Trade unions Books

168 products


  • Power Despite Precarity  Strategies for the

    Pluto Press Power Despite Precarity Strategies for the

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA key organizing tool for casualized higher education faculty from longtime movement activistsTrade Review'A masterful look at the challenges involved with organizing workers in higher education. Berry and Worthen provide excellent recommendations regarding vision and strategy, making the book valuable beyond the field of higher education' -- Bill Fletcher, Jr., author of 'They're Bankrupting Us: And Twenty Other Myths about Unions''Academic precarity screws over teachers by stealing our access to memories of how precarious workers have risen up to win better conditions in the past. Who fought for something better? How did they define what 'better' meant? What strategy and tactics did they use to make progress? 'Power Despite Precarity' is an essential primer on these questions and more' -- Alyssa Picard, Director, American Federation of Teachers' higher education division'Empowers us to fight for the higher education and unions we believe in, uniting theory and practice to chart an inspiring path toward labor and education justice' -- Mia L. McIver, Ph.D., Lecturer, UCLA, President, University Council-American Federation of Teachers'Written from both an organizer's and historian's perspective, 'Power Despite Precarity' is essential reading for anyone working in higher education who wants to make a better world and wonders what it takes. Berry and Worthen provide a handbook on how the growing number of contingent faculty can unite in common cause. While it is about education, many of the lessons dealing with internal problems inside unions are not issues confined to the education sector (alas) and I especially enjoyed those parts' -- Elaine Bernard, Fellow of the Labor & Worklife Program, Harvard Law School'Essential for anyone concerned about higher education. It is impossible to separate the working conditions of faculty from the learning conditions of students, and Berry and Worthen explain how it is possible to transform both for the better of all' -- Maria Maisto, President of New Faculty Majority, Maryland'Power Despite Precarity’ is not just a solid guide to best practices in day-to-day trade union work within higher education. It’s also a rousing call for the contingent faculty movement to embrace grassroots, rather than top-down, organizing and break out of the narrow confines of collective bargaining’ -- Steve Early, national staff member of the Communications Workers of America (retired) and author of 'The Civil Wars in U.S. Labor: Birth of a New Workers’ Movement or Death Throes of the Old?''A nuanced guide for organizing which develops a historically informed analysis of the current state and likely direction of higher education today' -- Jack Metzgar, author of 'Striking Steel'‘A roadmap to thinking and acting like organizers’ -- Fred Glass, ‘Jacobin’‘A rousing call for the contingent faculty movement to embrace grassroots, rather than top-down, organizing and break out of the narrow confines of collective bargaining’ -- ‘LA Progressive’‘Berry and Worthen, who combined have decades of teaching and academic organizing experience, offer the reader an extended, classroom-level case study of how educators in the California State University system organized and built power’ -- Jonathan Rosenblum, ‘Truthout’‘I enjoyed Power Despite Precarity and certainly recognized many issues from the vantage point of my twelve years as a TA and then a contingent college teacher. The book is a blueprint and battle cry for academic fruit pickers everywhere’ -- Harvey Schwartz, author of Labor under Siege and Solidarity StoriesTable of ContentsPhotographs Series Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations and Acronyms Introduction PART I - THE CASE OF THE LECTURERS IN THE CSU SYSTEM 1. Student Strikes and Union Battles 2. Layoffs and Hard Years for Organizing 3. Revolution in the Union 4. “They have nothing to teach us” PART II - HIGHER ED WAS NEVER A LEVEL TERRAIN OF STRUGGLE 5. Four Transitions and How Casualization Served Managers PART III - WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT THE CFA GOT 6. Blue Sky #1 Organizing and Economics 7. Blue Sky #2 Job Security, Academic Freedom and the Common Good 8. Beyond the Sausage-making: A Close Look at the CFA-CSU Contract PART IV - THE DIFFICULTY OF THINKING STRATEGICALLY 9. Strategies Emerging From Practice 10. The Contingent Faculty Movement as a Social Movement PART V - SEVEN TROUBLESOME QUESTIONS 11. What Gets People Moving? 12. Who is the Enemy? Who are Our Allies? 13. What is “Professionalism” for Us? 14. How Does It Feel? 15. Is this legal? 16. What About Leftists? 17. How Do We Deal With Union Politics? PART VI - USING THE POWER WE HAVE 18. Hopes and Dangers Essential Terms John Hess: A Life in the Movement Notes Bibliography Index

    15 in stock

    £68.00

  • El Golpe

    Pluto Press El Golpe

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrue crime meets political thriller in an explosive exposé of US meddling in MexicoTrade Review'An impressive piece of sleuthing. Mckenzie's dogged search for answers shines a spotlight on AIFLD with its CIA links.' -- Anthony Carew, author of 'American Labour's Cold War Abroad: From Deep Freeze to Detente''An in-depth study of the rot existing within the foreign policy leadership of the AFL-CIO. Expunging this rot is essential to the revitalization of the US labor movement' -- Kim Scipes, Professor of Sociology, Purdue University NorthwestTable of ContentsList of Photographs Series Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Prologue PART I U.S. LABOR’S COLD WAR IN LATIN AMERICA 1. The Birth of AIFLD and the Coup in British Guiana 2. Labor’s Foreign Policy Contested and the Military Takeover in Brazil 3. AIFLD and the Battle of Chile 4. El Salvador, Nicaragua, and AIFLD’s Agenda for Central America PART II EL GOLPE 5. Mexico in the 1980s 6. U.S. Auto Companies Move South 7. The Coup 8. The Strike PART III TRACKING THE ASSASSINS 9. Detroit 10. St. Paul 11. Washington, DC Conclusion: Putting Together the Pieces of the Puzzle Appendix: On the Home “Front” Photographs Notes Index

    15 in stock

    £13.49

  • El Golpe

    Pluto Press El Golpe

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrue crime meets political thriller in an explosive exposé of US meddling in MexicoTrade Review'An impressive piece of sleuthing. Mckenzie's dogged search for answers shines a spotlight on AIFLD with its CIA links.' -- Anthony Carew, author of 'American Labour's Cold War Abroad: From Deep Freeze to Detente''An in-depth study of the rot existing within the foreign policy leadership of the AFL-CIO. Expunging this rot is essential to the revitalization of the US labor movement' -- Kim Scipes, Professor of Sociology, Purdue University NorthwestTable of ContentsList of Photographs Series Preface Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Prologue PART I U.S. LABOR’S COLD WAR IN LATIN AMERICA 1. The Birth of AIFLD and the Coup in British Guiana 2. Labor’s Foreign Policy Contested and the Military Takeover in Brazil 3. AIFLD and the Battle of Chile 4. El Salvador, Nicaragua, and AIFLD’s Agenda for Central America PART II EL GOLPE 5. Mexico in the 1980s 6. U.S. Auto Companies Move South 7. The Coup 8. The Strike PART III TRACKING THE ASSASSINS 9. Detroit 10. St. Paul 11. Washington, DC Conclusion: Putting Together the Pieces of the Puzzle Appendix: On the Home “Front” Photographs Notes Index

