This paper aims to reconstruct the main issues debated in 2012 in the labour law journals members of the International Association of Labour Law Journals, concentrating the investigation on foreign journals and leaving in the background the Italian ones, well known to the local readers. Within the large thematic survey of these journals, firstly the authors have chosen to stress the theme that can be considered the "topic of the year", i.e. labour law reforms facing the economic and financial crisis. With regard to the other subjects discussed by Iallj scholars, they have been combined distinguishing the ones having their roots in the remote past of labour law (focusing on freedom of association, collective bargaining and anti-discrimination law) from those that have come on stage more strongly in the new century (focusing on flexibility, precarious employment and decent work); the final part of the paper opens a view to more specific labour topics.