2nd International Conference: Work, Wages and Workforce - 2026
WageIndicator and FLAME University are organising the 2nd International Conference: Work, Wages and Workforce from 30 November to 1 December 2026 at FLAME University in Pune.
Introduction
The global labour market is undergoing a massive transformation due to rapid technological advancements, a surge in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), trade tensions and policy uncertainty, climate change, and demographic shifts across countries. The transformations have affected countries differently. The 2026 World Bank Global Economic Prospects and ILO Employment and Social Trends 2026 show that while developing countries face challenges in creating sufficient new jobs for their working-age population, developed countries are facing labour shortages due to a higher share of an ageing population. In particular, women, youth, and vulnerable populations are facing the highest challenges in securing decent work, exacerbating gender inequalities across countries.
The labour market transformation makes tracking changes in occupations, reassessing workers’ bargaining and wage setting, more critical than ever. Against this backdrop, WageIndicator Foundation and FLAME University are organising the second global conference that shall be a unique interface between academia, practitioners, and industry, aiming to advance scholarly discourse and encourage evidence-based practice and policymaking.
The conference will be held at FLAME University, Pune, India
From 30 November to 1 December 2026.
Submit your abstract or presentation ideas
All submissions must be completed by 11:59 PM IST, 15 August 2026.
As part of the conference, photographers, researchers, and members of the public are invited to submit photo essays capturing the realities of today's labour market. Selected entries will be displayed on a photo wall at FLAME University. See how to participate:
Paper Tracks
The conference welcomes papers under the following tracks. Applications are welcome to submit empirical, theoretical work or well-articulated case studies (preferably with cross-country evidence) on any of the following tracks, with gender, and the ‘twin transition’ (green and digital) being a critical aspect cross-cutting across tracks
- Capturing labour-market dynamics: Jobs, Workers and Wages
- Tracking changes in occupation and skills: The track invites papers that address the challenges of tracking changes in occupation and skills, driven by shifts in demographic trends, labour laws, climate change, the rapid advancement in technology and AI. We are interested in papers that capture and predict changes in demand, supply and wages in the economy by using different data sources.
- Social impacts of the twin transition and inclusive just transition policies on labour market: The track invites papers examining how the twin transition reshapes labour markets, occupations, and skills, as well as its broader social and employment impacts, with a particular focus on inclusive and forward-looking policy responses within a just transition framework.
- Platformization of work: The track invites papers related to the platform economy that address questions of worker rights in terms of pay and wage setting, collective bargaining, legislation and capturing workers’ perspectives. Papers that examine the changing nature of work driven by advances in technology and AI are also welcome.
- Ensuring decent work and social justice through wage-setting and collective bargaining
- Collective Bargaining Agreements and Wage Setting: The track invites papers that analyse Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) to draw insights into wage setting, wage levels, and the shifts in CBAs due to technological advancements and AI. Papers that demonstrate the use of CBA to advance worker rights and enhance job quality are welcome. We encourage authors to utilise WageIndicator’s CBA-database dataset. Scholarly work that advances the literature on enhancing bargaining coverage is also welcome. Authors can indicate if they want their paper to be considered for an edited book about collective bargaining in the global South, scheduled for publication in 2027.
- Estimating Living Wages, Living Tariff and Living Pensions: Papers that advance the literature on estimating living wages, living tariff and living pensions or demonstrate their impacts on the labour market are welcome under this track.
- Shift in demographic structures and implications for social security: This track welcomes papers that contribute to the literature on demographic shifts and changing work structures and social security provisions across countries. Papers that address questions on skill mismatch, working life after the official retirement age, and implications on social security are welcome here.
Please indicate the stream to which you are submitting your paper. Authors with papers that do not fit into these two tracks but are related are also welcome to submit their papers. If none of the streams fit your submission, please indicate 'Other'.