    15 in stock

    £68.00

  • Wobblies of the World A Global History of the IWW

    Pluto Press Wobblies of the World A Global History of the IWW

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA history of the global nature of the radical union, The Industrial Workers of the WorldTrade Review'Finally! A book about the IWW that takes seriously their global self-description. This book is a landmark and a sea beacon in the history of the planetary proletariat' -- Marcus Rediker, author of Slave Ship: A Human History (John Murray, 2008)'A splendid project and a vitally important contribution to the understanding of labor as a social movement.' -- Paul Buhle, author of Wobblies!: A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World (2005)'As a second-generation member of the IWW, I am delighted to see this outstanding collection of essays on the Wobblies, their achievements, and their substantial impact despite severe repression' -- Noam Chomsky'[A] valuable collection' -- Against the Current'Fantastic' -- Labor Notes'Recommended' -- CHOICETable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Part I: Transnational Influences on the IWW 1. 'A Cosmopolitan Crowd': Transnational Anarchists, the IWW and the American Radical Press - Kenyon Zimmer 2. Sabotage, the IWW and Repression: How the American Reinterpretation of a French Concept Gave Rise to a New International Conception of Sabotage - Dominique Pinsolle 3. Living Social Dynamite: Early Twentieth-Century IWW-South Asia Connections - Tariq Khan 4. IWW Internationalism and Interracial Organizing in the Southwestern United States - David M. Struthers 5. Spanish Anarchists and Maritime Workers in the IWW - Bieito Alonso Part II: The IWW in the Wider World 6. The IWW and the Dilemmas of Labor Internationalism - Wayne Thorpe 7. The IWW in Tampico: Anarchism, Internationalism and Solidarity Unionism in a Mexican Port - Kevan Antonio Aguilar 8. The Wobblies of the North Woods: Finnish Labor Radicalism and the IWW in Northern Ontario - Saku Pinta 9. 'We Must Do Away with Racial Prejudice and Imaginary Boundary Lines': British Columbia’s Wobblies before the First World War - Mark Leier 10. Wobblies Down Under: The IWW in Australia - Verity Burgmann 11. Ki Nga Kaimahi Maori ('To All Maori Workers'): The New Zealand IWW and the Maori - Mark Derby 12. Patrick Hodgens Hickey and the IWW: A Transnational Relationship - Peter Clayworth 13. 'The Cause of the Workers Who Are Fighting in Spain is Yours': The Marine Transport Workers and the Spanish Civil War - Matthew White 14. Edith Frenette: A Transnational Radical Life - Heather Mayer Part III: Beyond the Union: The IWW’s Influence and Legacies 15. Jim Larkin, James Connolly and the Dublin Lockout of 1913: The Transnational Path of Global Syndicalism - Marjorie Murphy 16. Tom Barker and Revolutionary Europe - Paula de Angelis 17. P. J. Welinder and 'American Syndicalism' in Interwar Sweden - Johan Pries 18. 'All Workers Regardless Of Craft, Race Or Color': The First Wave of IWW Activity and Influence in South Africa - Lucien van der Walt 19. Tramp, Tramp, Tramp: The Songs of Joe Hill Around the World - Bucky Halker Notes on Contributors Index

    15 in stock

    £24.29

  • New Research on Labor Relations and the

    Emerald Publishing Limited New Research on Labor Relations and the

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis volume presents five studies on key dimensions of union-management relations. Topics examined include union representation, financial consequences of unionism and wage determination, workplace innovation, and conflict resolution in unionized enterprises in North America.Table of ContentsList of Contributors. Introduction. Continuity and change in the structure of union representation in the U.S. Airline Industry, 1969–1999. Longitudinal stability in union wage determination: Evidence from the U.S. automobile assembly industry, 1970–1999. Employee acceptance of the crew chief program in the postal service: an analysis with pre and post data. The evolution of an alternative grievance procedure: The Columbus Typographical Union No. 5, 1859–1959. Certification outcomes and returns to shareholders in Canada. HR/IR professionals' educational needs and master's program curricula. Are we properly training future HR/IR practitioners? A review of the curricula. Executive insights into HR practices and education. Developing new proficiencies for human resource and industrial relations professionals.

    15 in stock

    £114.99

  • Teachers Unions and Education Policy

    Emerald Publishing Limited Teachers Unions and Education Policy

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe American public has increasingly heard that teacher unions and quality education are contradictory terms and that unions are responsible for the failure of public schools. This volume has a far more positive perspective on the achievements and value of teacher unions and our public education system.Table of ContentsTeacher Unions: Continuity and Change. Paralysis or Possibility: What Do Teacher Unions and Collective Bargaining Bring? Teacher Unions: Outcomes and Reform Initiatives. The National Education Association?s New Bipartisanship. Teacher Politics. Teacher Unions and Higher Education: A Policy Impact Perspective. Innovative Local Teacher Unions: What Have They Accomplished? Teacher Union Support of Education Research and Development: Traditions and New Directions. Organizing around Quality: The Struggle to Organize Mind Workers. Toward International Advocacy.

    15 in stock

    £93.99

  • Actors Organize A History of Union Formation

    McFarland & Company Actors Organize A History of Union Formation

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisExplores the history of American actors' attempts to unionize in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This book focuses on the two unions of the time, the White Rats Actors' Union of America and the Actors' Equity Association. It chronicles the formation of the unions and outlines the roles of union leaders Harry Mountford and Francis Wilson.

    Out of stock

    £27.54

  • Red November Black November

    State University Press of New York (SUNY) Red November Black November

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £22.96

  • State University of New York Press Managed Professionals

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £24.27

  • The Shadow Welfare State

    Cornell University Press The Shadow Welfare State

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhy, in the recent campaigns for universal health care, did organized labor maintain its support of employer-mandated insurance? Did labor's weakened condition prevent it from endorsing national health insurance? Marie Gottschalk demonstrates here...Trade ReviewAn explosively important book.... Marie Gottschalk's marvelous book... relieves us of the need to conjecture and hypothesize in trying to make sense of the little that we really knew of what was going on at the highest levels of the AFL-CIO ten years ago. She lifts the veil and at last we can all understand—and share in—the anger of those courageous union leaders within the federation who steadfastly stood firm for a universal, single-payer system of health care.... The working rank-and-file will ignore this book at their own peril. * The Harbinger *Gottschalk has written an incisive analysis of the failure of President Clinton's health reform proposal... Her account provides superior perspective on the debacle, because it roots the debate about employment-based health insurance plans in developments in labor-management relations and in the accommodation of leading Democrats to the business agenda that surged to the fore in the 1970s and 1980s. The book is written with verve and theoretical sophistication. * Industrial and Labor Relations Review *Gottschalk provides a thorough analysis of the political climate in which organized labor must operate. * Boston Book Review *In The Shadow Welfare State, Marie Gottschalk recounts labor's half century-long fight for decent health care coverage through both collective bargaining and political action. More than most writers, she brings these two sides of the coin together to analyze both the fragility of the private welfare state, even for those who are covered by it, and the closely related political weakness of labor in the U.S. * Labor Notes *Several solid studies of the failure of the Clinton health reform campaign of the early '90s attempt to assess the role of all the key players. Gottschalk, a University of Pennsylvania political scientist, focuses on the interaction of labor and business in that debate.... A cogent, provocative analysis of a particular battle that also raises larger questions for the future. * Booklist *This very well written and engaging book touches myriad issues in the history of labor, social democracy, and American political institutions.... All labor scholars will find her book a rich source of analysis and information on a wide variety of topics. * RI/IR, *

    1 in stock

    £97.20

  • Working for Justice

    Cornell University Press Working for Justice

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWorking for Justice features eleven case studies of recent low-wage worker organizing campaigns in Los Angeles, making the case for a distinctive "L.A. Model" of union and worker center organizing.Trade ReviewWorking for Justice serves both to refine and expand our knowledge of employee representation in Los Angeles through a collection of chapters related to union- and worker center-led efforts' on behalf of low-wage earning individuals. It offers a nuanced study of specific instances in which unions and advocacy groups have sought to organize low-wage workers.... The collection also takes us beyond the well-trodden ground of union advocacy in Los Angeles, introducing readers to the importance of worker centers within the region.... In so doing, the authors cover tremendously varied terrain while concurrently interweaving numerous threads of commonalities across the campaigns and organizing efforts to create a portrait of the intricate links between union and nonunion worker groups, a picture that most fully emerges in the excellent afterword. -- J. Ryan Lamare * ILR Review *The essays in this volume offer us not only an informative account of some of the most vibrant and creative organizing campaigns to have emerged in recent years; they may also provide a glimpse of labor's future. -- Joseph A. McCartin * Labor/Le Travail *Table of ContentsForeword by Joshua Bloom Introduction by Ruth MilkmanPart I: Worker Centers, Ethnic Communities, and Immigrant Rights AdvocacyChapter 1. The Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance: Spatializing Justice in an Ethnic "Enclave" by Jong Bum KwonChapter 2. Organizing Workers along Ethnic Lines: The Pilipino Workers' Center by Nazgol GhandnooshChapter 3. Alliance-Building and Organizing for Immigrant Rights: The Case of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles by Caitlin C. PatlerChapter 4. Building Power for "Noncitizen Citizenship": A Case Study of the Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network by Chinyere OsujiPart II: Occupational and Industry-Focused Organizing CampaignsChapter 5. The Los Angeles Taxi Workers Alliance by Jacqueline Leavitt and Gary BlasiChapter 6. From Legal Advocacy to Organizing: Progressive Lawyering and the Los Angeles Car Wash Campaign by Susan Garea and Sasha Alexandra SternChapter 7. NDLON and the History of Day Labor Organizing in Los Angeles by Maria DziembowskaChapter 8. The Garment Worker Center and the "Forever 21" Campaign by Nicole A. Archer, Ana Luz Gonzalez, Kimi Lee, Simmi Gandhi, and Delia HerreraPart III: Unions and Low-Wage Worker OrganizingChapter 9. Ally to Win: Black Community Leaders and SEIU’s L. A. Security Unionization Campaign by Joshua BloomChapter 10. From the Shop to the Streets: UNITE HERE Organizing in Los Angeles Hotels by Forrest StuartChapter 11. The Janitorial Industry and the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund by Karina MuñizAfterword by Victor NarroNotes References About the Contributors Index

