Book Description

Between World War I and World War II, African Americans' quest for civil rights took on a more aggressive character as a new group of black activists challenged the politics of civility traditionally embraced by old-guard leaders in favor of a more forceful protest strategy. Beth Tompkins Bates traces the rise of this new protest politics--which was grounded in making demands and backing them up with collective action--by focusing on the struggle of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) to form a union in Chicago, headquarters of the Pullman Company.

Bates shows how the BSCP overcame initial opposition from most of Chicago's black leaders by linking its union message with the broader social movement for racial equality. As members of BSCP protest networks mobilized the black community around the quest for manhood rights and economic freedom, they broke down resistance to organized labor even as they expanded the boundaries of citizenship to include equal economic opportunity. By the mid-1930s, BSCP protest networks gained platforms at the national level, fusing Brotherhood activities first with those of the National Negro Congress and later with the March on Washington Movement. Lessons learned during this era guided the next generation of activists, who carried the black freedom struggle forward after World War II. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

one of the best books in social science
When academic writings in social science have largely become fastfood (i.e., you can finish a book in a few hours and then summarize it in 2-3 sentences), you can barely find a book that is both original and systematic to some substantial extent. Andrew Abbott's The System of Professions is an extraodinary exception.

In this book, Abbott argues that each profession is bound to a set of tasks by ties of jurisdiction, the strengths and weaknesses of these ties being established in the processes of actual professional work. The central thesis of the book is that the professions make up an interdependent system, in which each profession has its activities under various kinds of jurisdiction. Jurisdictional boundaries are perpetually in dispute. Professions develop through competitions for jurisdictions over work.

Abbott's focus on professional work and interaction is clearly an ecological perspective along the line of the famous Chicago tradition in sociology. If you are interested in knowing more about this tradition, another book by the same author - Department and Discipline - would be a good place to start from.

As I said, you could not finish the book in one night without missing some really fascinating stuff. You'd probably also be amazed by the incredible coherence in Abbott's theory. For the sociology of professions, this book is both revolutionary and devastating - the field has been dead for more than 15 years since it was published in 1988!

Something rare: a new idea
When I was thinking about writing the history of a professional society, I was urged to do some reading on professions. It was discouraging. The authorities had been going in circles for years, until Abbott came along and clarified the topic. His book was well-received; as I recall he was a visiting professor in New Jersey before it was published, and a full professor at Chicago soon afterwards.

Actually, there are several new ideas. One them is that professions restrict their markets when they attempt to raise their fees by adding barriers to entry. Since demand is stable or rising, this creates opportunity for other groups to move in "below." As physicians' time becomes ever more valuable, RNs achieve the status of practitioners and LPNs fill in. Aides are now certified, and so on. This seminal idea was published in 1988. Almost ten years later, Clayton Christensen described in his well-regarded Innovators' Dilemma how a corporate fixation on upselling existing customers assured that less lucrative markets would be neglected, providing rich opportunities for new entrants. The parallel is striking.

Whether you have any interest in his topic, Abbott's exposition is worth studying as a model of effective rhetoric. And the writing is vivid; he worked for years in a large mental hospital, "After five years, . . . I had helped administer several tons of thorazine, mellaril and their cousins . . ." ... Read more

Book Description

Faith in the free market--the idea that, for instance, profit-seeking managed care companies will improve the health care delivery system--has become a basic tenet of public policy debate. But as Joel Blau demonstrates in this eye-opening book, so-called "free market" programs have been a dismal failure, heightening inequality, lowering the median standard of living, and steadily eroding the quality of our social and political life.

In Illusions of Prosperity, Blau launches a far-reaching assault on idea that "the market" knows best. Blau writes that while the share of the national income held by the bottom four fifths of the population (the poor and broad middle class combined) has continued to decline, the top fifth gained 97 percent of the increase in total household income between 1979 and 1994. "Few experiments," Blau comments, "yield such clear outcomes. Although many had hoped to benefit from the new market economy, this affluent fifth is the only segment of the population that truly has."Blau looks at recent reforms in NAFTA, education, job training, welfare, and much more, showing that the new social policies have made matters worse, because reforms that rely on the market can't compensate for the market's deficiencies. Instead, he calls for a stronger, more caring government to counter the debilitating effects of the market, and he urges the development of the broadest possible political alliances to ensure economic security.

Sure to raise controversy, Illusions of Prosperity turns today's conventional wisdom inside out, making a profound case for the importance of a strong government in a world where markets do not have all the answers. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The kind of analysis to be expected from a social worker.
I agree that "The statistics that are presented are facts that will spark conversations because many of the unbelievable stats." The vast majority of the statistics are unbelievable, either because of negligence in their calculation, or problems with invalid inferences from them.

