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Thursday | Conference Activities • 5/28/2026 | ||
8 - 9 am | LERA Opening Plenary—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 | ||
| 9:15 - 10:30 am | |||
Presenters: Claire Sleigh*, Cornell University—Strikes and Power in Unlikely Places: Migrant Garment Workers in Jordan Mahreen Khan*, University of Oxford—Worker Voice and Labor Standards in Global Supply Chains: Reframing the Role of Worker-Management Participation Committees Tommaso Pio Danese, University of Trento, Italy—Varieties of Logistics and Chokepoint Possibilities: Evidence from the Italian Warehousing Sector Andrew Wilson*, Tobias Schulze-Cleven and Xiangmin (Helen) Liu, Rutgers University—The Human Side of Chips: Knowledge Work in Japan Shikha Silliman Bhattacharjee*, European Research Council—Climate-Driven Workplace Violence on Global Value Chains Pauline Jerrentrup*, London School of Economics—The Emergence of Enforceable Brand Agreements: Institutional Entrepreneurship, Framing and Transnational Advocacy Networks Sanchita Sexena*, University of California, Berkeley—Collaboration or Continued Compliance? The Reality of Partnerships between Global Brands and their Suppliers in the Apparel Industry Chunyun Li*, London School of Economics and Political Sciences—Leverage and responsibility: complex relationship between purchasing practices and labor standards | |||
1.151 New Frontiers in Collective Bargaining: High-Tech, Digital Media, Starbucks Cafes, and Museums (Symposium) Presenters: David Lewin*, University of California Los Angeles—Emerging Labor Relations in High-Tech Industries: A Conceptual, Empirical and Case Study Analysis Howard Stanger*, Canisius University—Organizing and Collective Bargaining in Digital Media: The First Decade, 2015-2025 Zachary Schaller*, Prasiddha Shakya, Sal McCollum and Monica Opoku, Colorado State University—A Double-Shot of Organizing: How Starbucks Workers Have Inspired the Labor Movement Daniel J. Julius*, Rutgers University—Collective Bargaining in the Museum Sector: A Status and Update | |||
As public funding cuts and private sector restructuring erode standards within childcare and healthcare systems, this session focuses on high-road innovations that promise to boost job quality, care quality, and care access. We will address the forces driving low-road practices and discuss efforts around the country to build cooperatives of care workers at scale. Supported by labor and community actors looking to advance worker voice and leverage state power in new ways, these initiatives could help reshape the U.S. care sector. This session will provide a forum to share learnings and identify research that could inform this emerging field. Discussants: Shaywaal Amin, Nursing Division, 1199SEIU-UHWE; Ra Criscitiello, SEIU - United Healthcare Workers West; and Ross Fitzgerald, Childcare Worker Innovation Lab | |||
1.221 Strategy and Organizing in the Private Sector (Panel) Private sector union density is at its lowest in decades, yet the last few years have seen a steady growth in organizing, research, and strategizing specifically focused on the private sector. This panel will feature a mix of organizers and academics focused on strategy, research, and (the need for) organizing in the private sector to present and discuss recent campaigns, research, lessons learned, and viable paths forward for organizing in the private sector. Panelists: Jaz Brisack, Organizing Director of the Inside Organizer School and co-founder of Starbucks Workers United; David Weil, Brandeis University; Richard Bensinger, Former AFL-CIO Organizing Director and Consultant to Starbucks Workers United; and Jonathan Rosenblum, Arizona State University, Center for Work and Democracy | |||
1.251 New Attendee Orientation and Welcome (Panel)—Fjords 4 New LERA members and first- or second-time attendees are invited to meet with LERA leaders and staff to learn about LERA and how to navigate this conference. The goals of the session are to help newer attendees (1) feel welcome at this LERA annual meeting, (2) take full advantage of what the LERA annual meeting has to offer, (3) learn about ways to get more involved in LERA, (4) develop connections with other attendees, and (5) have any questions answered. Moderators: Frank Mullins, University of Alabama in Huntsville; and John W. Budd, LERA President and University of Minnesota | |||
Mediation's effectiveness depends on when and how it's used. This session brings together labor, management, and neutral voices to share strategies that make mediation most productive-from timing the request and framing the issues to managing the start, middle, and close of the process. With fewer public resources and expanding caseloads, has the use of mediation itself changed? Panelists offer practical tools, lessons learned, and field-tested approaches to ensure mediation delivers results even in complex or resource-strained environments. | |||
1.351 Examining the Long History of Employer Opposition to Unions and Worker Agency in the United States (Panel) The panel brings together a distinguished group of historians and labor relations experts to consider "American employer exceptionalism" - US employers' long, powerful, often violent, and exceptional (relative to Europe and Japan) resistance to unionism and collective worker agency. The collapse of union density, decades of union busting, and serial labor law reform failures have decimated American labor, despite 15 years of innovative labor militancy and labor unions' sharply increased popularity. This panel explores historical and contemporary perspectives on the roots, dynamics, and consequences of American employers' workplace authoritarianism, and what a national dialogue about reforming it might look like. Presenters: Kate Bronfenbrenner*, Cornell University; and Chad Pearson, University of North Texas—Outsourcing Employer Opposition Chad Pearson*, University of North Texas—Capital's Terrorists: Klansman, Lawmen, and Employers in the Long Nineteenth Century David Lewin*, University of California Los Angeles—Then and Now: Employer Opposition to Unions in Two Periods | |||
1.41 Labor and the Transition to Electric Vehicles: A Global Perspective on Work and the Transformation of the Automotive Industry (Symposium) Presenters: Evren M. Dincer*, CUNY Graduate Center—Caught in the Low-end ICE Trap: Turkey's Struggle for Direction in the Global EV Transition Seong-Jae Cho, Korea Labor Institute; and Dongwoo Park*, Cornell University—Reinforcing the Status Quo or Sparking a New Industrial Order? The BEV Transition and Labor Market Dualism in Korea Evren M. Dincer, CUNY Graduate Center; Ian Greer*, Cornell University; and Tobias Zimmerman, Free University Berlin—The United States: Contradictions of an Unjust Transition | |||
This expert report emphasizes the critical role of mediation in achieving consensus in the air and rail industries. We will explore how mediation has been and continues to be successful under the Railway Labor Act, benefiting labor, management, and the public. This session will briefly review the collective bargaining process, the mediator's role, and the advantages of mediation for all parties, along with highlights of recent settlements. As the person in the middle of the table, I will share my unique perspective as a mediator, illustrating how I facilitate resolution and navigate the complexities of negotiations. | |||
1.51 Author Meets Critics -- Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment (Author Meets Critic) "Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment", authored by Paul Osterman, offers a new perspective on how work is being reshaped. This session introduces new ideas and fresh evidence on changes in employment, followed by expert commentaries on the book's claims, insights, and implications. Panelists: Peter Capelli, University of Pennsvylvania; Susan N. Houseman, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research; Chris Tilly, University of California Los Angeles; and David Weil, Brandeis University | |||
9:15 - 10:30 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Ariel C. Avgar, Cornell University; Sidney Seligman, Rutgers University; and Antonio J. Saguibo, BlueCross BlueShield Association | ||
9:15 - 10:30 am | LERA Construction Council Meeting—Copenhagen This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Benjamin Aaron Kreider, North America's Building Trades Unions; and Timothy Watkins, Fair Contracting Foundation of Minnesota | ||
| 10:45 am - 12 pm | |||
2.11 Labor in Global Supply Chains I: The Implications of Due Diligence Legislations and Debates for Labor in Global Supply Chains (Symposium) Presenters: Martin Curley, Katalyst Initiative; Anne Lally*, University of Notre Dame; and Henrik Lindholm, Ethical Trading Initiative-Sweden—'Stakeholder Consultation' and Variations in Industry Context: Implications for Human Rights Due Diligence Regulatory Design Jeffrey S. Wheeler*, LRQA—Labor Rights in Critical Mineral Sourcing: Lessons from DRC Cobalt Supply Chains Chunyun Li*, London School of Economics and Political Sciences; and Mingwei Liu, Rutgers University—Global Value Chain Structure and Worker Outcomes: The Role of Lead Firm Origin and Chain Tiers? Mark Anner*, Rutgers University—The Elusive Quest for Living Wages in Global Supply Chains: Three Decades of Labor Campaigns, Conceptual Debates, and Unfulfilled Commitment | |||
2.151 Union Organizing, Busting, and Membership in Health Care: Evidence from a Mixed-Methods Partnership (Symposium) Presenters: Nikita Raheja*, Columbia University; Niha Singh, Notre Dame University; Suresh Naidu, Columbia University; and Aaron Sojourner, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research—Union Membership in Voluntary Settings: Evidence from U.S. Health Care Suresh Naidu, Adam Reich, McKenna Roberts and Patrick Youngblood, Columbia University; and Aaron Sojourner*, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research—Democracy Denied at the Bedside: Union Busting in the Nursing Home Sector Hannah Puelle, Adam Reich* and Suresh Naidu, Columbia University; Niha Singh, Notre Dame University; and Aaron Sojourner, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research—The Union Conversation: How Workers Talk About Unionization in the Field Discussants: Erin L. Kelly, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Alan Benson, University of Minnesota; and John Kallas, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |||
2.251 Taking the Study off the Shelf: Research and Action for Diversity in the Building Trades (Panel) In 2016, the Project For Middle Class Renewal at the School of Labor and Employment Relations, at the University of Illinois partnered with the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades to conduct a research study "Advancing Construction Industry Diversity: A Pilot Study of the East Central Illinois Building Trades Council." Our panel will feature a tripartite conversation with university faculty, building trades leaders, and a contractor to review the last decade of successes and challenges in implementing the study recommendations, with an emphasis on a new Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program funded by the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Panelists: Robert Bruno, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Kevin Sage, East Central Illinois Building Trades; Justin McMullen, Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program; and Industry Contractor Invited, Construction Industry Professional | |||
2.31 LBP 02: Burnout, Injury, and the Changing Landscape of Worker Health (Symposium) Presenters: Mario Martinez-Jimenez*, Stanford University—How Do Economic Shocks Impact Upon the Mental Health of Retirees? Folarin Oluwanimbe Akinsiku*, University of Kansas—The Cost of Staying Too Long: Burnout, Disengagement, and Job Dissatisfaction Ronald E Neimark*, University of Illinois at Chicago—Musculoskeletal Injury amongst Illinois Hospital Workers: Incidence, Severity and Staffing: 2018-2023 Nolusindiso Cindy Foca*, Education Labour Relations Council—Reconsidering Poor Performance: Mental Illness, Just Cause, and the Future of Inclusive Employment Relations | |||
2.351 Advances in Union Research Using NLRB Election Data (Symposium) Presenters: Zachary Schaller*, Colorado State University; Samuel Young, Arizona State University; and Jonne Kamphorst, Stanford University—The NLRB Election Data Project: A Newly Harmonized Record of Union Organizing Since 1962 Miriam Venturini*, University of California, Riverside—The Imperfect Union: Labor Racketeering, Corruption Exposure, and Its Consequences Jianxuan Lei*, University of Minnesota—Normalizing Opposition to Labor Unions: The Impact of the 1981 PATCO Strike on Union Organizing Samuel Young*, Arizona State University; and Sean Yixiang Wang, U.S. Census Bureau—Unionization, Employer Opposition, and Establishment Closure | |||
Hear from Jennifer Hadsall, Regional Director of Region 18 of the National Labor Relations Board (covering the upper-Midwest states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and parts of Michigan) and the region's head of unfair labor practice litigation, Nichole Harville, as they discuss insights from the past year, as well as agency initiatives and developments in handling unfair labor practice cases and union election activity. ***Hosted by Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA). Panelists: Nichole Harville, NLRB Region 18, head of unfair labor practice litigation; and Would like to include Chair/Member/Counsel, NLRB Chairman, Board Member, or General Counsel | |||