    1 in stock

    £91.80

  • Power in Coalition

    Cornell University Press Power in Coalition

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe labor movement sees coalitions as a key tool for union revitalization and social change, but there is little analysis of what makes them successful or the factors that make them fail. Amanda Tattersallan organizer and labor scholaraddresses this gap in the first internationally comparative study of coalitions between unions and community organizations.Tattersall argues that coalition success must be measured by two criteria: whether campaigns produce social change and whether they sustain organizational strength over time. The book contributes new, practical frameworks and insights that will help guide union and community organizers across the globe. The book throws down the gauntlet to industrial relations scholars and labor organizers, making a compelling case for unions to build coalitions that wield power with community organizations.The book centers on three detailed case studies: the public education coalition in Sydney, the Ontario Health Coalition in TorontTrade ReviewAmanda Tattersall has done a terrific job of capturing and analyzing the power of 'positive-sum' coalitions, illustrating how these can effect social change in society as we as internally reinvent the member organizations. Power in Coalition provides both the academic and the activists with analytical devices for understanding the opportunities and challenges of coalitions, expanding the notion of coalition success, and clearly distinguishing three fundamental coalition elements: common concern, organizational relationships, and scale. This is a must read for scholars and practitioners in the fields of social movements, labor relations, and geography. -- Maite Tapia * Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal *Tattersall's interest in going beyond bemoaning unions’ decline, on the one hand, and celebrating extraordinary success stories, on the other, ought to spur further comparative analysis on the same themes. In particular, it should spark useful discussions among union activists at a time when the public is increasingly unfamiliar with the labor movement’s historic role and demands more inclusive goals from the movement—and when unions are in sore need of allies. -- Manfred Elfstrom * ILRReview *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Elements of Coalition Unionism 2. The Public Education Coalition in New South Wales 3. Living Wages and the Grassroots Collaborative in Chicago 4. The Ontario Health Coalition 5. Power in Coalition Conclusion: The Possibilities of Successful Coalitions References Index

    1 in stock

    £20.79

  • European Unions

    Cornell University Press European Unions

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisRoland Erne''s view of transnational trade union networks challenges the assertion that no realistic prospect exists for remedying the European Union''s democratic deficitthat is, its domination by corporate interests and lack of a cohesive European people. His book describes the emergence of a European trade union movement that crosses national boundaries. Erne assesses national and EU-level trade union politics in two core areas: wage bargaining in the European Monetary Union and job protection during transnational corporate mergers and restructuring. The wage coordination policies of the European metal and construction workers'' unions and the unions'' responses in the ABB-Alstom Power and Alcan-Pechiney-Algroup merger cases, Erne finds, show that the activities of labor are not confined to the national level: labor''s policies have undergone Europeanization. This cross-national borrowing of tactics is itself proof of the increasing integration of European states and societies.Trade ReviewEuropean Unions is a very useful, well-constructed, and welcome contribution to a growing literature on the coordination of unions at the European level and is particularly valuable for its case studies. Erne handles the complexities of his subject well, applies his theoretical framework in a convincing way, and provides enough well-marshaled detail to persuade the reader of at least parts of his case. * Industrial Relations *Erne provides strong empirical evidence that unions not only are affected by European integration but also affect future EU developments through their actions. Erne provides readers with a timely and useful analysis of the ways that economic integration is changing the power resources of organized labor in Europe, the types of strategies unions have developed in response, and the role that labor may play in shaping the political development of the EU down the road. * Industrial and Labor Relations Review *Erne's pertinent study of European trade unionism is a sophisticated, nuanced examination of organized labor's attempt to create a transnational democracy in the EU. * Choice *Though European Unions is several years old, the book's discussion and analytic considerations relating to citizenry, democracy, collective action and bargaining, and governance remain topical. Indeed, the book's central claims are worth revisiting considering the trade union and labor resistance to austerity measures being implemented throughout Europe today. * Critical Sociology *Table of Contents1. IntroductionPart I. Analytical Framework2. Approaching Euro-Democracy and Its Alternatives3. Do Unions Have an Interest in Euro-Democratization?Part II. European Labor Wage-Bargaining Strategies4. Wage Policy and the European Monetary Union5. The Rise of National Competitive Corporatism6. European Wage-Bargaining Coordination Networks: Insights from the Manufacturing and the Construction Industry7. Beyond Competitive Corporatism?: Insights from Germany, France, and ItalyPart III. Responses by Labor to Transnational Company Mergers8. The European Regulation of Transnational Company Mergers9. A Euro-Democratization Union Strategy: The ABB Alstom Power Case10. A Euro-Technocratization Union Strategy: The Alcan-Pechiney-Algroup Case11. ConclusionNotesReferencesIndex

    10 in stock

    £20.69

  • Midnight in Vehicle City General Motors Flint and

    Beacon Press Midnight in Vehicle City General Motors Flint and

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisWinner of the 2021 Midland Authors Book Award in HistoryIn a time of great inequality and a gutted middle class, the dramatic story of “the strike heard around the world” is a testament to what workers can gain when they stand up for their rights.The tumultuous Flint sit-down strike of 1936-1937 was the birth of the United Auto Workers, which set the standard for wages in every industry. Midnight in Vehicle City tells the gripping story of how workers defeated General Motors, the largest industrial corporation in the world. Their victory ushered in the golden age of the American middle class and created a new kind of America, one in which every worker had a right to a share of the company’s wealth. The causes for which the strikers sat down—collective bargaining, secure retirement, better wages—enjoyed a half century of success. But now, the middle class is disappearing and economic inequality is at its highest since before th

    10 in stock

    £20.96

  • Midnight in Vehicle City

    Beacon Press Midnight in Vehicle City

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisWinner of the 2021 Midland Authors Book Award in HistoryIn a time of great inequality and a gutted middle class, the dramatic story of “the strike heard around the world” is a testament to what workers can gain when they stand up for their rights.The tumultuous Flint sit-down strike of 1936-1937 was the birth of the United Auto Workers, which set the standard for wages in every industry. Midnight in Vehicle City tells the gripping story of how workers defeated General Motors, the largest industrial corporation in the world. Their victory ushered in the golden age of the American middle class and created a new kind of America, one in which every worker had a right to a share of the company’s wealth. The causes for which the strikers sat down—collective bargaining, secure retirement, better wages—enjoyed a half century of success. But now, the middle class is disappearing and economic inequality is at its highest since before th

    10 in stock

    £15.26

  • Mickey and the Teamsters  A Fight for Fair Unions

    University Press of Florida Mickey and the Teamsters A Fight for Fair Unions

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisBehind the costumes, life isn’t always magic and fairy dust for the people who play the iconic characters of Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Cinderella at Walt Disney World. In a surprising tale of corruption alongside activism, this book reveals the little-known story of Teamsters Local 385, the union that represents these performers.Trade Review“This timely, well-researched, well-reported volume explores what happens when a union becomes undemocratic. . . . Will appeal to readers interested in union politics, Disney history, or nonfiction books that take a deep dive into their subjects.”—Library Journal

    2 in stock

    £20.66

  • A Future of Lousy Jobs

    Rlpg/Galleys A Future of Lousy Jobs

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £18.99

  • Rights at Work

    Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Rights at Work

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £18.04

  • Freedom and Fairness

    Spokesman Books Freedom and Fairness

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £17.58

  • Lawrence & Wishart Ltd Century of Service Illustrated History of The

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £23.75

  • A New Labor Movement for the New Century

    Monthly Review Press,U.S. A New Labor Movement for the New Century

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis work charts the possibilities for a more vibrant, inclusive and democratic labour movement in the USA. It discusses issues such as: how is labour responding to a workforce increasingly made up of women and people of colour?; and what are the best tactics for organizing and mobilizing?

