The 14th ILERA European Congress, held at Durham University Business School from September 10-12, 2025, brought together researchers, academics, and practitioners to discuss the role of employment relations in addressing contemporary global challenges. The event’s theme was “Navigating challenging times: The role of employment relations in addressing the problems caused by political uncertainty and the effects of Brexit, Covid-19, migration, technology and climate change on the workforce and labour standards.”
Established in 1967, the organization is dedicated to advancing the study of labor and employment relations. Its primary purpose is to encourage research and education across relevant academic disciplines worldwide. The main activities of ILERA:
This year’s congress, brought together leading academics and researchers to explore how employment relations can address the problems caused by political uncertainty, Brexit, Covid-19, migration, technology, and climate change. As an association dedicated to promoting the study of labor and employment relations globally, ILERA provides a critical platform for discussing these pressing issues and fostering collaboration across relevant academic disciplines.
On September 11th a special session was held entitled “The collective representation and regulation of work in the creative sectors” organised by Professor Roberto Pedersini (Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy) and Professor Maarten Keune (Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands).
During the session, an insightful presentation was delivered by the GAME-ER partners from the WP2 leader, University of Torino. The presentation, co-authored by Nicola Costalunga and Riccardo Fassone and titled “Work and workers in the video game industry: the case of the Turin video game production cluster,” focused on the experiences of professionals in this rapidly growing field.
The research conducted by the University of Torino team delved into the specific advantages and challenges faced by workers within Turin’s vibrant video game production ecosystem, a cluster studied by the GAME-ER project. While being part of this creative cluster offers significant benefits, the analysis also revealed various issues related to labor conditions. The presentation explored the composition and characteristics of the workforce, their knowledge of contractual and union rights, their professional expectations, and the crucial need for collective organization to ensure fair labor standards.
The discussions at ILERA 2025 underscored the vital role of employment relations in building resilient, equitable, and sustainable labor markets for the future. As the world continues to navigate these challenging times, the insights shared at this conference will be instrumental in shaping policies and practices that support workers and industries worldwide.