2.451 States and Cities Standing in the Breach: Defending Worker Rights in the Midst of the Attack on Immigrants (Panel) As the current administration continues to dismantle protections for immigrant workers, state and local governments have in many parts of the country stepped in to fill this void. This panel will bring together leaders from Illinois, Minnesota, Chicago, and Minneapolis labor standards enforcement agencies to better understand how these agencies are working to protect immigrant workers and their families in a time where these workers are particularly vulnerable and less likely to engage with the government. Panelists: Brian Walsh, Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights; Miguel Campos, Chicago Office of Labor Standards; Jessica Grosz, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry; and Panelist TBD from IDOL, Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) | |||
2.51 LERA Best Posters I: Institutions That Shape Work--Labor Law, Unions, and Enforcement (Symposium)—Denmark Commons Foyer Presenters: Andrew Keyes*, California State University, Fresno; and Jack Fiorito, Florida State University—Allocating Union Resources for Prosocial Unionism and Workplace Instrumentality Kayla Harte Adams*, Nora Rani Haddad and Ritu Sidhu, California State University, Sacramento; and Boniface Michael, California State University Sacramento—Arbitration: Relationships and Preparation Luvuyo Bono*, Education Labour Relations Council—Rethinking Dishonesty, Discipline, and Social Justice in South African Workplaces Taliah Brianca Hanna*, University of North Carolina at Pembroke—Resilience and Representation: Reclaiming the Voices of White Child Laborers on North Carolina's Tobacco Farm | |||
10:45 am - 12 pm | LERA Membership Committee Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Panelists: Jack Fiorito, Florida State University; Javier Ramirez, Cornell University, ILR School; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
10:45 am - 12 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
12:15 - 1:45 pm | LERA Public Policy Luncheon Plenary—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 | ||
| 2 - 3:15 pm | |||
Presenters: Wogene Mena*, Vienna University of Economics and Business—The Double-Edged Sword of Labor Agency: Navigating Workers' Resilience, Reworking, and Resistance in Ethiopia's Garment Industries Jade Kosche*, Oxford University—Private Power, Public Justice? Workers' Pathways to Redress under the Lesotho Agreement Matthew Fischer-Daly*, Rutgers University—Chains of Labor Control: The Case of Palm Oil Global Supply Chains in Honduras Mevan Jayasinghe*, Michigan State University—Suppliers' Voluntary Initiatives to Elevate Job Quality in Artisanal Global Supply Chains | |||
3.151 The State of Publicly Supported ADR (Hosted by ALRA) (Panel) This session features a candid discussion of publicly supported ADR in the U.S. at the federal, state, and local levels. What's working, where capacity is thin, and what alternative models are emerging? Join commissioners and leaders from the Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA) who will share their experiences navigating the shifting landscape of public-sector mediation and arbitration. The session highlights innovative programs, funding challenges, and opportunities for collaboration across jurisdictions. | |||
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how work is organized, managed, and experienced. This interactive session will provide an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to share learnings and insights from different sectors where AI's impacts are being felt by workers. The session will address the following questions: What are the common threads in how AI is impacting workers across different parts of the economy? What are the most pressing research questions vis-à-vis policy and organizing to advance worker interests as part of AI governance? What kinds of research methods and approaches are most fruitful for addressing such issues? Moderators: Christine Riordan, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Hye Jin Rho, Michigan State University Discussants: Sanjay Joseph Pinto, University of Illinois Chicago; Alexandra Mateescu, Data & Society Research Institute; and Zoe West, Cornell University | |||
The second Trump administration has presented enormous challenges for both labor and democracy in the United States, including unprecedented attacks on federal workers' jobs and their unions, and efforts to dismantle the government's capacity to protect workers' rights. Much has been written about the long-term erosion of American democracy; however, less attention has focused on the specific impacts of institutional changes in workplace and labor market governance. This session examines these issues in terms of both historical trends and contemporary crises, at national and state levels, from a panel of academic researchers, policy experts, and labor movement practitioners. Panelists: Mike Podhorzer, AFL-CIO; Laura Bucci, St. Joseph's University; Lucas A. Franco, LiUNA Great Lakes Region; and Gwynne A. Wilcox, National Labor Relations Board, Former Chair | |||
3.31 A Just Transition Begins at Work: Leveraging Job Quality for a Resilient Energy Economy (Symposium) Presenters: Abhinav Banthiya*, Illinois Climate Jobs Institute; and Peter J. Fugiel, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Fossil Fuel Workers in Transition: Job Quality, Mobility, and Displacement Roshan Krishnan*, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Riding the Solar-Coaster: Exploring the Experiences of Solar Workers in Illinois Oluwasekemi Odumosu, Urban Institute; and Teresa Kroeger*, Workrise @ The Urban Institute—How Do High-Quality Jobs Benefit Workers, Businesses, and Communities? | |||
3.351 LBP 04: Designing Work in the Age of Intelligent Systems (Symposium) Presenters: Nien-chi Liu, Yu Chen and Ming-Jhe Jeng*, National Taiwan University—From Task to Workflow Fit: Generative AI in Clinical Nursing Settings Yue He*, Li Wang, Xin Wei and Zhong-Xing Su, Renmin University of China—Artificial Intelligence-based Negative Feedback, Employee Perceived Justice and HRM Attribution: The moderating role of tangible John McCarthy* and Qixin Lin, Cornell University—Generative AI and Job Attraction: The Moderating Role of Union Status and Labor-Management Partnership Strength | |||
Presenters: Soohyun Roh*, Massachusetts Institute of Technology—From Wallets to Wages: Consumer Income, Job Design, and Pay Disparities Joy J. Kim*, Rutgers University—Complaints about FLSA Violations in the Home Health Industry: Analyses of Five Southern States Laura Montenovo, Purdue University; and Joseph Pickens*, United States Naval Academy—Who is Protected by Employment Protection? Youngmin Chu*, University of Minnesota—Where Have the Middle-Wage Workers Gone?: Technology and Gendered Pathways in a Polarizing Labor Market | |||
3.451 Rising to the Challenge of Small Business Compliance with Labor Laws in (I/BIPOC) Communities (Panel) Labor enforcement across the country has been largely separated from small business support. The Minneapolis Small Business Labor Law Pilot Project was launched in 2022 to design and evaluate scalable methods for building capacity among small businesses-especially those owned by people who have been historically marginalized-such that they comply with local employment standards and improve job quality for workers employed at these firms. This session brings together a panel of stakeholders in the Minneapolis Small Business project, including representatives from community organizations, local government, and participating bookkeepers and businesses, to discuss the project's impact, its challenges, and goals moving forward. Presenter: Hana R. Shepherd*, Rutgers University—Increasing Labor Standards Compliance Among Under-resourced Small Businesses: The Minneapolis Project Panelists: Dan Fehrenkamp, Neighborhood Development Center; Nicolette Gullickson, Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights; Bookkeeper from Minneapolis and Business Owner from Minneapolis, Minneapolis Small Business Pilot Project | |||
Presenters: Hector Hurtado Pineda*, University of Toronto; and Michael David Maffie, Cornell University—Algorithmic Folklore: How Algorithmic Beliefs Impact Platform and Peer Perceptions of Gig Workers Xueyu Wang*, University of Toronto—What Do Unions Do in Gig Work? The Collision of State-Corporatism Unions and Giant Platform Capital in China Jeremy Lewis*, University of North Carolina at Charlotte—Understanding the Use of Third-Party Staffing Platforms | |||
2 - 3:15 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Panelists: Mark Anner, Rutgers University; Candace Archer, AFL-CIO; Holland Atkinson, Hennepin County; Ariel C. Avgar, Cornell University; Kate Bahn, Institute for Women's Policy Research; Meeta Bass, Bass Dispute Resolution Services LLC; Mark J. Berkowitz, Attorney; Matthew M. Bodah, University of Rhode Island; Tequila Brooks, Attorney and Comparative Labor Scholar; Matthew Capece, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America; Stephanie Fortado, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Brandeis University; Rudy Gonzalez, San Francisco Building Trades Council; Darrick Hamilton, AFL-CIO Chief Economist; Amena Haynes, NY State Metropolitan Transportation Authority; Tazewell Victor Hurst III, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Homer C. La Rue, Howard University School of Law & Board Chair, RCI, Inc.; Philip A. LaPorte, Georgia State University (ret.); Michael Loconto, Loconto ADR; David Madland, Center for American Progress; E. Patrick McDermott, U.S. Air Force Academy; Stephen Silvia, American University; Lionel Sims Jr., Kaiser Permanente; Christy Yoshitomi, American Water; Tingting Zhang, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
2 - 3:15 pm | LERA Editorial Committee Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Panelists: Daniel B. Cornfield, Vanderbilt University; Jack Fiorito, Florida State University; Daniel Gilbert, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Susan N. Houseman, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research; Jim Lance, Cornell University Press; Mike Lillich, Labor and Employment Relations Association; Stephen R. Sleigh, Sleigh Strategy LLC; Howard Stanger, Canisius University; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
2 - 3:15 pm | LERA Collective Bargaining Council Meeting—Copenhagen This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
| 3:30 - 4:45 pm | |||
4.11 Labor in Global Supply Chains III: Emergence, Operation, and Lessons of the Dindigual Agreement to End Gender-based Violence (Symposium) Presenters: Sumati Thusoo* and Tobias Schulze-Cleven, Rutgers University—Intersectional Organizing Against Gender-Based Violence: The #JusticeForJeyasre Campaign and Critical Industrial Relations Theory Pauline Jerrentrup*, London School of Economics—Institutionalizing Gender Justice: Lessons from Two Enforceable Brand Agreements to Address Gender-Based Violence Sarosh C. Kuruvilla*, Cornell University—Lessons from The Dindigul Agreement to End Gender-Based violence and Harassment | |||
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how labor arbitration is managed, argued, and decided. This session explores how AI tools - used by advocates, arbitrators, and administering organizations - are improving efficiency, reducing costs, and expanding access to arbitration services. Panelists will share practical examples of how AI assists (rather than replaces) the human judgment central to fair and trusted dispute resolution. Attendees will gain insight into current and emerging applications of AI in arbitration case management, document analysis, and drafting processes, and leave with ideas for responsibly integrating technology into their own practice. Panelists: Keith D. Greenberg, Esq., Arbitrator and Mediator; and Bradley A. Areheart, University of Tennessee College of Law | |||
4.21 LBP 09: Managing the Managed: Workers Under Algorithmic Systems (Symposium) Presenters: Scott B. Martin*, Columbia University—Algorithmic Transparency and Work Intensification at Amazon: U.S. State-Level Warehouse Worker Protection Acts, Worker Organizi Bo-Yi Lee*, National Tsing-Hua University; and Ching-Yang Pan, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University—What Is a "Fair Deal"? Food Delivery Couriers' Perspectives on Proposed Platform Regulations Through a Psychological Contract Lens John McCarthy and Qixin Lin*, Cornell University—Negotiating Identity in the Age of AI: Evaluating Creative Labor on Fiverr Cory Runstedler*, University of Connecticut—It's About the People, Not the Package: Lessons from the Warehousing Sector | |||
4.251 LBP 15: The Architecture of Collective Bargaining (Symposium) Presenters: Dylan Michael Hatch*, Cornell University—Unions, Worker Cooperatives, and the Institutional Design for Economic Democracy Jordan Cowie*, McGill University; and Lorenzo Frangi, University of Québec at Montréal—Shaping Teleworking Arrangements: Forces at Play Behind Collective Agreement Clauses Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Suresh Naidu, Adam Reich and Aiko Schmeisser*, Columbia University—Spillovers and Trade-Offs in Collective Action: Evidence from Unionized Workplaces | |||
Across industries, the rhythm of collective bargaining is shifting. Tentative agreements are being rejected, strike votes are taken earlier, and bargaining priorities are increasingly difficult to identify. Economic volatility, workforce activism, and administrative delays have injected new uncertainty into the process, challenging even seasoned negotiators. This session brings together labor, management, and neutral perspectives to explore whether the traditional 'dance' of bargaining has evolved into something more turbulent-and how practitioners can adapt their preparation, strategy, and communication to stay effective.
