Mélanie Dufour-Poirier is an associate professor specializing in labour relations and unionism at the School of Industrial Relations of the Université de Montréal (Canada)
She is also a core researcher at the Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalization and Work (CRIMT) and an associate fellow at the Michael D. Penner Institute on ESG, which supports research on environmental, social and governance issues. She holds a Ph.D. in administration (specialization: human resources management) from Montreal’s HEC (Hautes Études Commerciales) business school. The transformation of the forms of collective and union representation, along with the development of collective action and mobilization, are key aspects of her research. More specifically, she is interested in unionism and its renewal, the prevention of occupational mental illness, the diversification of identities in the workplace, the social aspects of globalization, and comparative studies in the field of industrial relations from a North-South perspective, especially in the Americas (notably Chile, Peru, and Mexico). She has published on trade union renewal, as well as on transnational union action in underinstitutionalised contexts.
To delve deeper into her areas of research and clarify her particular intellectual stamp on them, Ms. Dufour-Poirier’s past work addressed issues related to the management and regulation of transnational collective labour relations in the mining industry in the Americas, notably through the creation of heterogeneous coalitions and union alliances of similar scope. Her investigations in regard to those issues aimed to identify the capacity of labour unions, in conjunction with other civil society actors, to better manage the human, social and environmental impacts of the presence of multinational companies in that sector and, by extension, to gauge the effectiveness of the laws and social responsibility provisions in place for the actors on the ground, particularly at the local level. Her current research focuses on collective action in respect to the management of injuries to mental health in the workplace (most often related to the work itself, the way it is organised and the policies regulating it), as well as the co-construction of its resulting preventive mechanisms, which enlist the contribution of every participant in the same working community, whether in Quebec or France. Overall, it seeks to define mental health as a fundamental right for workers in their workplaces, as well as an issue of social justice and industrial democracy. It also examines the capacity of workplace actors to transform their practices and make mental health an opportunity to rethink work in order to better heal it and, as a result, widen the ambit and content of corporate social responsibility in terms of inclusion and protecting workplace health and safety—under the rubric of primary prevention.
About the Université de Montréal’s School of Industrial Relations (https://eri.umontreal.ca/english/our-school/about-our-school/) and the Field of Industrial Relations
The School of Industrial Relations at the Université de Montréal (École de relations industrielles de l’Université de Montréal or ÉRI) is one of the major centres for the study of work and employment in North America. ÉRI brings together specialists in the areas of human resources management, labour relations, labour law, labour economics, public policies on work and employment, occupational health and safety, and comparative employment relations. It was founded in 1945 by a Jesuit, Father Émile Bouvier.
In terms of research, the School of Industrial Relations stands out for its research grants, publications, and scientific outreach. Research units linked to the School include a major research centre (Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la mondialisation et le travail [CRIMT]), a research institute (Institut Michael D. Penner sur les enjeux environnementaux, sociaux et de gouvernance), two observatories (Observatoire sur la santé et le mieux-être au travail and Observatoire Banque Scotia en innovation du développement durable), and two research chairs (Chaire BMO – Diversité et gouvernance and MYRIAGONE – Chaire McConnell-Université de Montréal en mobilisation des connaissances jeunesse).
The field of Industrial relations broadly refers to the relations between management and workers in workplaces. This involves consideration of a wide range of social, economic, and psychological factors, as understanding more about such relations can help pave the way to improved working conditions and, therefore, an improved quality of life. Industrial relations is thus a multidisciplinary academic field that studies employment relationships, worker-management relations and the labour market as a whole, in addition to the interactions and interrelations between employers, employees, trade union organisations, employer organisations, and government.
