Dr. Bob Barnetson

Biography

Dr. Bob Barnetson is currently working as a Associate Professor in the Department of Reseracher, Athabasca University , Canada. His research interests includes Labour Relations. He  is serving as an editorial member and reviewer of several international reputed journals. Dr. Bob Barnetson is the member of many international affiliations. He  has successfully completed his Administrative responsibilities. He  has authored of many research articles/books related to Labour Relations.

Research Interest

Bob’s research focuses on the political economy of employment in Alberta with particular attention to workplace injuries as well as child, farm and migrant workers. By examining who is advantaged and disadvantaged by the content and enforcement of employment law, we are able to see instances where the state colludes with employers to maintain or exacerbate worker exploitation. For example, Bob recently collaborated with Jason Foster (Faculty of Business) to analyze Alberta’s “Bloody Lucky” workplace safety campaign aimed at young workers. This campaign portrays worker carelessness as the cause of workplace injuries. Employer responsibility for organizing work unsafely—the root cause of these injuries—is largely ignored. By tapping into the careless worker myth, the state helps defuse worker anger over injuries (“it’s workers own darned fault”) and thus preserves the ability of employers to organize work in an injurious (and profitable manner).