    Out of stock

    £25.08

  • New York University Press Rising from the Ashes Labor in the Age of global

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £71.91

  • The Five Dollar Day Labor Management and Social

    State University of New York Press The Five Dollar Day Labor Management and Social

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn 1903, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in a small Detroit workshop. Five years later, he introduced the Model T and met with extraordinary commercial success. Between 1910 and 1914, he developed mass production and made the conveyor a symbol of the auto-industrial age. Then, in 1914, Ford acquired an overnight reputation as humanitarian, philanthropist and social reformer; and simultaneously infuriated the business community and stunned social reformers with his announcement of the outrageous Five Dollar Day. More than simply high-wage policy, the Five Dollar Day attempted to solve attitudinal and behavioral problems with an effort to change the worker's domestic environment. Half of the five dollars represented wages and the other half was called profitswhich the worker received only when he met specific standards of efficiency and home life that accorded with the ideal of an American way of life which the company felt was the basis for industrial efficiency. The unique and short-lived Ford program did not succeed, yet its significance as an early managerial strategy goes beyond the boundaries of success or failure. The Ford Motor Company was uniquely situated in the historical evolution of labor management and industrial technology, and this readable study of that evolution, which highlights the Ford workers, is a chapter in the larger history of labor and work in America.

    Out of stock

    £22.96

  • For We are Sold I Ad My People

    State University of New York Press For We are Sold I Ad My People

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisOn the basis of systematic research and personal experience, For We Are Sold, I and My People uncovers some of the social costs of modern production. Maria Patricia Fernandez-Kelly peels off the labels?Made in Taiwan, Assembled in Mexico?and the trade names?RCA, Sony, General Motors, United Technologies, General Electric, Mattel, Chrysler, American Hospital Supply?to reveal the hidden human dimensions of present-day multinational manufacturing procedures.Focusing on Cuidad Juarez, located at the United States-Mexican border, Fernandez-Kelly examines the reality of maquiladoras, the hundreds of assembly plants that since the 1960s have been used by the Mexican government as part of its development strategy. Most maquiladoras function as subsidiaries of large U.S.-based corporations and a majority of the employees are women. Drawing from current knowledge in political economy and anthropology, this study focuses on one common denominator of the international division of labor?a growing proletariat of Third World women exploited by what some experts are calling the global assembly line.

    Out of stock

    £22.96

  • Reforming the Chicago Teamsters

    Cornell University Press Reforming the Chicago Teamsters

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow did the Chicago Teamsters Local 705, once notorious for corruption and despotism, become an organization that the Wall Street Journal hailed as a model of reform? In this compelling narrative, Bruno tells of the often violent, always contentious struggle to reform one of the nation''s most powerful and independent union locals. During the worst years, Chicago Teamsters operated under thinly veiled threats and settled differences by fistfights. Workers who questioned the powerful leadership faced physical intimidation, verbal abuse, and trumped-up charges that threatened their jobs. With the expulsion of key leaders in the early 1990s, however, a decade-long struggle for control of the union began as Local 705 cast off the old days of coercion and payoffs. Reformers encouraged rank-and-file Teamsters to choose their own leaders, and after two successive open elections, an unprecedented number of Teamsters turned out to vote in a dramatic 2000 election featuring five Trade Review"An important, engrossing, and well-written book.... Bruno's colorful commentary brings to life the high drama of the Teamsters' transformation."—Paul F. Clark, Pennsylvania State University "A unique and interesting study. No one else has reported such a fascinating case of day-by-day internal union politics."—George Strauss, University of California, BerkeleyTable of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction Part One—The Corruption and Redemption of Local 705 1. Teamsters' Power and Politics 2. Fighting Corruption 3. Democratic Governance 4. Democracy Brings Results Part Two—Union Democracy, Elections, and the Politics of Local 705 5. The Reformers Split 6. The Nomination of Political Parties 7. The Campaign Begins 8. Campaign Platforms and Rank-and-File Votes 9. Campaign Issues 10. The 705 Vote Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £18.89

  • Struggling with Iowas Pride

    University of Iowa Press Struggling with Iowas Pride

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis history of Ottumwa's meatpacking workers provides insights into the development of several forms of labour relations in Iowa during the Democratic party's ascendancy across much of industrial North America following World War II.

    15 in stock

    £19.90

  • The Disney Revolt

    Chicago Review Press The Disney Revolt

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review“Jake S. Friedman has done an impressive job of research, to put it mildly. Without knowing the sequence of events it’s impossible to understand how this bitter strike came about. Add to that the perceived insults, slights, and resentments and you have the stuff of great drama.” —Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian, author of Of Mice and Magic “Author Jake S. Friedman takes us on a deep dive into Hollywood history delivered in a style that reads like a film noir page turner. I could not put this book down.” —Don Hahn, producer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King “Gangsters, backroom deals, murder, and . . . cartoons? I’ve long been interested in the 1941 Disney strike, and Jake S. Friedman’s book does not disappoint. Well written and thoroughly researched—a great read!” —Pete Docter, director of Monsters Inc., Up, Inside Out, and SoulTable of ContentsAuthor’s Note Prologue Part I: Innovation 1. My Father Was a Socialist 2. Poor and Starving 3. The Value of Loyalty 4. Arthur Babbitt: Hell-Raiser 5. Fighting for His Salary 6. You Can’t Draw Your Ass 7. The Disney Art School 8. Three Little Pigs 9. Enter Bioffsky 10. The Cult of Personality 11. A Feature-Length Cartoon 12. Bioff Stakes His Claim 13. A Drunken Mouse 14. Disney’s Folly 15. Defense Against the Enemy Part II: Turmoil 16. A Growing Divide 17. The Norconian 18. A Wooden Boy and a World War 19. Dreams Shattered 20. Hilberman, Sorrell, and Bioff 21. The Federation Versus the Guild 22. The Guild and Babbitt 23. Disney Versus the Labor Board 24. The Final Strike Vote 25. Strike! 26. The Big Stick 27. The 21 Club 28. Willie Bioff and Walt Disney 29. The Guild and the CIO 30. Not the Drawing 31. The Final Goodbye 32. And They Lived Epilogue Notes Index

    15 in stock

    £16.16

  • Just Transitions

    Cambridge University Press Just Transitions

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis Element aims to place just transition in the dynamics of the world political economy over the last several decades and to offer an overview of the varieties of just transitions based on an analytical scheme that focuses on their breadth, depth and ambition.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Just transition as a response to Neoliberalism in the USA: 1970s to 2001; 2. The globalization of just transition: 2001-present; 3. The breadth of just transitions; 4. The depth of just transitions; 5. The ambition of just transitions: a double take; Conclusions; References.

    1 in stock

    £17.00

  • Enough Blame to Go Around The Labor Pains of New

    State University Press of New York (SUNY) Enough Blame to Go Around The Labor Pains of New

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £21.64

  • The Making of the National Labor Relations Board

    State University of New York Press The Making of the National Labor Relations Board

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisDefinitive study of the NLRB as an administrative agency which became one of the most important political and legal developments in the last century as it influenced the growth of a national labor policy and the use of administrative processes and legal methods in U.S. labor relations. Fifty in-depth oral history interviews with individuals prominent in the history of NLRB supplement data from NLRB files and the National Archives.

    Out of stock

    £22.96

  • State University of New York Press Undervalued Dissent

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisUses two case studies to demonstrate how neoliberal reforms in India have de-democratized labor politics.Honorable Mention, 2018 Global Division Book Award presented by the Global Division of the Society for the Study of Social Problems Historically, the Indian state has not offered welfare and social rights to all of its citizens, yet a remarkable characteristic of its polity has been the ability of citizens to dissent in a democratic way. In Undervalued Dissent, Manjusha Nair argues that this democratic space has been vanishing slowly. Based on extensive fieldwork in Chhattisgarh, a regional state in central India, this book examines two different informal workers'' movements. Informal workers are not part of organized labor unions and make up eighty-five percent of the Indian workforce. The first movement started in 1977 and was a success, while the other movement began in 1989 and still continues today, without success. The workers in both movements had similar backgrounds, skills, demands, and strategies. Nair maintains that the first movement succeeded because the workers contended within a labor regime that allowed space for democratic dissent, and the second movement failed because they contested within a widely altered labor regime following neoliberal reforms, where these spaces of democratic dissent were preempted. The key difference between the two regimes, Nair suggests, is not in the withdrawal of a prolabor state from its protective and regulatory role, as has been argued by many, but rather in the rise of a new kind of state that became functionally decentralized, economically predatory, and politically communalized. These changes, Nair concludes, successfully de-democratized labor politics in India.

