Paid maternity and paternity leave, the role of unions in the workplace and work/life balance are just three of the topics under discussion at an industrial relations conference this week being hosted by the University of Newcastle.

The 23rd Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australian and New Zealand (AIRAANZ) Conference will be held from Wednesday 4 February - Friday 6 February at Newcastle City Hall with the theme 'Labour, Capital and Change'.

Keynote speakers include Dr Michael Schaper, Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission; Professor Ruth Milkman from the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, University of California, Berkeley; and Professor Gregor Murray, Research Chair on Globalisation and Work, Université de Montreal, Canada.

Media contact: Before the conference - Dr John Lewer or Dr Shaun Ryan. During the conference - Dr Johanna Macneil.