LBST 330 Simon Fraser University Precarious Labor and The Future of Work Questions Required Readings: Guy Ryder (2015). “The International Labour Organiza

LBST 330 Simon Fraser University Precarious Labor and The Future of Work Questions Required Readings:

Guy Ryder (2015). “The International Labour Organization: The Next 100 Years.” Journal of Industrial Relations, 57(5): 748-757.
Stephen Gibb and, Mohammed Ishaq (2020). “Decent Work: What Matters Most and Who Can Make a Difference?” Eiomployee Relatns. Forthcoming April 2020.

And, Read at least one article on Green Jobs and Just Transitions

Alan Durning et al., (2009). Green-Collar Jobs Realizing the Promise. Sightline Institute.
Taedong Lee and Jeroen van der Heijden (2019). “Does the Knowledge Economy Advance the Green Economy? An evaluation of green jobs in the 100 largest metropolitan regions in the United States.” Energy & Environment 30(1):141–155.
Dean Stroud et al., (2014). “Skill Development in the Transition to a ‘Green Economy’: A ‘Varieties of Capitalism’ Analysis”. Economic and Labour Relations Review, 25(1): 10-27.
Benjamin Neimark et al., (2020). “Not Just Participation: The Rise of the Eco-Precariat in the Green Economy.” Antipode. Early Access.

QUESTION 1: ON THE FUTURE OF THE ILO

Ryder’s article is an excellent introduction and overview of the century-old International Labor Organization (ILO) and its efforts to restructure itself for another century of improving the standards and norms governing workers around the world. Considering the future of the ILO, answer these two questions (say about 250 words each fro 1.1. and 1.2.).
1.1. Which of the four “existential crises” confronted by the ILO today are the most pressing, and should become the ILO’s top priority into its next century?
1.2. Ryder suggests seven initiatives that the ILO could concentrate on in its pursuit of social justice and better lives for workers around the world. Which two (2) of these initiatives would you support. Here, you are effectively “making a case” for your top two initiatives, based on your own preferences and understanding of the world of work today.

QUESTION 2: ON DECENT WORK

The Gibb and Ishaq (2020) note the key issue with the decent work literature, in a that there exist multiple conceptions, indices and typologies of work quality, or “decent work” or “good jobs”. (p. 846). Read this rather difficult article with a view to illuminating five (5) elements or features of “decent work” that matter most to you. Explain why you select each of these features (or what the authors term “variables”) of decent work.

QUESTION 3: ON GREEN JOBS IN THE GREEN ECONOMY
Select and read at least one article on green jobs, in the list above, then answer two questions.

3.1. One problem in the Green Jobs literature is that there is a lack of consensus of what, exactly, constitutes a “green” job. Identify specifically five (5) green jobs that *you would consider doing for, say, 2~3 years. Explain briefly why this job (or potential career) is one you’d consider – What are your motives for doing it?
3.2. A key debate in the Green Economy and Green Jobs literature regards whether or not Green Jobs consist of “promise” for the future or “peril.” In this question, identify three (3) ways in which Green Jobs are a promise for the future (e.g. the job itself, the nature of work, or the outcomes of the job, etc.),  then identify three (3) ways in which Green Jobs are a potential “peril” for the future of work or future workers. Be sure to informally cite your ideas drawn from the readings.