Special Session: Launch of the India Workforce Index
Index of Job Market Trends for Blue- and Grey-Collar Jobs in India Learn moreWageIndicator Foundation, FLAME University and Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad (IIM-A) embarked on computing the labour-market dynamics of workers in India through its project titled ‘Index of Job Market Trends for Blue- and Grey-Collar Jobs in India’ from November 2025. The multi-year project will celebrate its first anniversary by launching the index during the conference.
Keynote speakers
More speakers will be announced soon.
Launch of Living Pension
Population ageing, labour market transformation, and persistent gender inequalities are reshaping the foundations of income security in old age and challenging the adequacy of existing pension systems worldwide. While the concept of a living wage has become an established benchmark for income adequacy during working life, no comparable, globally applicable benchmark exists for old-age income. As the latest initiative, WageIndicator has been building a global benchmark for computing Living Pensions across countries by building on its prior initiatives to estimate Living Wages and Living Tariff. WageIndicator will present the global Living Pension concept for 174 countries as a transparent, internationally comparable measure of the minimum income required for a dignified life in retirement.
Submission Guidelines
Paper submissions
Applicants interested in presenting a paper at the conference should submit an abstract. Abstracts must be in English and no longer than 500 words. They should contain the following elements:
- Title and a list of authors and their affiliations (does not count towards word limit)
- Introduction and Research Question(s)
- Data and Methodology
- Expected Findings and contribution to literature
- If and how AI was used in the abstract/ paper
The application will be either accepted for a paper presentation, a poster presentation, or rejected. Each applicant can present a maximum of 1 paper at the conference. There are no submission limits on co-authored papers.
Special session submissions
Applicants are also encouraged to submit proposals for special sessions at the conference. These sessions should be between 60 and 90 minutes and should take the form of a panel discussion or workshop. Proposals must be in English and should be no more than 500 words. They should include
- The name of the lead organisation
- A description of the session topic and its link to the conference tracks
- Brief descriptions of individual papers being presented (in case papers are to be presented)
- Ideas for potential speakers
Extended Abstracts
For all proposals that are accepted by the organising committee, applicants must then submit extended abstracts of up to 1,500 words with a detailed description of their conceptual framework, hypotheses, methodology, conclusions, and contribution to discourse through this submission link.
Contact: In case of any queries, you can email the organising team of the WageIndicator Conference at wageindicator@flame.edu.in
Important Dates
| Abstract Submission | 15 August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Response to abstract submission | 31 August 2026 |
| Last registration deadline | 15 October 2026 |
| Extended abstract submission | 15 October 2026 |
| Conference dates | November 30 - December 1, 2026 |
Registration and Prices
The following conference registration fees are applicable to participants whose submissions are accepted.
You are welcome to attend the conference as a participant without submitting an abstract. Standard registration fees apply.
| Participant Type | Early-Bird (by September 15) | Others (after September 15) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Applicants | International Applicants | Indian Applicants | International Applicants | |
| Academics and Researchers | INR 3,000 | Euros 50 | INR 4,000 | Euros 75 |
| Industry professionals | INR 5,000 | Euros 100 | INR 8,000 | Euros 150 |
| Junior researchers (PhD or postgraduate students)* | INR 1,500 | Euros 25 | INR 2,000 | Euros 50 |
* Junior researchers (PhD or postgraduate students) will need to provide proof of their enrollment in their programme.
Accommodation and Travel Support
FLAME University can provide limited twin-sharing accommodation to participants on a first-come, first-served basis. The accommodation charges include breakfast and dinner (lunch will be provided to all conference participants). Travel costs and arrangements must be met from the participants’ own resources.
