2014 Conference on Workplace Dispute Resolution in Asia

On October 2nd and 3rd, the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution hosted a two-day conference on Workplace Dispute Resolution in Asia, on the Ithaca Campus. The conference organizers constitute a national collaboration between several universities, US government agencies with outreach to Asia, and labor practitioners. The conference gathered fifteen academics, law practitioners, labor arbitrators, and ILR students.

Professor Mark Anner from Pennsylvania State University presented his research on “Wildcat Strikes in the Vietnam Garment Sector,” based on field research and the database of Betterwork Vietnam. Betterwork Vietnam is a monitoring and consulting NGO supporting corporate social responsibility in the garment industry of Asia. ALAP Executive Director Richard Fincher presented his continuing research on comparative labor arbitration between China, Cambodia and the United States. Diane Frey of the CUNY Murphy Center “China Project” presented her work promoting collective bargaining in China, and demonstrated the new CUNY China website in English and Mandarin.

Scheinman Student Scholars Gideon Tietel and Lowell Jackson presented their research concerning human trafficking in Myanmar and Cambodia. Both students were selected for ILR scholarships with Global Service Learning for Vietnam.

Other guests included Professor Patrick McDermott of Salisbury University, Labor Attorney Brian Campbell of the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF), and Labor Arbitrator Jeanne Vonhof from Chicago. International guests included ILR Visiting Fellow Peter Chen from Taiwan, and Labor Professor Deidre Curan from Ireland.