International Industrial Law

Industrial Law is the branch of Law that deals with legal aspects of three different but inter-related set of entities - Industries, Labor and Governmental agencies. Governments across the world have been promoting setting up of industries but at the same time are controlling them actively. They always have given importance to Labor-welfare and needless to say, many laws are brought to mitigate, address and solve industry-labor disputes in the most amicable manner. At the same time, erring industries are always punished. Modern Industrial Jurisprudence changed the concept of master-servant. Under the modern sense, one who invests capital is no more than a master and one who puts in labor is no more a servant. Since the industrial revolution the labor movement has been concerned how economic globalization would weaken the bargaining power of workers, as their employers could move to hire workers abroad without the protection of the labor standards at home. International labor law is the body of rules spanning public and private international law which concern the rights and duties of employees, employers, trade unions and governments in regulating the workplace. The International Labor Organization and the World Trade Organization have been the main international bodies involved in reform labor markets. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have indirectly driven changes in labor policy by demanding structural adjustment conditions for receiving loans or grants. Conflict of laws issues arise, determined by national courts, when people work in more than one country, and supra-national bodies, particularly in the law of the European Union, has a growing body of rules regarding labor rights. With a wide range of application and a dynamic development, industrial law covers a pivotal role in society. High level of internationalization, normative harmonization of natural persons and legal entities, and strengthening of control authorities are a few of the pillars upon which industrial law builds itself. From patent disputes to labor law topics, passing through copyright and competition regulation, this book presents, through practical examples, the analysis of some of the prominent issues characterizing the legal aspects of industrial activities and their application.