This module is designed to provide students with the opportunity to critically engage with contemporary issues within the field of employment relations, with a specific focus on Ireland. Various theoretical perspectives on employment relations are provided to ensure that students better understand the Irish employment relations systems and actors in an international and comparative context. Using a research-led, and applied approach to teaching, the module provides opportunities to critically analyse the key issues within the world of work particularly as they relate to the UN Sustainability Goals (e.g. Goal 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Theoretical perspectives on employment relations - unitarism, pluralism, and radical theories; International and comparative employment relations; Employee voice - involvement and participation, collective bargaining, non-union firms; Precarious work; The actors and employment relations - trade unions and employment relations, management approaches to employment relations, state approaches to employment relations; Future of work and impact of technology on the world of work.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Describe the key features of the employment relationship and explain how these features contribute to, or challenge, the achievement of decent work within organisations and labour markets. Critically evaluate key theoretical perspectives on employment relations and explain how each contributes to advancing sustainability and decent work. Examine the roles of key employment relations actors—trade unions, employers, and the state—in shaping sustainable labour practices and fostering resilient employment systems. Analyse the dynamics of employee voice, including collective bargaining and non-union involvement, and assess their role in promoting equitable and sustainable workplaces. Compare international and comparative employment relations systems, assessing how institutional, cultural, and regulatory differences support or undermine social and economic sustainability.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Develop an ethical stance toward the future of work, recognising the responsibilities organisations have in promoting decent work, reducing precarity, and supporting environmentally responsible transitions. Communicate evidence based arguments verbally and in writing, using appropriate academic and professional sources to advocate for sustainable and equitable employment practices.

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The module builds on the fundamentals of employment relations by critically engaging a range of debates around employment relations. It is delivered through a combination of lectures and tutorials. Each weekly lecture has separate learning and pedagogical elements. The lecture provides a summary overview of key learning points, arguments and concepts for the topic. This is followed by discussion which allows the students, collectively as a class, to ask questions and debate concepts or practices. This discussion builds on learning and readings from the previous week's topic, and acts as a form of feedback from which students can assess/benchmark progress in their learning. Throughout the module, students will develop critical thinking skills in relation to employment relations. They will learn to apply this knowledge to real world employment relations issues and problems, from both stakeholder and ethical perspectives. In so doing, students will learn to appreciate the implications of their actions and decisions, and those of the various employment relations actors, nationally and globally, at work and in society encouraging them to become responsible (personally, socially, professionally, sustainably and ethically responsible) and articulate (strong inter and intra-personal skills, empathetic, collaborative). Creativity and collaboration are developed using challenging multi-focal employment relations case studies, and students will develop their verbal and written communication skills by putting forward and defending their ideas and opinions on employment relations issues and problems, and to develop the UL graduate attributes of courageous (tenacious, resilient, robust, transformative, enterprising, innovative) and curious (problem-solver, critical, knowledgeable, inquisitive, imaginative).