I have invited LuAnn Glaser from American Water and Rena Wong from UFCW. I would ideally like to get an additional voice from each side. | |||
4.351 LBP 01: Regulating Care: Labor, Licensure, and Access (Symposium) Presenters: Yun Taek Oh*, University of Nevada Reno; and Morris M. Kleiner, University of Minnesota—Do Non-competes Restrict Access to Healthcare? Evidence from Policy Changes in Minnesota Wenjing Xiao*, East China Normal University—Long-Term Care Systems and Medical Expenditure Control: Policy Implications from Disabled Older Adults | |||
4.41 LBP 08: How Inequality Enters and Accumulates in Labor Markets (Symposium) Presenters: Joseph Marchand* and Sebastian Fossati, University of Alberta—Women on the Margins: Gendered Effects of Large Minimum Wage Changes in Canada Wen-Jui Han*, New University, Silver School of Social Work; and Pei-Chiang Lee, University of Texas at Austin—A Life Course Lens of Job Quality and Workers' Well-being Irene Wen-fen Yang*, National Chung Cheng University; and Su-Chin Sung, National Central University—You Just Don't Understand: The Role of Generational Differences in Perceptions of Inappropriate Interviewer Behavior | |||
4.451 What Were They Thinking? Negotiators Share Controversial New Contract Language Proposals and How It Worked Out (Panel) How do negotiators introduce new language issues, and how do they navigate finding common ground? Traditionally only those at the bargaining table see how proposals are introduced and how they evolve, and even for those at the table the other side's thinking might be a mystery. In this session sponsored by the North Star LERA chapter, experienced labor and management negotiators will share specific examples of language proposals, reveal what each side was thinking, and discuss how differences were navigated. Come gain insights into the bargaining process and learn tips for having productive negotiations that result in agreements. | |||
Presenters: Lindsey Cameron*, University of Pennsylvania—Scalable Subjugation: The Myth of Geographic Scalability in the Gig Economy and How Workers Reconstitute Platforms Laura Lam*, University of Toronto—Voice Without Direction: Care Workers Navigating Advocacy and Voice in Flexible Work Settings Ayaj Rana*, Cornell University—Restoring Reciprocity: A Relational Theory of Disintermediation in Triadic Platform Work Andrew Wolf*, Cornell University; and Mohammad Amir Anwar, University of Edinburgh—The Social Reproduction of Racism in the Algorithms of Platform Work in the U.S. and South Africa | |||
3:30 - 4:45 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Nicole L. Bynes, American Arbitration Association; Amena Haynes, NY State Metropolitan Transportation Authority; Leander Galimba, HR Acuity; Tyron Harris, Town of East Hartford; Jocelyn LaBove, Esq., Arbitrator/Mediator; and Gina Maxwell, Nova Southeastern University | ||
3:30 - 4:45 pm | LERA National Chapter Advisory Council Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: William Canak, Middle Tennessee State University (ret.); and Bonnie Castrey, Dispute Resolution Services Panelists: Meeta Bass, Bass Dispute Resolution Services LLC; Matthew Capece, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America; Janet Gillman, Oregon Employment Relations Board; Beverly Harrison, Arbitrator/Mediator; Philip A. LaPorte, Georgia State University (ret.); Jim Pruitt, Kaiser Permanente; Ami Silverman, National Labor Relations Board Region 21; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
3:30 - 4:45 pm | LERA Diversity and Inclusion Council Meeting—Copenhagen This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
5 - 6:30 pm | LERA Annual Joint Universities' Welcome Reception—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 | ||
Friday | Conference Activities • 5/29/2026 | ||
7:30 - 8:45 am | LERA Annual Labor Breakfast—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 | ||
| 9 - 10:15 am | |||
Presenters: Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Columbia University; and Thomas A. Kochan*, Massachusetts Institute of Technology—Introducing Worker Voice as a Dimension of Job Quality Erin L. Kelly*, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Kirsten F. Siebach, Johns Hopkins University—Gender and Job Quality in 2025: Looking Beyond Pay and Beyond the Binary Katharine G. Abraham*, University of Maryland; Susan N. Houseman and Beth C. Truesdale, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research—Self-employment and Job Quality | |||
5.151 Gender, Institutions, and Inequality in Contemporary Labor Markets (Symposium) Presenters: Ryan Lamare*, London School of Economics; and John W. Budd, LERA President and University of Minnesota—The Role of Political Parties in Shaping Women's Labor Market Policies and Outcomes Shannon Potter*, Michigan State University; Dionne Pohler, Cornell University; Kate Hayman and Megan Landes, University of Toronto—Eliminating the Motherhood Pay Penalty? Flexible Work Design and (Non)Greedy Compensation in a High-Earning Occupation Duanyi Yang*, Cornell University; and Tingting Zhang, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Burned Out and Boxed In: Gendered Constraints on Voice and Exit in China's Tech Industry Lin Xiu* and Yufei Ren, University of Minnesota Duluth; and Thomas Lange, Abu Dhabi University—The Happiness Premium? Gender and Employment Sector Differences in Well-Being in China | |||
5.21 LBP 14: When Technology Governs Work (Symposium) Presenters: Nancy Nzom*, University of Louisiana at Lafayette—Regulating the Algorithm: Rethinking Labour Rights and Collective Bargaining in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Tashlin Lakhani*, Cornell University—Commitment or Control? Ownership, Employee Governance, and Performance in the Hotel Industry Luca Vendraminielli, Devesh Narayanan and Arvind Karunakaran*, Stanford University—People Talk Back, Products Don't: How and When Using AI to Optimize Work Practices Fail Xinyu Han*, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Tianyun Zhu, Jinan University; and Yichuan Zhang, —Assembly Lines, Fractured Lives: Industrial Robots and Domestic Fallout | |||
5.251 Author Meets Critics: Get on the Job and Organize by Jaz Brisack (Author Meets Critic) This is an "Authors Meets Critics" session on Jaz Brisack's recent book, Get on the Job and Organize: Standing up for a Better Workplace and a Better World (Simon & Schuster, 2025). Brisack's book covers important topics and debates on union organizing in the United States. Drawing from their experience as co-founder of Starbucks Workers United and as a labor organizer on several other campaigns, Brisack emphasizes the importance of 'salting' and other grassroots organizing approaches to help win campaigns at employers previously considered impervious to unionization. The session features Brisack and three expert discussants from the fields of industrial relations and labor history who will comment on the book's main arguments within the context of broader debates on union revitalization. Discussants: Jaz Brisack, Organizing Director of the Inside Organizer School and co-founder of Starbucks Workers United; Janice Fine, Rutgers University; Maite Tapia, Michigan State University; and Augustus Wood, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | |||
This LERA Teaching Council sponsored session features university professors, a labor educator, a facilitator/trainer, and a field researcher who will share their experiences teaching, training, and mentoring/coaching during fieldwork in the current environment of polarization, animosity, and distrust. Attendees will learn about instructional and interactive challenges brought on by society's deep divides, and will hear strategies for navigating these challenges. This includes credit and non-credit classroom teaching, workplace training, and coaching/mentoring in the context of field data collection, all of which have to navigate contested terrains. The panel will be organized around brief introductory comments and then open dialogue among panelists and with people attending the session. Panelists: Frank Mullins, University of Alabama in Huntsville; Walter Darr, Jr., National Mediation & Conflict Solutions; Zachary Hylton, Brandeis University; Carla Lima Aranzaes, Michigan State University; and Amy Livingston, University of Minnesota | |||
In unionized public universities, faculty voice is expressed through two overlapping structures-shared governance bodies and collective bargaining units. This panel explores how senates, unions, administrators, and neutrals navigate that dual system, where collaboration and conflict often coexist. Drawing on cases from major state systems, panelists-a faculty senate leader, a union leader, a senior administrator, and a neutral mediator-examine jurisdictional boundaries, consultation challenges, and coordination mechanisms that can either fragment or strengthen faculty influence. Together they offer strategies for aligning governance and bargaining to create coherent, effective representation in an era of fiscal strain and political scrutiny. Panelists: Thomas J. Norman, California State University, Dominguez Hills; James R Johnsen, University of California, Berkeley; and Steven Filling, California State University, Stanislaus | |||
This session will begin with a presentation by the Workplace Justice Lab on their national survey of worker rights organizations, discussing the major challenges these organizations are currently facing, how they are working to overcome them, and how they are using their limited resources to best support workers in this unprecedented moment. Following this research presentation, a panel will bring together Minneapolis worker rights organizations including CTUL, ISAIAH, and the Awood Center to discuss their organizing models for raising standards in their sectors and how they are tackling the challenges of the political moment. Presenter: Jake Barnes*, Rutgers University—Meeting the Moment: Challenges and Opportunities for Worker Centers in Today's Political Climate Panelists: Deqa Essa, The Awood Center; Lydia Boerboom, ISAIAH; and Merle Payne, Centro De Trabajadores Unidos En La Lucha (CTUL) | |||
5.451 Reproductive Justice as Labor Rights (Panel) Reproductive justice is the cornerstone of women's full participation in the workforce and the economy. The tools that support reproductive justice include comprehensive healthcare, such as contraceptive and abortion access, prenatal care, and menopausal care; workplace accommodations that support women's health needs and family caregiving needs; and material wellbeing that afford the right to parent children in safe and healthy environments. Each of these are core tenets of labor organizing and collective bargaining, leading to an impactful alliance between reproductive justice and labor movements. This panel will share perspectives and insights from different stakeholders and discuss common ground for supporting movements and for achieving shared goals. Presenters: Serwaa Omawale*, Univeristy of Texas Houston—Employment as a Social Determinant: Work-Related Stress, Economic Inequality, and Maternal Health in Black Women Kate Bahn*, Institute for Women's Policy Research—Cost of Reproductive Rights Restrictions to Workers, Employers, and the Economy | |||
