In advance of the mayoral elections, the government’s review of employment practices in a modern economy and the work streams associated with the ‘Midlands Engine’, the Institute is hosting a high-level roundtable discussion on how devolution in the West Midlands can boost jobs and make work better on Thursday 1st December. The Institute is canvassing views from local government, business, unions and other stakeholders in the West Midlands on the changing world of work. We want to better understand the opportunities and risks that new combined authorities and elected mayors face in meeting labour market challenges. How, for example, can the West Midlands move swiftly to a high-productivity, high-wage economy; what interventions are needed to boost employment and skills; how best to tackle low pay, insecurity and discrimination at work; and what type of social partnership between the unions, employers and public bodies works best for the region? The discussion is invite-only and will feed into a major report on ‘devo-work’.