    Out of stock

    £65.04

  • A New American Labor Movement

    State University of New York Press A New American Labor Movement

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisDescribes how new kinds of direct-action labor movements are emerging to reshape American labor activism in the twenty-first century.The American labor movement isn''t dead. It''s just moving from the bargaining table to the streets. In A New American Labor Movement, William Scheuerman analyzes how the decline of unions and the emergence of these new direct-action movements are reshaping the American labor movement. Tens of thousands of exploited workers-from farm laborers and gig drivers to freelance artists and restaurant workers-have taken to the streets in a collective attempt to attain a living wage and decent working conditions, with or without the help of unions. This new worker militancy, expressed through mass demonstrations, strikes, sit-ins, political action, and similar activities, has already achieved much success and offers models for workers to exercise their power in the twenty-first century. Finally, Scheuerman notes, many of the strategies of the new direct-action groups share features with the sectoral bargaining model that dominates the European labor movement, suggesting that sectoral bargaining may become the foundation of a new American labor movement.

    Out of stock

    £22.96

  • A New American Labor Movement

    State University of New York Press A New American Labor Movement

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisDescribes how new kinds of direct-action labor movements are emerging to reshape American labor activism in the twenty-first century.The American labor movement isn''t dead. It''s just moving from the bargaining table to the streets. In A New American Labor Movement, William Scheuerman analyzes how the decline of unions and the emergence of these new direct-action movements are reshaping the American labor movement. Tens of thousands of exploited workers-from farm laborers and gig drivers to freelance artists and restaurant workers-have taken to the streets in a collective attempt to attain a living wage and decent working conditions, with or without the help of unions. This new worker militancy, expressed through mass demonstrations, strikes, sit-ins, political action, and similar activities, has already achieved much success and offers models for workers to exercise their power in the twenty-first century. Finally, Scheuerman notes, many of the strategies of the new direct-action groups share features with the sectoral bargaining model that dominates the European labor movement, suggesting that sectoral bargaining may become the foundation of a new American labor movement.

    Out of stock

    £65.04

  • A Grander Vision

    Dundurn Group Ltd A Grander Vision

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisA stirring, heartfelt manifesto written by a man who fervently believes in what workers with their civil society allies can achieve for the good of all.Sid Ryan, one of Canada's most courageous and progressive union leaders, draws on the experience of his varied and colourful life to show what is right with the labour movement, what is wrong, and what has to change if it is to avoid becoming irrelevant.In A Grander Vision, Ryan calls for the adoption of social movement unionism, in which labour forges an alliance with other progressive elements in civil society, taking up the cause of young people, precarious workers, and immigrants. Ryan asserts that a renewed commitment to the NDP the party that was built by unions is necessary and that the Leap Manifesto should become the pillar of the movement in Canada. Trade ReviewSid Ryan’s unapologetic commitment to the class struggle at home, and social justice internationally, made him a controversial union leader. That controversy will be stoked by his readiness to expose weaknesses in the movement that was such a fundamental part of his life. But here too he is unapologetic, rightly convinced that honest self-examination is fundamental to the working class reaching its potential as a social force. * Sam Gindin, author and former research director of the Canadian Autoworkers Union *Sid Ryan is a pit bull for justice and his book reads like an action novel! Sid has had an extraordinary life and it comes alive in this fast-paced insider’s story of the most important union battles of our time. * Maude Barlow, honorary chairperson of the Council of Canadians *No mushy middle for Sid Ryan! This is a great read, looking back at decades of bold and principled labour leadership in partnership with community, dedicated global solidarity, and a powerful call for social movement unionism to lead the struggle against inequality and climate change – a vision for a world of social, economic and environmental justice. * Svend Robinson, former NDP Member of Parliament *Sid Ryan, in his usual style, has written a no holds barred political biography mostly about his time as President of CUPE and the OFL. An inside account of the most important battles of the labour movement and within the labour movement, A Grander Vision not only looks at some of the most important political battles of the last few decades, it also provides ideas for building a strong united social movement of trade unions in alliance with community groups." * Judy Rebick, author of Heroes in My Head *I rarely agreed with Sid, but never doubted his sincerity, and — as readers will discover — his courage to stand by his principles against both friend and foe. * Claire Hoy, columnist and author *

    Out of stock

    £15.99

  • Harold Gibbons

    McFarland & Co Inc Harold Gibbons

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis Harold Gibbons (1910-1982), leader of St. Louis Teamsters Local 688, fought and defeated Communists and mobsters and was instrumental in ending racial discrimination in the union. His many friends included Frank Sinatra and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. For a few years, he was Jimmy Hoffa''s right-hand man--the two fell out after the Kennedy assassination, which Hoffa celebrated and Gibbons mourned. Exploring his day-to-day work, the author reveals the full story of Gibbons'' secret effort with Kissinger and Hoffa to bring an end to the Vietnam War.

    Out of stock

    £20.89

  • Kenny Riley and Black Union Labor Power in the

    McFarland & Co Inc Kenny Riley and Black Union Labor Power in the

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis Their ancestors may have been cargo in the slave ships that arrived in Charleston, S.C. Today, the scale has been rebalanced: black longshoremen run the port''s cargo operation. They are members of the International Longshoremen''s Association, a powerful labor union, and Kenny Riley is the charismatic leader of the Charleston local. Riley combines commitment to the civil rights movement with the practicality to ensure that Charleston remains a principal East Coast port. He emerged on the international stage in 2000, rallying union members worldwide to the defense of The Charleston Five, longshoremen arrested after a confrontation with police turned violent. This is Riley''s story as well as a behind-the-scenes look at organized black labor in a Deep South port.Trade ReviewTed Reed's eagerness to cover stories untold and keen eye for detail create an amazing understanding of the intrinsic role labor unions play in making transportation industries work. I can't think of anyone better to tackle the legacy of Kenny Riley's transformative leadership as a powerful black labor leader in the heart of the anti-union South."—Sara Nelson, international president, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO"Few writers understand the labor movement like Ted Reed does. He recognizes that any company's most important asset is its people. Kenny Riley is one of the greatest labor leaders the Machinists Union has had the pleasure to work with over the years. His fights in Charleston on behalf of his members have benefitted all working families throughout the region."—Sito Pantoja, International Association of MachinistsTable of ContentsPreface by Ted Reed 1Introduction 3 1. We Lived in Our Own Little World 9 2. Getting an Education, Separate Not Equal 21 3. Charleston the Slave Port 31 4. A City Is Born: It Grows on the Backs of Slaves 38 5. The War for Freedom Leaves Many Enslaved 48 6. South Carolina Declares War on the United States 54 7. ­Ex-Slaves Form a Labor Union and It Folds 65 8. Charleston Rots and Then Rebounds 74 9. George Washington German Brings the Union Back 8210. On the Waterfront 9311. Containers Take Over the World 10312. A Sixties Kid Takes Over Local 1422 11313. A World Beyond Charleston 12014. The Charleston Five 13015. Lessons Learned from the Charleston Five 13916. A Charleston Guy Finds Allies in New York and San Francisco 15017. The Family Politics of Local 1422 15918. For Labor, South Carolina Is Tough, but "The Union Is Anomalous" 16819. Riley Looks to Retirement 179Chapter Notes 187Bibliography 197Index 201

    Out of stock

    £20.89

  • Closing Sysco

    University of Toronto Press Closing Sysco

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisPersonal accounts are at the heart of Closing Sysco, where each story reveals the cultural, political, and historical ramifications of industrial closure in Sydney, Nova Scotia, the former steel city of Atlantic Canada.Trade Review"Closing Sysco provides something more for those interested in our present environmental moment. Its analysis of deindustrialization raises important questions about what we mean when we talk about a "just transition" away from our current dependence on fossil fuels.3 It invites us to listen carefully to the voices of fossil fuel workers and communities in that discussion, to ensure that the shape of this industrial transition is less devastating and more just and equitable than what unfolded on Cape Breton in the second half of the twentieth century." -- Ken Cruikshank, McMaster University * Network in Canadian History and Environment *"The book's major strength is unpacking the impact of cultures of resistance and representation on local experiences of industrial decline. Ultimately, Closing Sysco represents a significant contribution to the growing literature on deindustrialisation." -- Matt Beebee, University of Exeter * Scottish Labour History *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Diversify or Die: Planned Obsolescence in the Dosco Years 2. Radical Reds and Responsible Unionism: Building a “Working-Class Town” 3. It Brought Us Joy, It Brought Us Tears: Black Friday and the Parade of Concern 4. Decades in Transition: Modernization and Mechanization on the Shop Floor 5. Labour Environmentalism: Fighting for Compensation at the Sydney Coke Ovens 6. Bury It, Burn It, Truck It Away: Remediating a Toxic Legacy? 7. From Dependence to Enterprise: Economic Restructuring at the End of the Steel City 8. Making History from Sydney Steel, 2012–2016 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