5.51 LBP 05: Power, Institutions, and Pathways at Work (Symposium) Presenters: Andrew Weaver, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Justin Vinton*, Rutgers University—Manufacturing Technicians and Innovation Xinming Deng*, Michigan State University—Displacement Policy, Power Resource, and Labor-Management Cooperation: New Garment Entrepreneurs under Chinese Industrial Policy Lorenzo Frangi*, University of Québec at Montréal; and Daniela Gatti, University of Toronto—Student Union Leadership in Constructing Career Trajectories: Early Experience and Career Outcomes in Canada William Foley*, Rutgers University; and Dylan Michael Hatch, Cornell University—They Weren't Living up to Their Values: The Ideational Effect of Cooperative Ownership and Progressive Branding on Employment | |||
9 - 10:15 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Brandeis University; and Mark Gough, Pennsylvania State University | ||
9 - 10:15 am | LERA Chapter Representatives Meeting Hosted by the National Chapter Advisory Council (NCAC)—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: William Canak, Middle Tennessee State University (ret.); and Bonnie Castrey, Dispute Resolution Services | ||
9 - 10:15 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Panelists: Asha Alt, DC Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining; Dennis L. Dabney, Dabney Law; Adrienne E. Eaton and Rebecca Kolins Givan, Rutgers University; Frank Mullins, University of Alabama in Huntsville; Kevin Stokes, DC Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
| 10:30 - 11:45 am | |||
6.11 LERA Higher Education Industry Council presents "Worker Voice in Minnesota's Higher Education Sector" (Panel) Higher education remains a sector under pressure, with the recent attacks by the Trump administration only turning up the volume. It is hard to find anybody disagreeing with the assessment that inherited institutions and practices are in crisis. This panel focuses on the current state of worker voice in Minnesota's higher education sector, exploring collective labor efforts to deal with contemporary pressures in the state hosting this year's LERA conference. With participants from organizations representing unique groups of workers at different institutions in the state, the panel seeks to provide an engaging and comprehensive overview. Panelists: Jenna Chernega, Inter-Faculty Organization; Kevin Lindstrom, Minnesota State College Faculty; and Tyler Treptow-Bowman, Minnesota State University Association of Administrative and Service Faculty | |||
This session features a dialogue between a researcher and a practitioner who both work in the area of mediation. Key topics in this conversation include what does the research literature say about this topic, how do professionals approach this topic in practice, where do research and practice align, where do they differ, and what would be useful to learn from each other moving forward. Come learn about the state of art in mediation and be inspired by the value of intentional scholar-practitioner exchange. | |||
6.21 Author Meets Critics: Legalized Inequalities (Author Meets Critic) In Legalized Inequalities: Immigration and Race in the Low-Wage Workplace the authors investigate the government's role in perpetuating "bad jobs" for low-wage immigrant workers of color. Contemporary U.S. labor and employment law, immigration policy, and enduring racisms work in tandem to keep workers' wages low, lock them into substandard working conditions, and minimize opportunities for advancing worker power. Along with showcasing the crushing consequences of US policy, both past and present, the book also highlights how immigrant workers reclaim their dignity in the face of these obstacles. Critics will assess the book's main claims and will explore implications for legal reform and labor organizing. Tamara Lee*, Rutgers University; Martin Garcia Vazquez*, Washington University in Saint Louis; and Janice Fine*, Rutgers University—Reviewer of Legalized Inequalities | |||
6.251 LERA Editorial Committee presents "From Manuscript to Publication: A Workshop with Journal Editors" (Panel) This session features editors from top-tier academic journals: Alan Benson (ILR Review and Organization Science), Dan Cornfield (Work and Occupations), and Ryan Lamare (British Journal of Industrial Relations). Each editor will provide a brief overview of their journal's editorial mission, review policies, and guidance on successfully navigating the submission and publication process. A Q&A session will follow, offering participants practical insights into the publishing process. This workshop is open to all meeting participants, with a special focus on supporting early career researchers and PhD students. Panelists: Alan Benson, University of Minnesota; Daniel B. Cornfield, Vanderbilt University; Ryan Lamare, London School of Economics; Virginia Doellgast and Adam Kaelin Schoenbachler, Cornell University | |||
6.31 Reimagining Work, Voice, and Well-Being: Organizational Redesigns for a More Sustainable Workforce (Symposium) Presenters: Erin L. Kelly*, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Raquel Kessinger, Boston College; and Meg Lovejoy, Harvard University—Emergent Empowerment or Contained Communication? A Process Study of Implementing New Voice Channels in U.S. Fulfillment Centers Wen Fan*, Juliet Schor and Guolin Gu, Boston College; and Phyllis Moen, University of Minnesota—Can the Four-day Week Vanquish the Ideal Worker Norm? Brittany Bond, Duanyi Yang* and Sunita Sah, Cornell University—Burnt Out Buffers: How Organizational Interventions Can Alleviate Manager Burnout | |||
Presenters: Giorgos Gouzoulis*, Queen Mary, University of London; and Panagiota Boukouvala, University of London—The Double Shift of Financialization: Personal Debt & Multiple Jobholding Luis Rondan-Vasquez*, University of Florida—Examining the Cumulative Effect of Socio-demographic Variables on the Vulnerability to Precarious Work in Peru John S Earle*, George Mason University; Kyung Min Lee, World Bank; and Lokesh Dani, Xopolis—Are "Contingent" Workers Really Contingent? Evidence from the Pandemic Shock Mengjie Lyu*, University of Michigan; and Julie Hui, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor—The Role of Workforce in Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers' Narratives of Advanced Technologies Adoption Motivation | |||
6.41 LBP 17: Where Workers Go: Migration, Tightness, and Job Transitions (Symposium) Presenters: Aghairza Mammadov*, University of South Florida—The Effect of Remote Job Opportunities on Internal Migration Brad Hershbein*, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research; Katherine Lim, USDA; Mike Zabek and Douglas Webber, Federal Reserve Board of Governors—Local Labor Market Tightness and Job Quality: Evidence from Job Changers Thomas Durfee*, University of Minnesota—Job Vacancies with Schedule Flexibility and the Jobseeker's Search - A Model of Schedule Benefit Slack | |||
6.451 Democratizing Tripartite Regulation (Panel) This symposium examines how democratizing state-based tripartite regulation can transform worker and industry organization and representation. Instead of appointed representatives, new laws in Massachusetts and California creating minimum standards boards regulating the rideshare industry, create worker and industry associations to fill these board seats. These organizations can then play ongoing roles in benefits, training, and grievance assistance, similar to European sectoral unions. Our expert panel will discuss how this model creates new paths for worker organization and representation in entire industries, and how it can operate within the confines of labor and antitrust law. Panelists: Cynthia Estlund, New York University Law School; Lenny Sanchez, Director of the IL Chapter, Independent Drivers Guild; and Andrew Greenblatt, Independent Drivers Guild | |||
Presenters: Adam (Chuling) Huang*, Renmin University of China—Seeing like the Managers: Explaining the Divergent Strike Outcomes in Agriculture Hollen Tillman*, University of Pittsburgh; Kess Ballentine, Wayne State University; and Yaminette Diaz-Linhart, Massachusetts Institute of Technology—The Key to Success was Having the Right People in the Room: Forming Tripartite Worker Boards | |||
6.551 LERA Best Posters II: Equity at Work--Identity, Voice, and Organizational Practice (Symposium)—Denmark Commons Foyer Presenters: Kayleigh Edith Truman*, Rutgers University—Three Identities in a Trench Coat: a Reflexive Thematic Analysis of how Neurodivergent Entertainment Workers Navigate the Gig Economy Helen LaVan*, DePaul University—Commitment or Retreat? A Comparative Study of DEI Practices Across U.S. Corporations Stephanie Fortado*, Emily E. LB. Twarog and Kay Emmert, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Sexual Harassment: What It Is and How to Stop It, A Pedagogical Case Study Jung Ook Kim* and Jihyeon Choi, Chatham University; and Seung Eun Lee, Chung-Ang University Hospital—Balancing Scalpel and Home: Exploring Gendered Experiences of Work-Family Conflict and Its Outcomes in Korean Surgical Practice | |||
10:30 - 11:45 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
10:30 - 11:45 am | LERA Development Committee Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Panelists: Jason Huang, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office; Shankar Viswanathan, Kaiser Permanente; Jennifer M. Harmer, University of Toronto; Mike Lillich, Labor and Employment Relations Association; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
10:30 - 11:45 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
12 - 1:30 pm | LERA Luncheon Plenary—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 | ||
| 1:45 - 3 pm | |||
This symposium combines research presentations and practitioner observations on collective bargaining for graduate student employees. Research presentations will explore the protections international students receive as well as student views on the anticipated and observed effects of bargaining on learning conditions. Following the presentations higher education practitioners will discuss the evolution of bargaining at their institutions. Presenters: William A. Herbert*, Hunter College; and Joseph van der Naald, City University of New York—Collective Bargaining Protections and Benefits for International Students Adrienne E. Eaton*, Seonghoon Hong and Paula Voos, Rutgers University—Testing NLRB Arguments Against Graduate Student Employee Unions: Results of Before/After Surveys Panelists: Thomas Riley, Jr., Special Counsel for the University of Illinois System; and Andrew Cantrell, Field Services Director, Illinois Federation of Teachers | |||
7.151 Labor Management Partnership between Kaiser Permanente and The Alliance of Health Care Unions in Historical Perspective (Panel) The Kaiser Permanente Labor Management partnership is now 28 years old, and it is the longest lasting, most comprehensive, and largest labor management partnership in the United States.
