Frames of reference in work and employment relations

This chapter explains and provides an overview of the three main ‘frames of reference’ in employment relations: unitarism, pluralism and, partly influenced by Marxism, the ‘critical’ (or sometimes ‘radical’) frame. The chapter emphasises the notable influence of these frames on scholarship in work and employment relations. In noting the ways that the frames have been elaborated and refined, the chapter pays particular attention to the development of distinct forms of unitarism and pluralism and highlights the value of the critical frame as a tool for both critiquing and challenging managerialism. The ways in which the frames of reference have been used to understand and make sense of developments in employment relations are attested. Each of the three specific frames is open to critique on its own terms. But the chapter also points to two broader difficulties with the frames in general. One concerns the doubts that exist about how far they can be used and applied effectively as theories, and thus contribute to explaining developments in employment relations. A second difficulty concerns the tendency for the frames to be used in a way that neglects social identity, especially issues related to gender and race, and how these influence work and employment relations, particularly as sources of disadvantage. Nevertheless, the continued relevance of the frames of reference can be seen in new and emerging areas of scholarship, such as understanding platform work and the role of artificial intelligence at work.