Participants can also choose to stay at hotels outside of the campus, and there are several options to choose from, including but not limited to the list provided below. The conference or the university is not associated with any of these hotels. Participants are requested to verify the details and options before making a choice.
| Accommodation Type | For Indian Applicants (including 18% GST) | For International Applicants(including 18% GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Twin-sharing (per night charges) | INR 5,000 | Euros 75 |
Participants can also choose to stay at hotels outside of the campus, and there are several options to choose from, including but not limited to the list provided below. The conference or the university is not associated with any of these hotels. Participants are requested to verify the details and options before making a choice.
| Name of Hotel | Distance to FLAME University Gate | Indicative Rates (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Diora Inn (Bavdhan) | ~8 km | ₹1,800–₹2,200 |
| Emersion Residency (Baner) | ~14 km | ₹1,600–₹2,000 |
| FAB Hotel Gargi Inn (Baner) | ~13 km | ₹1,500–₹2,000 |
| Serenity by Monarch (Baner) | ~12 km | ₹2,200–₹2,800 |
| Hotel Green Park (Baner Rd) | ~13.5 km | ₹4,000–₹5,000 |
| Ambrosia Resort & Spa (Bavdhan) | ~10 km | ₹4,500–₹5,500 |
| Hotel Tip Top International (Hinjewadi, Wakad) | ~16 km | ₹4,000–₹5,500 |
| Hotel Orchid Pune (Balewadi, Hinjewadi) | ~15 km | ₹4,000–₹6,000 |
| Hotel Sayaji Pune (Wakad, Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass) | ~16 km | ₹5,500–₹7,000 |
Note: The distance is an approximate value based on road routes, and the time taken to cover this distance is likely to change based on the traffic, so please be mindful. The participants should note that the pricing is indicative and the actual prices will vary by season, booking platform, and room type are also requested to note the rates in other currencies when booking.
Best Paper Award
A certificate of excellence and cash prize will be given to meritorious participants in accordance with the table below.
| Awards | Cash Prize in INR |
|---|---|
| Best paper | 10,000 |
| Second-best paper | 6,000 |
| Best paper by a junior researcher* | 5,000 |
| Best poster | 5,000 |
| Second-best poster | 4,000 |
*Junior researchers (PhD or postgraduate students) will need to provide proof of their enrollment in their programme.
Publication
Following the conference, selected presenters will be requested to share their completed papers for publication in a chapter in the book, 'Research Agenda for Collective Bargaining in the Global South,' to be published by Edward Elgar (2027)’. We especially encourage authors to use the WageIndicator CBA-database dataset for considering their papers for publication in the book.
Scientific Committee
- Professor Kea Tijdens - Emeritus Professor of Women and Labour Market Studies, Erasmus University; Co-Founder and Scientific Director, WageIndicator Foundation, The Netherlands
- Associate Professor Marta Kahancová - Associate Professor of Public Policy at Comenius University; Co-founder and Managing Director, Central European Labour Studies Institute, Slovakia
- Professor Biju Varkkey - Faculty in the HRM Area, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India
- Associate Professor Ceyhun Guler - Faculty at Labour Economics & Industrial Relations, Faculty of Economics & Administrative Sciences at Dokuz Eylül University
- Associate Professor Santosh Kudtarkar - Dean, Undergraduate Education and Innovation, FLAME University, India
- Assistant Professor Janna Besamusca - Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at Utrecht University and Member of WageIndicator Supervisory Board, The Netherlands
- Assistant Professor Rupa Korde - Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy at FLAME University; Director of Finance and Operations, WageIndicator Foundation
- Professor Alina Popescu - Professor, PhD Habil. Department of International Business & Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
Organising Committee
- Dr. Rupa Korde - Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy at FLAME University; Director of Finance and Operations, WageIndicator Foundation
- Dr. Leena Bhattacharya - Research and Communication Lead, WageIndicator Foundation
- Blanca Civit - Public Relations Lead, WageIndicator Foundation
- Paulien Osse - Co-Founder and Lead Living Wages, WageIndicator Foundation
- Kulvinder Singh - Research Associate, WageIndicator Foundation
Weather and Other Considerations
The weather will be pleasant during the time of the conference, with an expected temperature between 15 and 29 degrees Celsius. Please note that FLAME University strictly prohibits the consumption of non-vegetarian food, alcoholic beverages or any illegal substances on campus.
Please note: The conference is planned to be in an in-person format. However, in case of disruption in travel due to unforeseen circumstances, the conference will be held completely online.
2nd WageIndicator and FLAME University Conference on Global Labour Markets