This panel will provide an opportunity to put the KP LMP in both historical and comparative perspective and evaluate how the KP LMP has evolved over the years. | |||
Social dialogue is central to European Union governance, including bipartite and tripartite process. Tripartism is foundational to the International Labour Organisation. Today, these institutions are under challenge. As the Cold War ended, the balance of power shifted. At the ILO, a crisis ensued in 2012 when the international employer group disputed an expert body's interpretation of the right to strike as inherent to Convention 87 on Freedom of Association. That legal issue is before the International Court of Justice. Contestation also exists at the ILO over small-scale project work around LGBTQ+ rights and equality, another manifestation of the growing global anti-rights backlash. We will explore these conflicts. Panelists: James Brudney, Fordham University; Jeffrey D. Boyd, American Guild of Musical Artists; and Lisa Salas, HR Policy Global | |||
This session explores how existing labor and workforce systems can create hidden frictions that limit worker welfare and equity. Drawing from research on cosmetology licensing, unionized transit systems, labor standards enforcement, and clean energy workforce development, panelists examine how institutional design and governance shape who benefits from current labor models and laws. Collectively, the papers highlight opportunities for new, often co-created solutions that integrate worker perspectives and adapt legacy systems to align labor standards with inclusive economic mobility. Presenters: Carol Wood*, University of Minnesota—Rethinking Pathways and Mobility in Salon Service Occupations Nichola Lowe* and Sylvie Guezeon, University of Minnesota—Co-Designing Workforce Systems: Lessons from Transit Labor Relations Aaron Rosenthal*, North Star Policy Action—A Roadmap to Compliance: Enforcing Labor Standards in Minneapolis Construction Kevin Pranis*, LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota—Evolving Joint-Labor Management for the Clean Energy Transition | |||
7.31 Scholar Meets Practitioner: Union Political Mobilization Campaigns in Research and in Practice (Panel) This session features a dialogue between a researcher and a practitioner who both work in the area of union political mobilization campaigns. Key topics in this conversation include what does the research literature say about this topic, how do professionals approach this topic in practice, where do research and practice align, where do they differ, and what would be useful to learn from each other moving forward. Come learn about the state of art in union political mobilization campaigns and be inspired by the value of intentional scholar-practitioner exchange. | |||
7.351 LBP 13: The Long Shadow of Labor Law (Symposium) Presenters: Jerome Braun*, Loyola University of Chicago—Labor Law before the New Deal and its Ramifications for Today Hoyeon Lee*, The New School for Social Research—Automation without Polarization: Institutional Boundaries, Subcontracts, and the Korean Exception Sondra Menzies*, Independent Scholar—Is History Repeating? Evolution of the Labor Problem, 1919-2025 Gregory Lyon*, Georgetown University—A Moment of Hope and Promise for the Future: Strategy a Organizing at AFL-CIO, 1995-2005 | |||
SHARE/AFSCME and UMass Memorial Health use a "work security" approach that focuses on placing RIF'ed union members into new jobs within the Central Massachusetts health system. The model builds on models developed by HUCTW/AFSCME and Harvard University and by Kaiser Permanente's labor-management partnership. It includes standard protections such as paid notice, severance, and recall rights, plus added features: a voluntary swap option instead of bumping, a joint labor-management case-management team, extended income security, temporary assignments, and protection from layoffs caused by efficiencies gained through joint process-improvement efforts. Panelists: Janet Wilder, SHARE/AFSCME; Mary Kate Condon, UMass Memorial Health; and Kirk L. Davis, SHARE/AFSCME | |||
7.451 LBP 10: Migration, Race, and Inequality (Symposium) Presenters: Xiting Zhang*, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities—The Dynamics Between Hispanic Immigrant Workers and US-born Black/White Workers in the Construction Industry Alan Benson*, University of Minnesota; and Louis Pierre Lepage, Stockholm Univeristy and SOFI—Learning to Discriminate on the Job Nikita Aggarwal*, University of Maryland—Work, Precarity, and Integration: Community-Engaged Research with South Asian Immigrant Restaurant Workers | |||
Now in its third year at LERA, this workshop introduces participants to latest development of computational social science methods and their growing relevance for industrial and employment relations research. Panelists will showcase tools such as machine learning-assisted text analysis, agent-based modeling, network analysis, and digital trace data, illustrating applications to inequality, labor markets, workplace dynamics, and social movements. The session concludes with a facilitated roundtable discussion that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, allowing scholars to share projects, identify shared interests, and explore new research partnerships. Presenters: Peter Norlander*, Loyola University of Chicago—Enhancing Skill Extraction: JAAT Applications and LLM-as-Judge Techniques Michael David Maffie*, Cornell University—Innovative Research Design to Study Work and Employment Relations Tingting Zhang*, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Are We Collecting and Analyzing Too Much Data? Shannon Potter*, Michigan State University; Benjamin Arold, University of Cambridge; Elliot Ash, ETH Zurich; and Suresh Naidu, Columbia University—The Value of Collective Bargaining | |||
1:45 - 3 pm | This is a meeting of the Deans, Chairs, and Directors Council, and is open to representatives of university programs. To attend, please RSVP to this event when you register for the conference. Panelists: Sean E. Rogers, University of Rhode Island; Mark Anner, Rutgers University; Alexander J.S. Colvin, Cornell University; Elaine Farndale, Pennsylvania State University; Erin L. Kelly, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Jason Huang, Michigan State University; Elizabeth Faue, Wayne State University; Peter Norlander, Loyola University of Chicago; Greg Murray, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Rafael Gomez, University of Toronto; Fred Foulkes, Boston University School of Management; Simon Restubog, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Emily Smith, LERA | ||
1:45 - 3 pm | LERA Public Sector Council Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Janet Gillman, Oregon Employment Relations Board; Patrice M. Mareschal and Jeffrey H. Keefe, Rutgers University | ||
1:45 - 3 pm | Moderators: William Canak, Middle Tennessee State University (ret.); and Bonnie Castrey, Dispute Resolution Services | ||
| 3:15 - 4:30 pm | |||
8.11 Frontiers in Occupational Licensing Research and Policy (Symposium) Presenters: Kihwan Bae, West Virginia University; and Morris M. Kleiner, University of Minnesota—Measuring Licensing Stringency: New Evidence from a Comprehensive Dataset on Cosmetology Regulation Tamara Davis and Steve Holloway*, State of Colorado; Mark Klee, Bureau of the Census; and Victoria M. Udalova, U.S. Census Bureau—Validating Occupational Licensing Coverage and Attainment: New Evidence from Survey and Administrative Data | |||
8.151 Utilizing All of the Available Talent: New Strategies for More Representative Arbitration (Panel) It's no secret that today's pool of available arbitrators often does not reflect the modern workforce. In times where programs promoting "diversity" and "inclusion" are carefully scrutinized, what can be done to increase choice and opportunities for those seeking arbitrators that are more representative of their workers? This panel from the Ray Corollary Initiative, Inc. (RCI) will discuss three voluntary strategies for those interested in expanding selection opportunities in arbitration to utilize all of the available talent. Panelists: David Larson, Mitchell-Hamline School of Law; J. (Chris) Christopher Heagarty, Ray Corollary Initiative, Inc.; and Homer C. La Rue, Howard University School of Law & Board Chair, RCI, Inc. | |||
8.21 Neutral Agencies' Use of AI (Hosted by ALRA) (Panel) Artificial Intelligence is in the news, and often not in a good way. Panelists will discuss uses for AI that go beyond the headlines, and provide real-world examples of ways to harness this powerful new technology. Time consuming and/or expensive tasks such as translation assistance, presentation preparation, communication drafting, document formatting, etc. can be streamlined by effective use of AI tools. ***Sponsored by the Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA). Moderator: Roxanne L Rothschild, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) / Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA) | |||
8.251 Labor Revitalization in the Post-pandemic United States (Panel) This session brings together important new research on how workers and their organizations are building collective power in the post-pandemic United States. The topics covered in this session explore campaigns and other efforts by various types of labor organizations, including worker centers, new unions, and established unions that primarily represent marginalized workers. These presentations are tied together because they all critically investigate challenges facing worker collective action exacerbated by the Trump administration's position towards marginalized workers, labor policy, and other workplace issues. This session hopes to advance important discussions about labor revitalization in the 21st century. Presenters: Carla Lima Aranzaes*, Pennsylvania State University—From Tweets to Ties: Disseminating Collective Action Frames During The BAmazon Union Campaign John Kallas*, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Redefining the Word 'Union': Examining How Underpaid Service Workers are Building Collective Power Across the United States Anh Lam*, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—Reframing Academic Freedom as a Labor Right: How Teacher Unions Defend Academic Freedom in Pre-K-12 Public Education Adolfho Romero*, Cornell University—From Crisis to Capacity: Worker Centers and the New Infrastructures of Worker Power in Pandemic and Post-Pandemic New York | |||
Presenters: Lenore Palladino, University of Massachusetts Amherst—The Myth that Shareholders are Investors Matthew T. Bodie*, University of Minnesota, School of Law—Codetermination and Beyond: Considering American Models for Worker Participation | |||
8.351 LERA/AILR Best Papers ()—Bergen 3 | |||
8.41 No Labels (Workshop) This session is designed to help practitioners develop a deeper awareness of triggering labels and their impact on communication and conflict resolution. These labels can subconsciously reveal a practitioner's true feelings or, conversely, obscure the genuine emotions of those involved in the conflict. Recognizing and understanding these dynamics is essential for fostering meaningful dialogue and achieving productive resolutions.
Practitioners must learn to navigate and avoid triggering labels. The words we choose and the manner in which we engage with others can either facilitate understanding or create additional barriers. The way we communicate directly affects trust, collaboration, and the overall effectiveness of conflict resolution strategies.
