This special edition of ‘WSI-Mitteilungen’, the academic journal of the Institute of Economic and Social Research (WSI), focuses on the state of labour relations in Germany. The system of German industrial relations aroused lively interest following the corporatist crisis management of 2009/2010, which was credited with ‘Germany’s jobs miracle’. In 2019, it is apparent that although works councils and multi-employer collective bargaining—the core institutional pillars which shape the dual system of German industrial relations—are still alive, labour relations as a whole are undergoing substantial changes. It is the aim of this special issue to contribute to improving our understanding of these changes, and also to open up new perspectives on both the theory and practice of industrial relations. With contributions by Nadine Absenger, Martin Behrens, Wolfram Brehmer, Heiner Dribbusch, Helge Emmler, Anke Hassel, Wolfgang Schroeder, Thorsten Schulten and Daniel Seikel.