Uniquely combining employment relations and the hospitality and tourism fields, this book draws on recently published sources to give readers a comprehensive and internationally comparative perspective on the subject area. It boldly extends the traditional analysis of employment relations by integrating new topics such as the role of customers and the implication of gender at work, into the discussion. It also explores issues of continuity and change in a specific service sector, examining the industry by workplace size and sub-sector. This timely book is one of the first of its kind to consider contemporary issues such as skills shortages, labour turnover and training, as well as changes in employment protection law in different areas of the hospitality industry. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone studying hospitality and tourism, industrial relations and human resource management. It is illustrated with numerous case studies, and includes material from fifty countries, across all continents, ensuring a fully international view is presented.