By refining their language and approach, practitioners can create a more supportive and respectful environment where all parties feel heard, valued, and understood. Mastering these skills leads to more constructive conversations and sustainable solutions in resolving conflicts. | |||
8.451 LBP 16: Transnational and Global Collective Action (Symposium) Presenters: Yi Sui*, Renmin University of China—ACFUT at an International Table: How a Post-socialist Union Advocates Seafarers' Interests in Transnational Bargaining Dumisani Samuel Hlophe*, Department of Public Service and Administration. South Africa—The Future of Collective Bargaining in the Era of Shrinking National Fiscus in the Public Service in South Africa Aggela Papadopoulou*, City, University of London; and Giorgos Gouzoulis, Queen Mary, University of London—Drivers of Trade Union Membership in Greece, 1970-2019 John Ebinum Opute*, Christ Redeemer College—HRM Practices in Developing Economies: The Sociocultural and Institutional Framework in Collective Bargaining | |||
This session examines how labor standards, local hire, and union and non-union contractor practices shape costs, timeliness, and community outcomes in construction and renewable energy projects. Panelists will present research on the financial impact of worker misclassification, the economic and organizing effects of local versus non-local labor, and evidence that union contractors deliver more efficient and cost-effective projects. A discussion of successful community benefits agreements in Nashville will highlight practical strategies for ensuring that public investments support fair labor standards and community well-being. Panelists: Dale Belman, Michigan State University; Vonda McDaniel, Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee; Lucas A. Franco, LiUNA Great Lakes Region; and Larissa Petrucci, NorCal Construction Industry Compliance | |||
3:15 - 4:30 pm | This is a meeting of the Deans, Chairs, and Directors Council, and is open to representatives of university programs. To attend, please RSVP to this event when you register for the conference. Panelists: Elizabeth Faue, Wayne State University; Elaine Farndale, Pennsylvania State University; Fred Foulkes, Boston University School of Management; Peter Norlander, Loyola University of Chicago; Sean E. Rogers, University of Rhode Island; Erin L. Kelly, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Simon Restubog, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Mark Anner, Rutgers University; Greg Murray, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Jason Huang, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office; Rafael Gomez, University of Toronto; and Alexander J.S. Colvin, Cornell University | ||
3:15 - 4:30 pm | |||
3:15 - 4:30 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Michael H. LeRoy, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Susan J. Schurman, Rutgers University | ||
4:45 - 6:15 pm | |||
Saturday | Conference Activities • 5/30/2026 | ||
8 - 9 am | |||
| 9:15 - 10:30 am | |||
9.11 Emerging Rideshare Collective Bargaining Models (Panel) California and Massachusetts have recently passed laws creating a path for 900,000 rideshare drivers at companies including Uber and Lyft to unionize and bargain collectively. These new state policies, based on creating an easier path to form a union and bargaining across an entire sector of the economy rather than with an individual employer, represent critical experiments for how to rapidly improve jobs in today's economy. Drivers are also pushing for Minnesota and Illinois to consider action. Attendees will hear from labor unions, researchers, and workers about how these new and emerging policies. Panelists: Enrique Lopezlira, University of California, Berkeley; Marcy Chong, SEIU; and A RideShare Driver's Perspective, RideShare Company TBD | |||
This panel will consider strategies and methods for overcoming obstacles in fraught situations. Panelists will discuss underlying causes behind polarized viewpoints, and ways to help breakdown barriers to moving forward. These methods can be applied to mediations, negotiations, and projects of all kinds. ***Sponsored by the Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA). Moderator: Roxanne L Rothschild, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) / Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA) Panelists: Representative from Minnesota Ofc. of Collaboration and Dispute Res., Minnesota Ofc. of Collaboration and Dispute Res.; and Representative from Convergence Ctr. For Pol. Res., Convergence Center for Policy Resolution Discussant: Lisa W. Timmons, chair, ADR Section, Michigan State Bar, and Executive Director, Mediation Tribunal Association | |||
9.21 Worker Voice and Work Outcomes in the Age of AI (Symposium) Presenters: Joy Ming*, Cornell University Information Science; and Ariel C. Avgar, Cornell University—Technological Change in Home Care: Worker Voice in the Age of AI Cherise Regier*, University of Oxford; Ryan Lamare, London School of Economics; and Faraz Shahidi, Institute for Work and Health—Employee Voice and Workplace Wellbeing in the Age of AI: Cross-National Empirical Evidence Jenna E. Myers*, University of Toronto—Partnership on AI and Quality of Work (PAIQ): Early Insights from Cross-sector Workplace Case Studies | |||
Scholars have argued that during the second Trump Administration that democracy's guardrails are battered and that democratic institutions are at risk. This session centers the labor movement and the labor-management infrastructure established by the NLRA and its many state-wide public variants as the critical institution to preserving American democracy. Panelists: Amy Moor Gaylord, Akerman LLP; Fred Jacobs, George Washington University Law School; Joseph McCartin, Georgetown University; and Lauren M. McFerran, The Century Foundation | |||
9.31 The NLRB: Scenarios for the Future (Panel) As the Supreme Court considers a case that may extinguish the very concept of an independent agency, the National Labor Relations Board faces an uncertain future, one already made precarious by the Court's recent decision in Loper Bright. This session will provide an update on the status of the law concerning agency independence and will discuss various proposals at both the federal and state levels for reform or even replacement of the NLRB's adjudicative functions. | |||
9.351 Building Bridges, Not Walls: Transformative Change through University-Labor-Community Collaboration (Symposium) Presenters: Carla Lima Aranzaes, Michigan State University; and Destiny Blackwell*, Amazon Worker - Organizer with CAUSE (Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment)—Building Capacity to Challenge the Giant Lola Loustaunau*, University of Wisconsin Madison; and Michaela Hoffelmeyer, University of Wisconsin-Madison—In Solidarity, Not Service: The Praxis of Co-Creating Research with a Worker Coalition Ericka Wills*, University of Wisconsin-Madison—Working from Common Ground: University-Labor Collaborative Strategic Plan Building Sara Gia Trongone*, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and Jennifer Gadis, University of Wisconsin - Madison—Worker-Centered Research & School Food Workers' Fight to Revalue their Labor | |||
State enforcement of labor standards laws is becoming more important than ever because of waning federal enforcement resources and weakening of federal standards. Policy makers, unions, and community activists have responded by organizing local and state enforcement bodies to protect workers and law-abiding employers. Those include the Labor Advisory Council and the attorney general office's Wage Theft Division. This panel will highlight enforcement in the construction industry sector drawing on the state's 2019 wage theft and 2024 anti-misclassification laws. Panelists will include a construction employer, and representatives from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Office of the Attorney General. Panelists: B.J. Mariotti, Franna Companies; Tony Ofstead, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; and Lee Atakpu, Office of the Minnesota Attorney General | |||
9.451 AI, Worker Voice, and Job Quality: Findings from the Telecommunications, Call Center, and Game Development Industries (Symposium) Presenters: Adam Kaelin Schoenbachler* and John McCarthy, Cornell University; Johanna Weststar, Western University; and José Quezada, Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands)—AI in Telecommunications and Game Development: The Role of Worker Voice in Management Strategy and Job Quality Sean O'Brady*, McMaster University; and Jelena Starcevic, McMaster University, School of Labour Studies—Weaponizing Algorithmic Control Against Worker Power: A New Model for Union Busting the Precariat Jeonghun Kim*, Cornell University—Strikes and the Politics of AI Adoption: Union Strategies to Regulate AI in Outsourced Public Service Work in South Korea and the United States Stefan Ivanovski*, Virginia Doellgast and Adam Kaelin Schoenbachler, Cornell University—Leveling Up or Losing Ground? The Perceived Impact of AI on Job Quality and Occupation Identity in Game Development | |||
9:15 - 10:30 am | LERA 28th Annual PhD Student Consortium—Norway 1, 2, 3 Moderators: Alexander Busch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stefan Ivanovski, Cornell University; Jianxuan Lei, University of Minnesota; and Sumati Thusoo, Rutgers University | ||
9:15 - 10:30 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
9:15 - 10:30 am | LERA International Council Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Janice Bellace, University of Pennsylvania; and Greg J. Bamber, Monash University (Melbourne) | ||
9:15 - 10:30 am | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
| 10:45 am - 12 pm | |||
10.11 State Attempts to Regulate Private Sector Labor Relations to Fill the NLRB "Gap" (Hosted by ALRA) (Panel) 2025 was a challenging year for the National Labor Relations Board. In January 2025, the Board lost its quorum, and could not decide cases. In October 2025, the government shutdown for over a month. Several states considered or passed laws to address the Board's lack of quorum to decide cases. The NLRB publicly opposed these actions, and sued New York state to protect the agency's exclusive jurisdiction over unfair labor practices in the private sector under the National Labor Relations Act. Panelists will discuss what this means to the labor community. ***Sponsored by the Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA). Moderator: Roxanne L Rothschild, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) / Association of Labor Relations Agencies (ALRA) Panelists: Lauren M. McFerran, The Century Foundation; Richard Griffin, former NLRB General Counsel (of Counsel at Bredhoff & Kaiser); and John Ring, former NLRB Chair (Morgan Lewis) | |||
Grievance mediation is increasingly recognized as more than just a method of resolving disputes - it's a process that strengthens communication, trust, and long-term labor-management relationships. This session features experienced mediators and arbitrators who will share insights and success stories from their own practices, illustrating how early, facilitated problem-solving can reduce backlogs, restore relationships, and help unions and employers move from adversarial positions toward cooperative engagement. Attendees will gain practical ideas for incorporating grievance mediation into their own settings and for using the process to foster lasting collaboration in the workplace. Panelists: Lisa W. Timmons, chair, ADR Section, Michigan State Bar, and Executive Director, Mediation Tribunal Association; Brian Clauss, University of Arizona Rogers School of Law; and Barry Goldman, MA, JD (Inv), Arbitrator and Mediator | |||
10.21 Chicago LERA Presents "Med - Arb: Effective Models and Practices" (Workshop) The departure of most FMCS mediators has prompted parties to reevaluate their dispute resolution strategies, leading to an increased interest in mediation-arbitration for workplace disputes. Med-Arb provides finality and enforceability but is not widely taught. This session will offer insights into various Med-Arb models and their effective application. | |||
10.251 New Research on Technological Change and Power at Work (Symposium) Presenters: Virginia Doellgast*, Cornell University; , Institute for Social Science Research, Germany; and Tobias Kaempf, Labour University, Germany—Building Worker Voice and Power in AI Decisions: Three Cases in the German ICT Industry Sean O'Brady, McMaster University; and Jeonghun Kim*, Cornell University—Contested Automation: Double Indeterminacies, Job Quality, and Union Resistance in Call Centers Hye Jin Rho*, Michigan State University; Christine Riordan, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Shannon Potter, Michigan State University—Algorithmic Management and Worker Well-being: Evidence from the National Survey of Hotel Housekeepers Françoise Carré, University of Massachusetts Boston; and Chris Tilly*, University of California Los Angeles—From Frustration to Feeling Betrayed: Explaining Varied Worker and Manager Reactions to Chaotic Rationalization | |||
10.31 Moved Fast and Broke Labor Law? Tech Power, Trump's Labor Rollbacks, and the Future of Work in America (Workshop) The ground beneath American workers is shifting quickly. Big Tech is expanding its reach, AI is rewriting the rules of employment, and the Trump administration is rapidly dismantling key labor protections -- from gutting the National Labor Relations Board to dropping major enforcement cases against powerful corporations. This session pulls back the curtain on how tech billionaires and federal policy are reshaping labor law in real time -- sometimes quietly, sometimes aggressively -- and what it means for the future of work, democracy, and economic fairness. We'll explore whether we're witnessing the end of an era of worker rights as we've known them, or the beginning of a new cycle of organizing, resistance, and innovation in labor power. Panelists: SaNni Lemonidis, Streepy Lemonidis Consulting and Law Group, PLLC; and John Henry, Summit Law Group | |||
10.351 The Climate-Labor Movement: Lessons Learned and the Promise of an Equitable and Diverse Clean Energy Economy (Symposium) Chairs: Richard A. Benton, Climate Jobs Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Lara Skinner, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University Presenters: Jillian Morely* and Avalon Hoek Spaans, Cornell University—Working Conditions in the U.S. Solar Industry: Findings and Learnings from Studies in New York and Texas Virginia Parks*, University of California Irvine; and Jessica HF Hammerling, University of California Berkeley—Organizing a Worker- and Community-centered Transition: The Contra Costa Refinery Transition Partnership as Case Study Mike Williams*, Center for American Progress—Climate Jobs and Manufacturing: Green Industrial Policy Must Mean Good Jobs Hunter Moskowitz*, Cornell; and J. Mijin Cha, University of California Santa Cruz—Stronger Together: The Role of Sectoral Bargaining in Advancing a Just Transition for Autoworkers Patrick Crowley*, Rhode Island AFL-CIO—Industrial Environmental Policy: Markets, Labor, and The Rhode Island Experiment | |||
This session will focus on the formation of Labor Management Cooperation Committees (LMCCs) and Joint Management Organizations to address labor related issues including, but not limited to, the enforcement of labor laws at the local, state, and federal level.
