Syllabus

• Week 1

  Introductions: power, work and employment studies

  • Hello and welcome

    In this first activity we'll introduce you to the course and give you the opportunity to meet each other. We'll also give you a chance to discuss your experiences of work and employment.

  • Introducing Work & Employment Studies

    After introducing the module as a whole, in this short Activity we introduce the content of week 1.

  • Defining work, power and influence

    In this activity we discuss what is work and consider the meanings of work.

  • Labour indeterminacy and frames of reference

    In this activity there are 5 steps to discuss unequal power balances at work, explaining some key concepts in further detail.

  • Summarising week 1 and moving to week 2

    In this Activity we reflect on the previous steps in the week, and provide a short multiple choice quiz, before moving on to Week 2.

• Week 2

  History, global capitalism and the importance of contexts

  • Introducing week 2

    The following video gives a short introductory talk explaining the structure and concepts to be studied in week 2

  • The importance of historical legacies

    History frames and can shape what we do. Our actions are - in part - determined - by the legacies of the past. This section will outline the importance of understanding history and the context we exist and act within.

  • Globalisation and financialisation

    This is an outline of the debates and issues related to the negative features of globalisation and the growing importance of financialised capitalism

  • The fragmentation of work

    The section deals with how work is getting worse and why labour markets are changing and fragmenting

  • The gig-economy and new (digital) technologies

    This section now turns attention to the critical issues of the role of new technology, the rise in gig-work and the gig-economy, and how these affect the nature of power at work.

  • The future of work

    This section takes a broader look and approach to how work is changing - Week 5 picks up on some of these issues later on

  • Summarising week 2 and moving to week 3

    There will now be a chance to complete the Week by engaging with a set of reflective questions

• Week 3

  The state, the law and equality

  • The state, the law and equality

    This will be a week that introduces to the important issue of how the state frames and influences the nature of work and employment. It looks at the state generally, the question of the law, and the dimension of equality.

  • The role of the state as a work and employment relations actor

    This outlines the broad role of the state and it diverse forms of intervention in work and employment

  • The changing nature of employment law

    The activity covers the way the nature of employment law is changing and how this is further creating tensions and issues in relation to work and employment

  • Regulating for equality.

    The role of regulation and the state in relation to equality and inclusion are discussed in this section.

  • Summarising week 3 and moving to week 4

    This is a basic review of what has been done and what is to come next week

• Week 4

  Who speaks for whom?

  • Introducing worker voice

    This activity will introduce the concept of worker voice and ask you to reflect on a time you attempted to have a say about issues affecting your work.

  • Institutional voice

    This activity focuses on the first form of voice covered this week, institutional voice.

  • Union voice

    This activity will focus on the second form of voice; that of 'union participation'. It looks at the benefits of unions, what union representatives do day-to-day, and some positive impacts from unions.

  • Partnerships and collective bargaining

    This activity will focus on union-employer partnerships and collective bargaining which relates to 'union voice' discussed in the previous activity.

  • 'Non-union voice and CSO/NGO voices beyond the workplace

    This activity will focus on the final two types of workers voice, namely 'non-union voice' and 'voices of new actors' such as CSOs and NGOs who are beyond the workplace.

  • Summarising week 4 and moving to week 5

    This activity will summarize week 4 and give you an opportunity to reflect on your learning through a quiz.

• Week 5

  The future of power, politics and influences at work

  • Introduction to week 5

    In this Activity we introduce the final part of the course. The aim is to outline the different possible developments related to work that might take place in the coming future.

  • Future Development 1: Are things getting worse?

    In this activity we outline the features and issues that relate to a diminished capacity for worker influence. There is a view that we may see further deterioration and change within work and employment.

  • Future Development 2: Reinvigorated (minimal) state roles

    In this activity we discuss some options when the state (and public policy) play a supportive role but in a minimal and hands-off manner

  • Future Development 3: Soft de-regulation & voluntary dialogue

    This sections looks at the way a new set of voluntary and flexible regulations are emerging in some cases

  • Future Development 4: Collective alliance-building and mobilisation

    In this activity we present a fourth future development around collective power and future of work scenarios.

  • Summarising week 5 (and course conclusion)

    This is the final section. We hope you found the course interesting and engaging. We certainly did. In this final section there are some reflective questions on week 5, a finale video of us, and our acknowledgements and thanks.

Who will you learn with?