing research and learning connections through collaborative international research partnerships.
I look forward to working with faculty, students and community partners to cultivate and showcase imaginative and collaborative research and dialogue.