The following information will be provided during the session:
(1) What Labor Management Cooperation Committees (LMCCs) and Joint Labor Management Organizations are.
(2) What they can and cannot do, including success stories.
(3) How they can be funded.
(4) The role LMCCs and other similar organizations can play in enforcing labor laws at the local, state, and federal level.
The expected audience could consist of labor and union representatives, government representatives that enforce labor laws, contracting associations, and representatives from LMCCs and Joint Labor Management Organizations. Panelists: Dina Morsi, NorCal Construction and Industry Compliance; Shannon M. Chambers, Northern Nevada Operating Engineers Contract Compliance Fund, Inc. (NNOECC); and James Kunz, III, Pennsylvania Foundation for Fair Contracting, Executive Director | |||
10.51 LERA Best Posters III: Governing the Future of Work--Technology, ESG, and Social Responsibility (Symposium)—Denmark Commons Foyer Presenters: Ricardo Araujo Dib Taxi*, Valena Jacob Chaves and Joao Daniel Daibes Resque, Federal University of Para—Modern Slavery, Climate Justice, and Cattle Ranching in the Brazilian Amazon: Pathways for Structural Change Taiwo Toyosola Ositimehin*, Syracuse University Whitman School; and Bolanle Abiodun Ositimehin, R5 Initiative—AI-Driven HR Analytics and Fair Talent Decisions: A Tripartite Governance Framework for the Future of Work Sadia Shaukat*, University of Sargodha; and Naseer Abbas Khan, Huaiyin Institute of Technology—Eco-Innovation through Green Leadership: Evidence from the Public Sector Hsiao-Hui Tai*, Chinese Culture University; Hua-Ling Chen and Ming-Jhe Jeng, National Taiwan University—ESG-S Disclosures of Employee Labor & Human Rights: Organizational Coverage and Consistency in Taiwan's Financial Institutions Chia-Hao Ho* and Yen-Chu Lai, National Sun Yat-sen University; and Chia-Chi Chang, National University of Kaohsiung—Conceptualizing Activist Entrepreneurship Through the Lens of Institutional Work: A Mixed-Method Social Network Research | |||
10:45 am - 12 pm | LERA 28th Annual PhD Student Consortium Cont'd—Norway 1, 2, 3 Moderators: Alexander Busch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stefan Ivanovski, Cornell University; Jianxuan Lei, University of Minnesota; and Sumati Thusoo, Rutgers University | ||
10:45 am - 12 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Mark Gough, Pennsylvania State University; Bradley R. Weinberg, Queen's University; and Robert Chiaravalli, Strategic Labor & Human Resources, LLC | ||
10:45 am - 12 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Walter Darr, Jr., National Mediation & Conflict Solutions; Morris M. Kleiner, University of Minnesota; and Michael Belzer, Wayne State University | ||
12:15 - 2 pm | LERA Annual Presidential Address and Luncheon—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 | ||
| 2:15 - 3:30 pm | |||
The application of labor law to the private sector has been mostly federal since the enactment of the National Labor Relations Act. Encroachments upon the National Labor Relations Board's jurisdiction have been curtailed through preemption. Regardless we continue to see states enact captive audience laws. More recently we have seen states and local government enact supplemental labor laws, including recently in New York and California, to more broadly fill gaps which in their view NLRB has left behind. This panel will provide a practical discussion of issues for labor law practitioners and labor relations professionals. Panelists: Christopher David Ruiz Cameron, Southwestern Law School; Joseph L. Paller, Gilbert & Sackman, a Law Corporation; and Government Perspective TBD, Speaker(s) from NLRB Region 18 Office in Minneapolis | |||
Arbitration is here to stay in the employment context given the trends reflected in case law nationwide. Hear about the key rulings and their application to the workforce and how you should prepare. | |||
Fast food workers remain one of the fastest-growing occupations in the US, expected to grow by over 230,000 jobs over the next ten years. This session will bring together academic research on fast food and those involved directly in organizing to understand how workers, unions, advocates and policymakers are seeking to address labor issues and protect workers within the evergrowing sector. Following two research presentations, there will be a short moderated panel discussion amongst representatives from worker organizations such as the California Fast Food Workers Union, the Union of Southern Service Workers, and the Restaurant Opportunities Center of Minnesota. Presenters: Jack Garigliano*, Northwestern University—Precarity and Organizing in Low-wage U.S. Service Iindustries: Perspectives from Non-union Fast-food Workers Amytess Girgis*, University of Oxford—Any Issue That Brings People In is Our Issue: Starbucks Workers United and Intersectional Organizing as a Strategy for Union Sustainability Panelists: Ben Wilkins, Union of Southern Service Workers; Sheli Stein, ROC-MN; Christopher Seymour, SEIU; and Jaz Brisack, Organizing Director of the Inside Organizer School and co-founder of Starbucks Workers United | |||
11.301 LERA Competitive Papers ()—Bergen 2 | |||
11.351 LERA/Illinois Climate Jobs Institute Best Papers ()—Bergen 3 Moderators: Richard A. Benton, Climate Jobs Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Lara Skinner, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University | |||
11.41 NorCal LERA Presents "All in the Family: Celebrating Public Sector Collective Bargaining and Labor Management Partnerships" (Panel) After all we've been through together -- strikes, strife, imposed contracts, even unreasonableness -- what is our path forward in finding joy? How can we foster closer relationships between employers and unions, and improve our communication in the present?
In this session sponsored by NorCal LERA, you will find messages of hope and inspiration for the future of public sector collective bargaining. You will hear from different perspectives about common nuances throughout our shared history.
Put these concepts into action upon your return home for improved collaboration, even in tenuous times.
This session's panelists include union, management and tenured neutrals including PERB's General Counsel's Office. Panelists: Jun Payoyo, PERB (SMCS); Nereyda Rivera, Union of American Physicians and Dentists; and Rudy Gonzalez, San Francisco Building Trades Council | |||
11.451 Author Meets Critics: Organizations and Workforce Aging: Stakeholders, Interests, and Human Capital Management (Author Meets Critic) This purpose of this "Author Meets Critics" session is to discuss the 2025 book "Organizations and Workforce Aging: Stakeholders, Interests, and Human Capital Management" by Peter Berg and Matt Piszczek (Edward Elgar Publishing). The session will begin with a presentation by the authors about the book's arguments advocating for and building a stakeholder-informed perspective on workforce aging that acknowledges organizations and their institutional context as key determiners of practices that might help older workers age more successfully and work longer. The presentation will be followed by a discussion from workforce aging scholars with opportunities for audience participation and questions. Presenters: Peter Berg*, Michigan State University; and Matthew Piszczek, Wayne State University—Organizations and Workforce Aging: Stakeholders, Interests, and Human Capital Management | |||
2:15 - 3:30 pm | LERA 8th Junior Faculty Consortium—Norway 1, 2, 3 | ||
2:15 - 3:30 pm | This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. | ||
2:15 - 3:30 pm | LERA Hospitality Council Meeting—Minneapolis This is an open meeting. All interested LERA attendees are welcome to attend. Moderators: Christine Riordan, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Hye Jin Rho, Michigan State University | ||
| 3:45 - 5 pm | |||
This panel will discuss the nearly 50-year corporate assault on construction industry labor standards, initiated by the Business Roundtable, and how the unionized construction industry and affiliates mobilized to defend against these attacks. Attendees will learn how the business community developed its attack to successfully repeal Prevailing Wage Laws (PWLs) in multiple states beginning in 1979. This led to a "research renaissance" into the industry impacts (e.g., apprenticeship and safety) and economics (e.g., construction workforce reliance on social safety net programs) of PWLs. The industry also developed modern communications strategies to promote the new research and rebut the opposition's claims. Panelists: Mark Erlich, Harvard University; Frank Manzo, Illinois Economic Policy Institute; and Todd Stenhouse, Stenhouse Strategies Inc. | |||
12.151 With the NLRB in Crisis, What's Next for Workers' Right to Organize? (Roundtable) U.S. labor law, and workers' right to organize, is facing an existential crisis. Even if the Board survives the challenge to its constitutionality and the next Administration is more friendly to its mission, the loss of expertise has done long-term damage to its ability to enforce workers' rights. So, what will come/should come next for enforcement of workers' collective rights under the Trump Administration and beyond? The roundtable panel consists of a diverse group of experts on labor law and the right to organize with a background in academia, policy and enforcement, law and policy advocacy, and union organizing. Panelists: Jody Calemine, AFL-CIO, Director of Advocacy; Jennifer Abruzzo, former General Counsel of the Biden NLRB; and Jaz Brisack, Organizing Director of the Inside Organizer School and co-founder of Starbucks Workers United | |||
12.21 Skills, Skilled Workers, and the Contemporary Challenges (Symposium) Presenters: Deepa Kylasam Iyer*, Cornell University—How does Generative AI Impact Creativity at Work? Or Shay*, Cornell University—Do Collective Bargaining Agreements Help School Districts Retain Skilled Teachers? | |||
12.251 LBP 11: Organizing in Professional and Emerging Sectors (Symposium) Presenters: Lorenzo Frangi*, University of Québec at Montréal; and Jordan Cowie, McGill University—Union Officers Teleworking: Individual and Organizational Challenges and Opportunities Joseph van der Naald*, City University of New York; Jacob Apkarian, York College, City University of New York; and William A. Herbert, Hunter College—Diverse Pathways to Organizing the Ivory Tower: The Case of Higher Education Faculty Daniela Gatti*, University of Toronto; and Lorenzo Frangi, University of Québec at Montréal—From Lecture Halls to Union Halls: When Dissonance Produces Politicization in Identities | |||
12.31 Appreciating the Work of Musicians: Labor and Employment Relations in the Music Industry (Panel) The work of musicians and other musical artists centers on performance, building on mastery, creativity, rehearsal, and often surprisingly challenging physical demands. It also involves community connections, education, and collaboration. This panel lifts up this work from the perspective of a performer, a labor leader, and a management leader. This connects to the LERA Community Council on Collective Bargaining and the proposes council on Sports and Entertainment. Panelists: Douglas Ewart, Jamaican musician and educator; Jeffrey D. Boyd, American Guild of Musical Artists; and David Hyslop, Minnesota Orchestra | |||
12.351 Climate Jobs Birds of a Feather, Sponsored by Illinois Climate Jobs Institute (Birds of a Feather)—Bergen 3 If you are interested in issues at the intersection of Climate and Jobs, please plan to attend this gathering. Moderators: Richard A. Benton, Climate Jobs Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and Lara Skinner, Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University | |||
HR and LR professionals have been tackling problems the same way for decades. Structured innovation and problem solving processes solve many of the HR/LR problems that seem unsolvable, too costly, or too time consuming to solve as well as innovating new approaches. Since the goal of structured innovation is finding a durable solution, it is ideally suited for employment and labor relationship. It provides a solid foundation for employee engagement and productive labor-management initiatives. It will draw upon specific strains of the structured innovation research. The audience takeaways include various structured processes and how to start using them. Panelists: Pedro N Ferro, Management-side CEO; Ken Bell, Management, Retired Operations Consultant; and Garrick Hu, Retired CTO and VP of Engineering | |||