    15 in stock

    £51.85

  • Closing Sysco

    University of Toronto Press Closing Sysco

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisClosing Sysco presents a history of deindustrialization and working-class resistance in the Cape Breton steel industry between 1945 and 2001. The Sydney Steel Works is at the heart of this story, having existed in tandem with Cape Breton’s larger coal operations since the early twentieth century. The book explores the multifaceted nature of deindustrialization; the internal politics of the steelworkers’ union; the successful efforts to nationalize the mill in 1967; the years in transition under public ownership; and the confrontations over health, safety, and environmental degradation in the 1990s and 2000s. Closing Sysco moves beyond the moment of closure to trace the cultural, historical, and political ramifications of deindustrialization that continue to play out in post-industrial Cape Breton Island. A significant intervention into the international literature on deindustrialization, this study pushes scholarship beyond the bounds of political econoTrade Review"Closing Sysco provides something more for those interested in our present environmental moment. Its analysis of deindustrialization raises important questions about what we mean when we talk about a "just transition" away from our current dependence on fossil fuels.3 It invites us to listen carefully to the voices of fossil fuel workers and communities in that discussion, to ensure that the shape of this industrial transition is less devastating and more just and equitable than what unfolded on Cape Breton in the second half of the twentieth century." -- Ken Cruikshank, McMaster University * Network in Canadian History and Environment *"The book's major strength is unpacking the impact of cultures of resistance and representation on local experiences of industrial decline. Ultimately, Closing Sysco represents a significant contribution to the growing literature on deindustrialisation." -- Matt Beebee, University of Exeter * Scottish Labour History *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments List of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Diversify or Die: Planned Obsolescence in the Dosco Years 2. Radical Reds and Responsible Unionism: Building a “Working-Class Town” 3. It Brought Us Joy, It Brought Us Tears: Black Friday and the Parade of Concern 4. Decades in Transition: Modernization and Mechanization on the Shop Floor 5. Labour Environmentalism: Fighting for Compensation at the Sydney Coke Ovens 6. Bury It, Burn It, Truck It Away: Remediating a Toxic Legacy? 7. From Dependence to Enterprise: Economic Restructuring at the End of the Steel City 8. Making History from Sydney Steel, 2012–2016 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

    15 in stock

    £24.29

  • Protecting the Workforce

    Lexington Books Protecting the Workforce

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis book showcases the inequalities experienced between the Global North and the Global South by exploring the production and distribution model of goods and services worldwide through an analysis of why the structure, framework, and interconnectedness of global supply chains increases the persistence of worker rights' violations. The narrative explains the power relationships between multinational corporations, their subcontractors, governments, non-governmental organizations, labor unions, and workers. The text focuses primarily on competition between workers in the Global South and the Global North who are compelled to work in global supply chains for their survival and takes a macro-look at how global supply chains operate, how they are governed, who invests and why, and who wins and who loses. From the workers' perspective, the text highlights the millions of low-wage workers who suffer exploitation and abuse at the hands of greedy multi-national corporations who are able to distTrade ReviewIn this important book Dr. Marquita Walker draws on her own union experience and a large body of research to make a convincing case: that workers’ rights will never be achieved as long as corporations are left to rely on so-called Corporate Social Responsibility, a “trust me” approach in which businesses self-regulate their global supply chains. In a series of clearly-written chapters she takes us through the complex operation of the global economy today, in which, as she succinctly puts it, “the deck is very much slanted against workers.” Yet she also points to a way forward, drawing on the promise of international worker-led corporate campaigns, legal agreements, and technological advances such as social media. -- Richard P. Appelbaum, University of California, Santa BarbaraA Defense of Workers by Dr Walker is a must read, not only by students but by multi stakeholders throughout the GSC. She peels back the layers of complexities to explain the "why" and the possible paths forward. Her passion for workers' rights brings life, hope and strategy to the global challenge of improving the lives of workers. -- Anna Burger, Cornell UniversityWalker’s book is an excellent primer for students on global logistics, whether utlilized in a college of business or social science course. The clear and accessible definitions of theories and concepts range from Fordism and cultural hegemony to foreign investment and the evolution of regulation and international oversight, all while keeping workers at the center of the narrative. Walker’s analysis of global supply chains starts with the advent of capitalism through the latest 2018 spate of deregulation, with explicit learning outcomes for students in each chapter. While laying out the pressures for a race to the bottom in environmental and worker protection that continue under non-binding self-policing regulation, Walker details the social movements initiated by local and global trade unions as well as international bodies to curb excesses and even reorganize production. “It doesn’t have to be this way” is a refrain repeated at the end of chapters, with an explanation of what is in the realm of the possible. This book fills a gap in the literature on GSC, complementing Klein’s Shock Doctrine. Taught in conjunction with critical perspectives on colonialism and racial hierarchies, Walker’s book is an important contribution to global studies. -- Vivian Price, California State University, Dominguez HillsTable of Contents1: How the Evolution of Global Supply Chains Exploits Workers 2: The Regulatory Framework3: The Development of Global Supply Chains4: The Fragmentation of Work in GSCs5: How Industrial Tragedies Foster Policy6: Corporate Social Responsibility7: Political and Legal Strategies to Regulate Global Supply Chains8: Strategies and Tools to Promote Workers’ Rights in Global Supply Chains

    Out of stock

    £31.50

  • The Supreme Court on Unions

    Cornell University Press The Supreme Court on Unions

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisLabor unions and courts have rarely been allies. From their earliest efforts to organize, unions have been confronted with hostile judges and antiunion doctrines. In this book, Julius G. Getman argues that while the role of the Supreme Court has become more central in shaping labor law, its opinions betray a profound ignorance of labor relations along with a persisting bias against unions. In The Supreme Court on Unions, Getman critically examines the decisions of the nation''s highest court in those areas that are crucial to unions and the workers they represent: organizing, bargaining, strikes, and dispute resolution.As he discusses Supreme Court decisions dealing with unions and labor in a variety of different areas, Getman offers an interesting historical perspective to illuminate the ways in which the Court has been an influence in the failures of the labor movement. During more than sixty years that have seen the Supreme Court take a dominant role, both unions and the iTrade Review"For more than half a century, Julius G. Getman has brought to the study of labor law not simply the analytical rigor of a law professor, but a hunger for facts—to understand the effects of legal rules on human behavior—and the empathy of a participant-observer—whether among paper workers in Maine, clerical workers at Yale, or university professors across the country.Getman's unique and invaluable perspective is fully on display in this tour through the Supreme Court’s labor jurisprudence." -- Craig Becker, General Counsel, AFL-CIO"In this wide-ranging, critical survey of the Supreme Court's labor law decisions, Julius G. Getman displays the practical wisdom and acuity that has made him one of the nation's leading labor law teachers and scholars for more than a half century. Even the most attentive students and scholars of labor law will find valuable insights in this book." -- Cynthia Estlund, New York University School of Law, author of Regoverning the Workplace"Julius G. Getman deftly demonstrates how the Supreme Court—over many decades—has restrained the protections and possibilities contained in the National Labor Relations Act, one of the major achievements of the New Deal era. He paints a detailed and disturbing picture of Court-imposed limitations on workers' ability to exert lawful economic pressure and to vindicate their collective voice. In doing so, Getman brings welcome historical perspective to the current state of U.S. labor law, and situates the Court as an important contributor to the NLRA’s weakened status." -- James J. Brudney, Fordham Law School"Julius G. Getman's terrific new book supports in detail his thesis that 'the Supreme Court has played a major role in transforming the National Labor Relations Act from a law meant to empower workers to a law that helps to sustain the power of employers.’ He shows that this reactionary Supreme Court role began almost immediately after the passage of the NLRA, that it has continued through Democratic and Republican majorities on the Court, and in particular that the Supreme Court’s gutting of the strike weapon has drastically tilted collective bargaining against workers and toward corporations. Getman’s keen analysis is informed and strengthened by his unusual combination of academic legal scholarship, research on the reality of labor law in the workplace, and personal involvement." -- John W. Wilhelm, Retired President, UNITE HERETable of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Court and Union Organizing 2. The Supreme Court and Collective Bargaining 3. The Supreme Court and the Right to Strike 4. The Court and the Protected Status of Economic Pressure 5. The Supreme Court, Union Picketing, and Boycotts 6. Exclusivity and the Duty of Fair Representation 7. The Court and the Definition of "Employee" under the NLRA 8. The Supreme Court and Arbitration Conclusion

