Federalism and Labour Law

The purpose of this publication is to explore the impact of a federal state structure on labour law in selected legal systems that cut across the traditional divide of civil law and common law. Contributions included in this book range from Australia to Belgium, Canada, the United States of America, and the European Union. All have been selected because they offer unique perspectives on federalism and labour law. Some of the issues addressed in this book are very basic ones, in that they concern the core division of responsibilities between the different levels of decision making both generally and, more specifically, in matters of labour and employment regulation. Particularly interesting in this regard is the question as to whether there has been any evolution over time as for what is considered to be the most appropriate level for regulating labour matters. To avoid a purely descriptive survey, the contributors to the book were urged to critically reflect upon the desirability of the state of affairs in their respective legal systems. The net result makes for a fascinating collection of essays.