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For historical reasons, there has been an underdeveloped dialogue between private lawyers and labour lawyers on theoretical and practical issues as they relate to the employment contract (broadly conceived). The 'autonomy' of labour law as a discipline was based upon its rejection of the common law (and English judges), which was regarded by workers and trade unions as an instrument of class oppression. In recent times, however, it is less clear that this strong 'autonomy' thesis has supported the worker-protective goals of labour law. Private law has become more receptive to approaches that support worker protection, with further exploration of relational contracts and norms of good faith in contract law.
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At the conference, 10 leading academics presented papers addressing a range of topics. All papers were commented upon by a practitioner in a session chaired by a judge. The conference was well-attended by students, academics, practitioners and judges, and provoked lively and thought-provoking discussion throughout the day. An edited collection of the proceedings will be published by Hart Bloomsbury in 2025.