    1 in stock

    £29.45

  • Building Power from Below

    Cornell University Press Building Power from Below

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA story that involves as its main players workers and Walmart does not usually have a happy ending for labor, so the counternarrative offered by Building Power from Below is must reading for activists and union personnel as well as scholars. In 2008 Walmart acquired a controlling share in a large supermarket chain in Santiago, Chile. As part of the deal Walmart had to accept the unions that were already in place. Since then, Chilean retail and warehouse workers have done something that has seemed impossible for labor in the United States: they have organized even more successful unions and negotiated unprecedented contracts with Walmart.In Building Power from Below, Carolina Bank Muñoz attributes Chilean workers' success in challenging the world's largest corporation to their organizations' commitment to union democracy and building strategic capacity. Chilean workers have spent years building grassroots organizations committed to principles of union democracy. Trade ReviewAn accessible, insightful, and refreshing contribution. * Mobilization *Building Power from Below is an enjoyable read. Muñoz introduces the union leaders and activists by name. The reader feels an intimacy with those activists. This book should be read by all those interested in strengthening democracy, militancy and strategic capacity in trade unions. It is a demonstration of how workers even under a neoliberal state and employed by the world's most anti-union corporation can beat the bully and win. * Counterfire *I would highly recommend this book to both labor activists/organizers and students of labor studies alike. This book provides a detailed account of successful union organizing against the powerful, antiunion, transnational employer that is Walmart. Both union organizers and labor studies students will benefit from Muñoz's analysis of successful union organization outside of the Western context. * Labor Studies Journal *This book gives us insights of how Walmart employees have been able to actually reach significant concessions from this giant corporation. Importantly, this book should not just be read by scholars interested in employment relations in the Global South. Academics and activists interested in the different types of power organizations can have, how to build it, and how to use it, should all have this on their shelves. * Work and Occupations *What Bank Muñoz successfully demonstrates in this book is that lessons for successful organization can often come from unexpected places. I recommend this book to scholars of labor politics and social change; moreover, its short length makes it well suited for classroom use. * Contemporary Sociology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Acronyms 1. Beating the Bully 2. Walmart in Chile 3. Leveraging Power 4. Strategic Democracy 5. The Flexible Militancy of Walmart Retail Workers 6. Looking Back and Going Forward References Index

    1 in stock

    £17.84

  • The New Politics of Transnational Labor

    Cornell University Press The New Politics of Transnational Labor

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisOver the years many transnational labor alliances have succeeded in improving conditions for workers, but many more have not. In The New Politics of Transnational Labor, Marissa Brookes explains why this dichotomy has occurred. Using the coordination and context-appropriate (CCAP) theory, she assesses this divergence, arguing that the success of transnational alliances hinges not only on effective coordination across borders and within workers'' local organizations but also on their ability to exploit vulnerabilities in global value chains, invoke national and international institutions, and mobilize networks of stakeholders in ways that threaten employers'' core, material interests.Brookes uses six comparative case studies spanning four industries, five countries, and fifteen years. From dockside labor disputes in Britain and Australia to service sector campaigns in the supermarket and private security industries to campaigns aimed at luxury hotels in Southeast Asia, Trade ReviewInsightful and thoroughly researched, The New Politics of Transnational Labor is a significant step forward for scholars trying to understand the challenges of new transnational labor alli- ances. It provides essential warnings for practitioners as well, both in practical elements of the theory as well as in the nuanced case studies. * ILR Review *

    Out of stock

    £91.80

  • The New Politics of Transnational Labor

    Cornell University Press The New Politics of Transnational Labor

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisOver the years many transnational labor alliances have succeeded in improving conditions for workers, but many more have not. In The New Politics of Transnational Labor, Marissa Brookes explains why this dichotomy has occurred. Using the coordination and context-appropriate (CCAP) theory, she assesses this divergence, arguing that the success of transnational alliances hinges not only on effective coordination across borders and within workers'' local organizations but also on their ability to exploit vulnerabilities in global value chains, invoke national and international institutions, and mobilize networks of stakeholders in ways that threaten employers'' core, material interests.Brookes uses six comparative case studies spanning four industries, five countries, and fifteen years. From dockside labor disputes in Britain and Australia to service sector campaigns in the supermarket and private security industries to campaigns aimed at luxury hotels in Southeast Asia, Trade ReviewInsightful and thoroughly researched, The New Politics of Transnational Labor is a significant step forward for scholars trying to understand the challenges of new transnational labor alli- ances. It provides essential warnings for practitioners as well, both in practical elements of the theory as well as in the nuanced case studies. * ILR Review *

    1 in stock

    £24.29

  • ReUnion

    Cornell University Press ReUnion

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWhat makes Re-Union stand out is that this solution is not only bold but also plausible. According to Madland, implementing the labor reforms is a matter of scale because rudimentary forms of new labor policies already exist in the United States. To support this idea, he provides numerous examples. Anyone who is interested in how theory and practice interact should not miss out on this book. * ILR Review *David Madland's exquisitely argued new book does not merely rehearse facts that we already know. Instead, it makes a bold, plausible, and sensible proposal about how to revive the fortunes of trade unions in the USA, and, in fact, globally. * Transfer *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Plan 2. Unions as the Solution 3. The Contours of a Modern Labor System 4. Lessons from Canada, Britain, and Australia 5. Answering Skeptics 6. Creating the New System

    1 in stock

    £21.59

  • Bob Crow: Socialist, Leader, Fighter: A Political

    Manchester University Press Bob Crow: Socialist, Leader, Fighter: A Political

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisBob Crow was the most high-profile and militant union leader of his generation. This biography focuses on his leadership of the RMT union, examining and exposing a number of popular myths created about him by political opponents. Using the schema of his personal characteristics (including his public persona), his politics and the power of his members, it explains how and why he was able to punch above his weight in industrial relations and on the political stage, helping the small RMT union become as influential as many of its much larger counterparts. As RMT leader, Crow oversaw a rise in membership and promoted a more assertive and successful bargaining approach. While he failed to unite all socialists into one new party, he established himself as the leading popular critic of neo-liberalism, 'New' Labour and the age of austerity.Trade Review‘In this well –written new biography Gregor Gall explains how and why Bob Crow achieved this fame. Central to Bob’s rise to power was the position of the RMT workers on the London Underground.’Bernadette Hyland, Lipstick socialist‘Gregor Gall’s biography does justice to Crow – the socialist, leader and fighter. He was a complicated figure and some of that complexity comes over in the book.’Paul Salveson, Tribune – April 2107‘There’s a great exploration of the structures that Crow inherited, the limitations they placed on him and what he did to change the situation, thereby encouraging the development of the RMT on the trajectory that it became renowned for.’Alan Crowe, Socialist Review May 2017‘The late leader of the small but politically important RMT union – a “Marxist Millwall supporter”, as the papers had it, and he was both; “the most hated man in Britain”, as some papers tried on, and he wasn’t – is well served by an account of his career set against informed analysis of 21st-century UK trade unions’ far-from-dinosaurish determination to grapple with changing workplaces, state rollback, electoral politics after Labour’s Blairite takeover, gender equity and globalisation. Gall is wary of the “great man” approach, but wherever Crow’s own words appear, the tale shifts from scholarly grey to vivid, quotable, charismatic and quip-filled Red Flag red – and the words “great man” look pretty spot on. ‘ THES 20/04/2017‘As the first book about Bob Crow published since his untimely death three years ago, Gregor Gall’s political biography of Crow provides us with an opportunity to review his life and his time in the railworkers’ union NUR and its successor RMT, to highlight the key reasons for his effectiveness and impact, and to examine the limits of those.’Janine Booth, Solidarity Newspaper May 2017'As a political analysis it is refreshing, nuanced and worthwhile.' Conrad Landin, TLS, June 2017‘Gall neatly presents Crow’s early life in poverty and the unshakeable class consciousness, learned from his Communist Party father, heretained all his life. He also describes Crow’s rise to prominence in the union, the industrial struggles and the RMT break with the Labour Party in 2004…a well-researched book.’Martin Pitt and Anne Kenefeck, International Socialism, A quarterly review of socialist theory, Issue 157‘The book is a fitting record of Bob’s life which draws out lessons and inspirations for us as a movement and as a class going forward.’Richard Whyte, Scottish Left Review, Issue 103‘this book should be placed high on the reading list of anyone interested in British industrial relations and the labour movement in general.’ David O’Connell, Global Labour Journal, 2018 -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Formative years 2 The 1990s 3 Becoming RMT general secretary 4 Second term as general secretary 5 Last term of office 6 Person and personal life 7 Politics and practice 8 Perception and practice 9 Legacy and legend Appendix 1: Testimonies Appendix 2: Tributes to Crow References Index

