School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work

The Sociology team at the School of SSESW is co-hosting this year’s NERI Dónal Nevin Lecture (Nevin Economic Research Institute) at Queen’s University Belfast on 16 October. Guest speaker Mr Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, will present a lecture titled ‘Good work across the UK’s nations, regions and industries’. It will explore how the nature and quality of work varies across industries in the UK, and the associated policy implications.

Dr Dónal Nevin was a trade unionist and historian. He was chairperson of the Labour Party’s Dublin Regional Council. He became the General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and developed the social partnership model. 

Registration for the event begins at 11.00am, with the lecture commencing at 11.30am. Lunch will follow the event. More details and the registration link are at 11th Annual NERI Dónal Nevin Lecture.

Abstract:
The lecture will document how the nature and quality of work varies across industries and the UK’s nations and regions, before turning to the policy implications. The minimum wage has seen the lowest earners receive the fastest pay rises for the past few decades, but far less progress has been made elsewhere. Admiration for our flexible labour market’s ability to create a high quantity of work too often turns into fear of any innovation to address its quality. In contrast other Anglo-Saxon labour markets – from New Zealand to Ireland and California – are ahead of us in using such institutional innovations to raise standards.