3:45 - 5 pm | LERA 8th Junior Faculty Consortium Cont'd—Norway 1, 2, 3 | ||
5:15 - 6:30 pm | LERA General Membership Meeting and Awards Ceremony—Scandinavian Ballroom 3 & 4 Moderators: John W. Budd, LERA President and University of Minnesota; and Beverly Harrison, Arbitrator/Mediator | ||
Sunday | Conference Activities • 5/31/2026 | ||
| 8 - 9:15 am | |||
13.11 Reasonable Accommodations: When, Where, What, and How To (Workshop) Reasonable accommodations are easy, right? Workers need to just ask and management or HR give a yes or no. If only it were that simple. This workshop will focus on developing a working knowledge of the reasons and bases for granting reasonable accommodations; different mechanisms that exist for processing requests; the stakeholders involved in the interactive process and their roles; how to be creative in reaching workable solutions; and how enforcement agencies investigate reasonable accommodations claims amid policy shifts. Participants will also engage in group role play to practice skills and share results and strategies. | |||
Statutory employment claims are showing up in arbitration with increasing frequency--and not always in predictable ways. This fast-paced, practitioner-centered panel brings together seasoned union and management attorneys, guided by an experienced labor arbitrator, to unpack how external law is reshaping grievance arbitration and what advocates must do to be prepared. Participants will gain concrete, practice-ready insights on navigating discrimination grievances, ADA and FMLA leave disputes, and wage claims that bump up against the Fair Labor Standards Act. Panelists will walk through real scenarios, highlight strategic pitfalls, and offer tools for framing (or defending) statutory arguments within the confines of a collective bargaining agreement. Expect a candid discussion of what works--and what doesn’t--when statutory rights enter the arbitration arena. Whether you represent employers, unions, or employees, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies you can apply immediately in hearings, grievance handling, and contract administration. An interactive Q&A ensures you get answers to the issues you’re facing right now | |||
Presenters: Lucy Pei*, University of Southern California—Imposed and Chosen Temporariness: Organizing Migrant Gig Workers in Latin America Hunter Akridge*, Princeton University (formerly at Carnegie Mellon University)—Designing Worker-Centered Alternatives to Technological Displacement in Transit Veronica Uribe-del-aguila*, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)—Biomonitoring Computing: Tech Assembly Workers' Countermapping Practices in the Mexican Bajio | |||
13.41 Expanding Equity in Arbitration: Redefining Factors to Address Arbitrator Bias Rooted in Limited Life Experience (Panel) As Name, Image, and Likeness ("NIL") rights reshape the landscape of collegiate athletics, arbitrators are being tasked with evaluating complex disputes, often involving compensation, equity, and representation. Yet, many arbitrators operate within professional silos with limited exposure to diverse lived experiences. This session examines how the current NIL arbitration framework can unintentionally perpetuate bias when arbitrators lack dynamic life experiences. Through examining two of the twelve factors used to evaluate a third-party NIL deal's "Range of Compensation," this session offers perspectives and methodology on how to refine these factors to mitigate bias in NIL valuations. Panelists: Jordan Rose Bermudez, Howard University School or Law; Athlete Advocate or Agent, Attorney; and NCAA or University Compliance Officer, NCAA | |||
13.51 Assessing Just Cause During Disciplinary Investigations (Roundtable) This session will focus on how to tailor a disciplinary investigation using the Seven Tests of Just Cause for both Union and Management practitioners. The content is designed to get advocates thinking about developing a strategy for putting on their case at arbitration during the investigatory phase of the process. It will also help participants assess their leverage for settlement prior to the hearing. Moderators: Peter Hanlon, PJH Resolution Services; and Thomas Pontolillo, Labor Dispute Solutions, Inc. | |||
13.61 LBP 03: Conflict, Enforcement, and the State in Modern Labor Relations (Symposium) Presenters: Patrice M. Mareschal*, Jeffrey H. Keefe and Daniel Assamah, Rutgers University—Human Resource Management Functions and Police Use of Force Peter Urwin*, Richard Saundry and Frankie Saundry, University of Westminster—The Changing Prevalence and Nature of Workplace Conflict in the U.K., 2014 to 2025 Sangeun Ha*, Copenhagen Business School; and Iris Wang, McMaster University—International Conflict Penalty in Workplaces Kartikeya Bahadur*, Columbia Law School; and Sumati Thusoo, Rutgers University—Filling the Void: State Strategies for Worker Protection Amid NLRB Paralysis | |||
| 9:30 - 10:45 am | |||
14.11 Access, Advancement, and Autonomy: Disability and Work Across Traditional and Gig Labor Markets (Symposium) Presenters: Fitore Hyseni*, Syracuse University—Improving Employer Readiness to Hire People with Disabilities in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Lauren Gilbert*, Rutgers University—How Do People with Disabilities Understand Subjective Career Success? Kayleigh Edith Truman*, Rutgers University—Three Identities in a Trenchcoat: a Reflexive Thematic Analysis of how Neurodivergent Entertainment Workers Navigate the Gig Economy | |||
14.21 Conducting Fair, Efficient, and Cost-Effective Union Elections: Lessons and Best Practices (Panel) Union elections are essential to democratic governance, but can be resource-intensive and vulnerable to procedural disputes if not managed carefully. This session will provide practical guidance on conducting fair, efficient, and cost-effective officer elections, contract ratifications, and card check processes. Panelists will explore key challenges in planning and executing elections, and share best practices for avoiding pitfalls, enhancing transparency, and fostering member trust. The session will also include a brief demonstration of an online election process to illustrate how technology can improve efficiency and participation while maintaining neutrality and integrity. Participants will gain practical insights on how proactive planning, clear communication, and proper election administration protocols can enhance outcomes, minimize disputes, and ensure compliance. Panelists: Experienced Election Arbitrator, Arbitrator/Mediator; Union Advocate, International Union; and Former FMCS Official, Former FMCS | |||
14.41 So, You're Thinking About Maybe Becoming a Neutral (Arbitrator, Mediator, Investigator, etc.)? (Panel) The chasm between being an advocate (or normal person?) on Friday and being acceptable to parties as a neutral on the following Monday can be deep and wide and one should plan carefully BEFORE giving up one's day job! This presentation will explore opportunities/options for those seeking to up-skill and build a neutral skill set/resume while simultaneously applying and practicing those skills to improve their performance in their current position of HR, ER, LR, Union Rep/member, etc. The presenters will share experiences, strategies and resources for "getting there from here!" so attendees (both non-attorneys and attorneys alike) can prepare to be as acceptable to as many parties as possible! Additionally, this presentation will include the opportunity of the Ray Corollary Initiative's mission to increase the utilization of neutrals with wide ranging work and life experiences. Moderators: Bob Oberstein, Arbitrator, Mediator, Investigator and Educator; and Homer C. La Rue, Howard University School of Law & Board Chair, RCI, Inc. Panelists: Bob Oberstein, Arbitrator, Mediator, Investigator and Educator; and Homer C. La Rue, Howard University School of Law & Board Chair, RCI, Inc. | |||
14.51 Replacing What Has Been Lost: Shared Neutrals Programs in the Trump Age (Roundtable) Shared Neutrals Programs were, until recently one of the best resources for U.S. Federal Agencies to resolve EEO complaints at little cost to the agency other than providing volunteer mediators for the programs. Tom Melancon, former head of the Seattle Federal Executive Board ADR Program and later co-lead of all of the 5 Shared Neutrals programs administered by FMCS, discusses how these vital services can be re-imagined and re-constituted. | |||
| 11 am - 12:15 pm | |||
15.11 A History of Labor Management Partnering (Workshop) Labor management partnering can lead to excellent results for both sides of the labor-management divide. But success is often impeded by such factors as turnover, financial stress or others.
This presentation takes the longview, looking back at management-union relations, primarily in the US, for the last century to offer encouragement to modern practitioners. | |||
Arbitration, both labor and employment, is a central feature of the employment system in the United State. A large proportion of both union and nonunion workers have access to justice through this private dispute resolution process. This session will focus on the training and development of arbitrators in the context of a shifting workplace landscape and the emergence of transformative technologies, such as AI. What are the necessary tools and skills that tomorrow's arbitrators will need in order to serve in this critical dispute resolution role? This session will tackle this question from both academic and practitioner perspectives. Panelists: Homer C. La Rue, Howard University School of Law & Board Chair, RCI, Inc.; Alexander J.S. Colvin, Cornell University; Sarah Miller Espinosa, SME Dispute Resolution, LLC; and John W. Coverdale, Center for Workplace Solutions | |||
15.31 Labor-Management Partnership and Worker Engagement for Use of AI and Technology at Kaiser Permanente (Panel) In 2025, the Alliance of Health Care Unions and Kaiser Permanente (KP) used interest-based negotiations to reach a new national agreement covering over 62,000 employees. The Alliance and KP negotiated ground-breaking language providing for worker engagement in the development, rollout, training and evaluation of AI and new technologies. In addition to worker protections the language emphasizes that worker voice is essential to every phase of the AI lifecycle from problem identification and solution design to implementation and assessment. Labor, management and academic panelists will share key contract provisions, lessons from negotiations, and challenges, opportunities and progress on implementing new language. Panelists: Debra Sung, United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP); and Jonathan K. Donehower, Kaiser Permanente | |||
15.41 Stability in an Unstable Industry: Security Guards, Precarious Work, and New Pathways for Standards (Panel) This panel brings together policy analysis and worker stories to examine why security guard jobs remain highly precarious and what's being done about it. Researchers and practitioners will assess industry structures, labor standards, and enforcement gaps, while frontline workers describe daily challenges around pay, scheduling, and safety. The session highlights recent union and legislative efforts to improve job quality and create more stable, sustainable careers in private security. Panelists: Karla Elizabeth Walter, Center for American Progress; Enrique Lopezlira, University of California, Berkeley; and Discussant Opportunity Available, Interested? Contact LERA | |||
15.51 Union Strategy (Symposium) Presenters: Barry Eidlin, McGill University; Emily Lemmerman*, MIT; and Nathan Wilmers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology—What Explains Differences in Wage Premia? New Evidence from U.S. Administrative Data Llinkages Raquel Badillo Salas and Lorenzo Lagos*, Brown University; and Jorge Perez Perez, Banco de Mexico—Sham Unions: Evidence from the USMCA's Rapid Response Mechanism Alexander Busch, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Nidhaanjit Jain, University of Chicago; and Sebastian Puerta*, University of California, Berkeley—The Effect of "Right-to-Work" on Unions and Unionization |