Amazon Effects & Logistical Labour: New markets, new technologies, new workplaces?
A one-day workshop: Fri 23 June, 2023
Valeria Pulignano is Professor of Labour Sociology and Employment Relations at KU Leuven in Belgium. She is widely published in this field, e.g., Work, Employment and Society, Industrial & Labor Relations Review and Work & Occupations. Her recent work includes studies in labour regimes in warehousing as well as a European Research Council (ERC)-funded project on food delivery drivers in the gig economy. For more information, please read on...
A one-day workshop in central Melbourne bringing together researchers and activists Discussion will focus on the transformation of logistics locally and globally, including changes since the COVID-19 pandemic, changes to community and workplaces, the disruption and augmentation of work and workers by technology, and the ‘gigification’ of traditional workplace practices. Event organisers: Lauren Kelly (RMIT Univ.), Christopher O'Neill (Monash), Tom Barnes (Aust. Catholic Univ.) Attendance is free but all participants must register via email to:tom.barnes@acu.edu.au. Location/venue details will be provided on confirmation of registration. Final timetable:
930-945
Participants arrive
945-1000
Acknowledgement of Country
Introduction to workshop; brief Q&A (if req.)
Tom Barnes (ACU)
Paper
Speaker/s
Discussant
Chair
1000-1030
‘Dark Jobs’ of the Supermarket and Rapid Grocery Delivery: Transformations in labour, technology and logistics
Lauren Kelly (RMIT)
Valeria Pulignano (KU Leuven)
Thao Phan (Monash)
1030-1100
Planning, Logistics, Labour: From operations research to digital twins
Zoe Horn (WSU) & Michael Richardson (UNSW)
Jathan Sadowski (Monash)
Lutfun Nahar Lata (Univ. of Melbourne)
1100-1130
Break / morning tea1
1130-1200
Alibaba Effects: The geopolitics of automated warehousing
Brett Neilson & Ned Rossiter (WSU)
Jake Goldenfein (Univ. of Melbourne)
1200-1300
Keynote lecture:
Labour Strategies, Regimes of Production and Technology Change in Logistics Warehousing
Tom Barnes
1300-1400
Lunch1
1400-1430
When Algorithmic Management was New: Engineered standards, consultation and the managerial prerogative in Australia
Chris O’Neill (Monash)2
Jo Cutter (Leeds)
Ned Rossiter
1430-1500
The Conscientious Worker: Changing management conceptions of the ideal worker-citizen in warehouse labour regimes
Brett Neilson
Michael Richardson
1500-1530
Break / afternoon tea1
1530-1630
Special session:
Organising the Australian Logistics Sector
Tim Kennedy, National Secretary, United Workers Union3
Lauren Kelly
1630-1700
Workshop wrap-up
Chris O’Neill
1700-1830
Free time
1830-1930
Rendezvous for drinks (venue TBA)
1930
Workshop dinner
Notes:
1provided on-site by Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, incl. veg/vegan options.
2co-authors: Jake Goldenfein, Lauren Kelly, Thao Phan, Jathan Sadowski
3session will include report from Hans-Christian Stephan about Amazon workers in Germany