Overview


The Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law was established in the Faculty of Law in 1994. Its broad aims are to consolidate the teaching of, and research into, labour and employment law at the University of Melbourne, to contribute to the development of labour and employment law teaching and research throughout Australia, and to engage with labour and employment law scholars throughout the world. Centre Members are responsible for teaching labour and employment law subjects in the undergraduate and graduate programs in the Faculty of Law, with the graduate program leading to both Masters Degrees and Graduate Diplomas specialising in labour and employment law.

Centre Members are engaged in research in diverse aspects of the broad field of employment and labour law and labour market regulation. Areas of particular interest and expertise include the regulation of individual work relationships, discrimination and inequality in employment and the labour market, the regulation of occupational health and safety, collective labour relations and bargaining, the functions of trade unions and alternative forms of worker representation, corporate governance and labour, enforcement of minimum employment standards, international labour rights and standards, and unemployment law and labour market policy. Centre members also have a strong interest in comparative labour and employment law and labour market regulation, including research into labour and employment regulation in the Asia-Pacific region, Southern Africa, North America and Europe.

The Centre also has a number of academic associates and teaching associates, both from within the Faculty of Melbourne Law School and from around Australia and the world.

The Centre's work is guided by an Advisory Board, whose members represent the legal profession, academia and key stakeholders in Australian labour relations law.

The Centre is fortunate to receive financial support from a number of law firms in Melbourne that act as its sponsors. The Centre publishes Working Papers and Monographs. Learn more about Centre publications.

Objectives

The Centre's objectives are as follows:

  • to undertake and encourage independent research on all aspects of the past, present and future regulation of work, in Australia and internationally, including interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary research;
  • to undertake and promote research-led teaching of labour and employment law, including by developing and promoting innovative teaching methods and teaching materials, and by fostering graduate research;
  • to disseminate the results of research in employment and labour relations law;
  • to establish and foster links with similar bodies, internationally and nationally, and to facilitate engagement between stakeholders both within and beyond the University.