The Labour and Employment Relations Association (LERA) Conference 2025 was held in Seattle, Washington State in the United States of America. The Conference commenced on 12 and ended on 15 June 2025. It laboured under the theme, “Promoting Authentic Dialogue in Polarised Times”. The theme could not have been more relevant as the conference was hosted in the “City of the Workers' Rights”, Seattle. Addressed by over 100 passionate speakers championing strong democratic values and labour rights, the widespread protest against the current administration in the USA and its erosion of worker rights became more relevant and prominent in all topics regarding the promotion of employees' rights.
The South African delegation comprised of Director-General, Mr Mathanzima Mweli and Dr Mugwena Maluleke, General-Secretary of South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU); Dr Cindy Foca, Chief Executive Officer of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC); Dr Luvuyo Bono, Chairperson of the ELRC; and Prof Van Der Walt from the Nelson Mandela University. Key topics of the Conference included: Workers’ rights; Collaborative Bargaining in the Public Sector: Labour Management Partnerships; Public Policy and Human Resource Development; and Collaborative research and Artificial intelligence.
The presentations focused on the roles that states can play in raising labour standards and protecting vulnerable workers. Presenters also shared how some states have also passed laws regulating the employment of Domestic workers. Seattle, which is the city of workers' rights, is the only city that has such laws. Arguably, the most progressive city in the country when it comes to the rights of workers. In 2022 and 2023, Seattle City Council passed three ordinances providing rights and protections for app-based workers, who are regarded as independent workers in South Africa. The Labour Relations Act of SA does not regard this category of workers as employees and therefore their conditions of employment are not regulated. This shows how advanced Seattle is in fighting for the rights of all workers.
As if the organisers of the conference foresaw the events that took place on 14 June 2025, where the streets of Seattle were abuzz with protesters, many of whom were workers who demonstrated their unhappiness against the current administration's laws which tend to suppress employee democracy and unionisation. The organisers had chosen to start the day with a breakfast discussion on "Labour Relations under the New Administration” in the USA.
This session examined the multiple perspectives and possible/probable implications of how the Trump Administration will impact labour relations in the USA and how the labour movement may/should respond. The Panellists were quick to highlight how the Trump administration aims at suppressing unionism and instilling divisions and fear among the employees. The discussions focused on how and why workers could/should join hands to mobilise against the new administration to ensure that workers' rights are protected. The panel gave examples of how organised labour stood against injustices which threatened the socio-economic conditions of the workers, and by extension, society. South Africa was cited alongside Brazil and Korea as examples of countries where organised labour changed the socio-economic course of their countries when the administrations of the day were "trumping" over the rights of the workers.
Flowing from the aforesaid topic, a presentation regarding” Integrating Collaborative Bargaining and the Organizing Model in Practice” was made. This practitioner-led session explored challenges and advantages of collaborative bargaining when conducted alongside a union-led contract campaign. The effects of management-led campaigns and communication strategies on collaborative bargaining were also elucidated. This session presented case studies of two public universities in Oregon that conducted faculty negotiations using interest-based bargaining. Panellists included union and management representatives who served on the bargaining teams. South Africa, with its history on the protection of employees’ rights and freedoms, made a presentation on “How parties Negotiate themselves into Deadlock”.
The paper sought to expound the role of negotiators in achieving closure by effectively utilising negotiation strategies such as persuasion, planning, and evaluating power dynamics between parties, which influence the negotiation approach. The discussions also analysed the norms for mediation and the necessary mediation skills to circumvent deadlocks and achieve favourable resolution for all parties. The audience-packed session was impressed by how South Africa with the employer party (the DBE), led by the Director-General, work collaboratively with Labour towards a common goal, namely, to provide quality education to the learners.
The audience was inspired by this form of collaboration which enabled schools to remain open during the COVID-19 period. The adoption of the Labour Management Partnership was one of the examples of the programmes that SA implemented to avoid deadlocks. Just like Seattle, the audience were impressed with the number of years where employees worked without going on strike due to collaboration, openness and trust amongst parties.
One of the sessions provided insight on the topic, “When Workers Lead: Creating the Conditions for Labour and Management Collaboration”. The presentation focused on “What happens if management is not very interested in having more constructive relationships with employees? Can mutually beneficial organizational change be implemented only from the top down? Clearly, the discussion pointed to the need for collaboration between management and employees. Any decision which is not consulted with employers is not likely to receive support.
Several presentations which focused on important HR policy considerations were shared under this topic: The following are examples: Institutions, Employer Strategies, and the Evolving Landscape of Work; Equity, Inclusion, and Emerging Risks in the Workforce; Public Policies and Employment of People with Disabilities; and Support or Stress: How Work Environments Shape Employee Wellbeing. The focus of these presentations was on minimum wage, overtime, child labour, and other investigations which demonstrated the importance of employee wellness programmes in the workplace.
Although South Africa was mentioned alongside other two countries with very strong labour legislative framework which recognise employee rights through the establishment of collective bargaining structures, collaboration between the employer and labour still needs to be strengthened at all levels, including school level. Research presented at the conference demonstrated that where there is collaboration, workers voices are heard and management decisions are supported.
Regarding HR policies, human capital is an important asset in the workplace. Further, burnout is a systematic issue and so should be the solutions. Systematic organisation change does not happen without capable, motivated and supported managers. Employers must therefore design programmes that support their employees across the board. Finally, the DBE should continue to maintain a good relationship with labour in the workplace. Collective bargaining should be used as an instrument for effective collaboration.