    1 in stock

    £23.57

  • European Labour Movements in Crisis: From

    Manchester University Press European Labour Movements in Crisis: From

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn this book, Prosser argues that labour movements respond to European integration in a manner which instigates competition between national labour markets. It bases its hypothesis on analysis of four countries – Germany, Spain, France and Poland – and two processes: the collective bargaining practices of trade unions in the first decade of the Eurozone and the response of trade unions and social-democratic parties to austerity in Southern Europe. In the first process, although unions did not intentionally compete, there was a drift towards zero-sum outcomes which benefited national workforces in stronger structural positions. In the second process, during which a crisis resulting from the earlier actions of labour occurred, lack of solidarity reinforced effects of competition.Trade Review'In this important book, Thomas Prosser examines how national trade unions shape competitive dynamics within and beyond the Eurozone. Rather than cooperating with their European counterparts, trade union movements adopt national perspectives, thus contributing to zero-sum forms of competition between different member states. Based on extensive field work in four European Union member states, the book shows convincingly how these processes contribute to a dualization on a European scale, which could ultimately bring the Eurozone to the brink of collapse.'Patrick Emmenegger, Professor of Comparative Political Economy and Public Policy at the University of St. Gallen'Trade unions are among the most enthusiastic supporters of European integration, and traditionally espouse doctrines of solidarity and cooperation. In practice however they often find themselves tied to national interests that send them in an opposite direction. Thomas Prosser here outlines and, more important, explains how and why this happens. He follows the behaviour of unions in Germany, France, Spain and Poland during Europe’s recent and on-going crises. Although the story is a depressing one for supporters of Europe and organised labour, his approach enables him to demonstrate how things could be different. Prosser’s unflinching realism combined with a strong theoretical base means that he avoids both naive optimism and irredeemable pessimism.'Colin Crouch, Professor Emeritus, Warwick Business School, and External Scientific Member, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne'Thomas Prosser’s book stands out for the originality and timeliness of its approach. Rather than presenting one more top-down institutional description of European employment relations models, it discusses them from the bottom-up perspective of their operation on extremely topical issues such as the Euro-crisis and labour market dualisation between insiders and outsiders. Such an approach, supported by theoretical sophistication and robust in-depth research in a number of European countries, provides a new, complex picture of current centrifugal dynamics in European societies, as well as strong evidence that industrial relations do matter today – for the better or worse.' Guglielmo Meardi, Professor of Industrial Relations and Director of the Industrial Relations research Unit, University of Warwick -- .Table of ContentsPrefacePart I: Setting up the question1 European labour movements in crisis2 How do labour movements respond to European integration? Surveying the field3 Conceptualizing European labour movements in crisisPart II: Country studies4 Germany: Accidental neomercantilism, questionable solidarity?5 Spain: Going under6 France: Au milieu7 Poland: Splendid isolation?Part III: Answering the question8 Insiders and outsiders on a European scale9 How do labour movements respond to European integration?10 Intergovernmentalism, disintegration and the importance of European unityAppendix 1: List of semi-structured research intervieweesGlossaryReferences

    Out of stock

    £76.50

  • Comrades in Conflict: Labour, the Trade Unions

    Manchester University Press Comrades in Conflict: Labour, the Trade Unions

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisOn the 50th anniversary of In Place of Strife, this scholarly study makes extensive use of previously unpublished archival and other primary sources to explain why Harold Wilson and Barbara Castle embarked on legislation to regulate the trade unions and curb strikes, and why this aroused such strong opposition, not just from the unions, but within the Cabinet and among backbench Labour MPs. This opposition transcended the orthodox ideological divisions, making temporary allies of traditional adversaries in the Party. Even Wilson’s threats either to resign, or call a general election, if his MPs and Ministers failed to support him and Castle, were treated with derision. His colleagues called Wilson’s bluff, and forced him to abandon the legislation, in return for a ‘solemn and binding’ pledge by the trade unions to ‘put their own house in order’ in tackling strikes.Trade Review'Dorey’s detailed yet highly engaged text will become a reference point and benchmark for rethinking the decline of the post-war social-democratic consensus and the nuances of industrial-relations politics. It is well written and a significant insight into the Labour Party and trade union movement of the time. It also reveals the importance of locating the specifics of political discussions and choices in the realm of political relations and historical contexts.'Labour History Review -- .Table of ContentsList of tablesAcknowledgementsList of abbreviationsIntroduction1 Emergence and Identification of the Problem2 The Donovan Commission and its Report3 The Initial Political response4 Cabinet Demurrals and Diminishing Ministerial Support5 Increasing Antipathy in the Parliamentary Labour Party 6 The Trade Unions' Implacable Hostility7 A ‘Solemn and Binding’ AgreementConclusionBibliographyIndex

    Out of stock

    £21.00

  • Assembling Cultures: Workplace Activism, Labour

    Manchester University Press Assembling Cultures: Workplace Activism, Labour

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn British political discourse the idea that in the 1970s trade unions 'ran the country' has become a truism, a folk mythology invoked against the twin perils of socialism and strikes. But who exactly wielded power in Britain’s workplaces and on what terms?Assembling cultures takes a fine-grained look at factory activism in the motor industry between 1945 and 1982, using car manufacturing as a key case for unpicking important narratives around affluence, declinism and class. It traces the development of the militant car worker stereotype and looks at the real social relations that lay behind car manufacturing’s reputation for conflict. In doing so, this book reveals a changing, complex world of social practices, cultural norms and shared values and expectations.From relatively meagre interwar trade union traditions, during the post-war period car workers developed shop-floor organisations of considerable authority, enabling some to make new demands of their working lives, but constraining others in their more radical political aims. Assembling cultures documents in detail a historic process where, from the 1950s, groups and individuals set about creating and reproducing collective power and asks what that meant for their lives. This is a story of workers and their place in the power relations of post-war Britain.This book will be invaluable to lecturers and students studying the history, sociology and politics of post-war Britain, particularly those with an interest in power, rationality, class, labour, gender and race. The detailed analysis of just how solidarity, organisation and collective action were generated will also prove useful to trade union activists.Trade Review'Much more could be said about a book which combines richness in detail with a compelling central argument. Saunders’ work makes a substantial contribution not just to studies of the labour movement but to contemporary British history more widely, and beyond the discipline on the importance of historicising working-class agency. It is also, ultimately, a hopeful book: it emphasises the possibilities for building new bonds of solidarity, democratic forms of organisation, and power in the workplace. All of which we will be in desperate need of in the coming years.'Contemporary British History'Saunders’ study makes important interventions in several historiographical. His approach suggests the potential of ‘new histories of both labour and political culture, histories that situate subjectivities, behaviours and attitudes within the lived experiences that people shared in the workplace’ (11), and it is very much to be hoped that other scholars take up this call. debates.'Journal of Contemporary History'Assembling Cultures, is a timely intervention. [...] A testament to the success of this book is its applicability to areas beyond industrial relations.'Twentieth Century British History'[…] an interesting account of the emergence and development of workers organisation in car assembly, developing the labour history which had been focused on the emergence of organisation and culture in mining, docks, textile mills, building sites, or other ‘traditional’ work cultures.'Journal of Labor and Society -- .Table of Contents1 Introduction – Agency and subjectivity in post-war labour militancy2 Car workers, trade union militancy and public discourse3 Organising in car factories 1945-604 The social practices and cultural norms of “fragmentation”, 1960-685 Productivity bargaining and re-making workplace trade unionism, 1968-756 Towards “Strike Free”, 1975-827 ConclusionIndex

    Out of stock

    £21.00

© 2025 Book Curl

    • American Express
    • Apple Pay
    • Diners Club
    • Discover
    • Google Pay
    • Maestro
    • Mastercard
    • PayPal
    • Shop Pay
    • Union Pay
    • Visa

    Login

    Forgot your password?

    Don't have an account yet?
    Create account