Alumni Association

Danielle Li Labor as Capital: AI and the Ownership of Expertise Abstract: Workplace surveillance generates data that can train AI systems to replicate worker expertise. Using an online survey experiment of U.S. full-time workers, we show that workers report a desire to reduce their knowledge contributions when made aware of this dynamic: they rationally withhold expertise due to career concerns. We formalize this behavior in a model of knowledge supply under surveillance-enabled AI and use it to evaluate alternative policies. Individual data ownership--workers' preferred policy—eliminates knowledge withholding but creates negative externalities: one worker's data strengthens the firm's bargaining position against others, potentially making all workers worse off. In contrast, collective data ownership achieves the first-best outcome, promoting knowledge sharing while allowing workers to benefit from AI-driven productivity gains. These findings highlight the importance of labor agreements in shaping AI adoption in labor markets. with Zoe Cullen and Shengwu Li

Alexander Colvin, the Kenneth F. Kahn Dean and Martin F. Scheinman Professor of Conflict Resolution at the ILR School, will be a keynote speaker for the upcoming event "Emerging Tech Dialogues - The Future of Work: People, Process, and Technology." Dean Colvin’s research and teaching focuses on employment dispute resolution, with a particular emphasis on procedures in nonunion workplaces and the impact of the legal environment on organizations. His current research projects include empirical investigations of employment arbitration and cross-national studies of dispute resolution. He has published articles in journals such as ILR Review, Industrial Relations, British Journal of Industrial Relations, Relations Industrielles, Academy of Management Journal, Personnel Psychology, the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, and the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution. He is the co-author of An Introduction to U.S. Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations, Labor Relations in a Globalizing World, The Oxford Handbook of Conflict Management in Organizations, and Arbitration Law. He is an academic fellow of the Labor and Employment Relations Association. Dean Colvin will join the other keynote speaker, Elizabeth Mannix, Ann Whitney Olin Professor of Management at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, and Ithaca CIO Ben Maddox in a panel discussion about the events’ themes. The all-day event will be held in person at Statler Hall on the Ithaca Campus and virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 from 9am to 4pm. Register free through the online form. The perspectives of the two keynote speakers plus breakout and poster sessions on topics ranging from AI, to data handling and analysis, to techniques for effective teams will make for a day of growth, discovery, and creative spark. Reserve your place today and we’ll see you in person or on Zoom on October 14!

A Paradigm Shift to Social Europe: The impact of the EU Minimum Wage directive on the strengthening of collective bargaining in Europe The EU Minimum Wage Directive, adopted in 2022, marks a paradigm shift in EU labor policy. While the EU has long contributed to weakening trade unions and collective bargaining systems through its liberalization policy, the new directive now explicitly aims to strengthen labor market institutions. In order to promote adequate minimum wages, statutory minimum wages should be raised and collective bargaining systems strengthened all over Europe. The Directive obliges all EU member States with collective bargaining coverage of below 80% to establish national action plans to promote collective bargaining, with the aim of progressively increasing collective bargaining coverage. The presentation will discuss the implementation of the directive in individual Member States to date and identify the most important instruments that can contribute to higher collective bargaining coverage. Prof. Dr. Thorsten Schulten is head of the Collective Agreement Archive of the Institute for Economic and Social Research (WSI) of the Hans Böckler Foundation which is closely related to the German trade unions. He is also teaching as an honorary professor at the University of Tübingen. Further reading: Torsten Müller and Thorsten Schulten, The road to 80% collective bargaining coverage. The need for ambitious national action plans under the Minimum Wage Directive, ETUI Policy Brief No. 1/2025, Brussels, https://www.etui.org/publications/road-80-collective-bargaining-coverage Host Institute for European Studies Co-host School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Lisa Kahn

Mid-career professionals face unprecedented challenges in today's evolving job market. With shifting federal workforce policies, economic uncertainties, and technology's ongoing transformation of hiring processes, even seasoned workers find themselves navigating unfamiliar terrain. Yet for well-prepared candidates, the job market remains full of possibilities — if you know how to approach it. Join Cornell ILR School professor JR Keller as he demystifies the modern job search. Drawing from his extensive research in human resource studies, Professor Keller will share practical strategies for mastering digital recruiting platforms, maintaining work-life balance during transitions, and effectively presenting your professional narrative in today's fast-paced environment. This conversation will offer experienced professionals the strategies they need to adapt, advance, and thrive, balancing career momentum with personal well-being in today's dynamic workplace. What You'll Learn How to navigate modern applicant tracking systems and digital hiring platformsHow to optimize your résumé and online presence for today's job marketThe role of career counselors and new AI coaching tools in job searchingA look at the current hiring landscape from both candidate and employer perspectivesSpeakers: JR Keller (Associate Professor of Human Resource Studies and EMHRM Program Director, ILR School) Beth Flynn-Ferry (Executive Director, Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies, ILR School)

David Titus