Blau's personal bias's plague the text, and render it as useful and believable as a textbook from the U.S.S.R., although because of the well known publisher a lot of otherwise educated people with average data analysis skills might be tempted to overlook some obvious errors. That would be a grave mistake.

Social workers play an important role in our society- increasing the efficiency of those who have suffered some kind of trauma (those who have witnessed murders, or been raped, for instance). However- this book highlights the need for increased scrutiny of claims by those who lack training in the areas they write on.

Illusions of Prosperity
.I chose this book because I thought that the book was going to be discussing the stock market and its effects on the economy.I wanted to read about the stock market because I find it very interesting.I believe that Illusions of Prosperity is a very well written book.There are many facts and statistics throughout the book that kept the reading interesting and made me really stop and think.Joel Blau shifted from topic to topic very well and what I thought was the best part about the book was that he gets right to the point and does not drag out any topics.There are a large amount of topics that are discussed in this book.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.The insights and the ideas that Joel Blau shares throughout the book are well written and presented very well.I really like the way that Joel writes because he covers so much information and the information he gives is mind-boggling.I would recommend this book to anyone who is interesting in learning amazing facts about a wide range of topics.Joel Blau covers almost every topic that deals with economic security, from the stock market, wages, and age discrimination.I thought some of the best topics that were covered in this book were:The income barrier between different races and sex, facts about the number of businesses that move to different countries for cheaper labor and the amazing differences in labor costs, unbelievable unemployment facts, and the differences in jobs with higher levels of education.The statistics that are presented are facts that will spark conversations because many of the unbelievable stats.I would give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

A Very Disappointing Book
First an admission: my politics are free-market libertarian -- quite the opposite of Joel Blau's collectivism.

Nevertheless, I opened this book --published by a distinguished press -- with an open mind, sincerely hopingto learn as well as to be challenged.Neither happened.

Essential toBlau's case for greater government intervention and more "economicdemocracy" is his factual claim that recent prosperity is an illusion,save for all but the richest Americans.He cites familiar statistics andstudies purporting to prove that the average American household reached itspeak of earning power in 1973 -- and that it's been downhill ever since.(At one point Blau actually says that prosperity of the sort that Americansknew during the first 30 years following WWII has "disappeared withouta trace."Is he serious?)

From time to time, Blau seems torecognize the many problems that have been pointed out with the data herelies upon, but his efforts to meet those objections are weak.Moreimportantly, Blau totally ignores the important research done by economistsshowing that the average American worker's ability to consume almost allgoods and services available on the market is greater today than it was atany time in the past -- including 1973.

If you're looking forwell-researched, well-written books that offer clear pictures of the changein American living standards over the years, Blau's book isn't one. Instead, read W. Michael Cox and Richard Alm, MYTHS OF RICH & POOR(Basic Books, 1999), and Stanley Lebergott, PURSUING HAPPINESS (PrincetonUniversity Press, 1993).These books are written by economists who knowhow to use, evaluate, and report empirical data.

In short, no seriousperson who evaluates the evidence objectively can conclude that the averageAmerican worker hasn't enjoyed substantial improvements in living standardsover the past quarter century.Indeed, even those tiny handful ofAmericans (about 5%) who never move out of the lowest income-earningquintile have enjoyed significant increases in their ability to purchasealmost all goods and services available on the market.

In addition topainting a woefully distorted picture of reality, Blau's theoreticalarguments display a grave failure to grasp the most basic economicprinciples.For example, in arguing against free trade, he naively assumesthat "business" is a great monolith -- monolithically in favor offree trade because free trade gives it access to cheap labor.

But ontrade issues there is no monolithic business interest.Some businessesfavor free trade because it promises them greater profits, while otherbusinesses oppose free trade because it will subject them to greatercompetition.Ask USX if it supports free trade in steel.The answeryou'll get is a resounding "no!"Ask American sugar farmer ifthey support freer trade in sugar.Again, "no!"Ask U.S.airlines if they're willing to let foreign air carriers transportpassengers on domestic U.S. routes."Not a chance!"

In truth,business people have been among the greatest and most successful opponentsof free trade throughout history.To assume, as Blau does, that free tradehelps business at the expense of workers and consumers is among the mosttired and well-refuted objections to free trade.

Countless other flawsmar this book.I cannot in good conscience recommend that anyone read it.

DEMOCRATIC LEFT, SPRING 1999
Blau argues that our veneration of markets has lowered the living standards of most Americans, and made us more vulnerable to the next economic crisis.... In an age of an 11,000 Dow index, and wide celebrationof general prosperity, Blau exposes the truly bifurcated nature of the U.S.economy at the millenium: The richest one percent of Americans now have 39percent of the net national wealth.Blau reminds us that his level isexceeded only by the period immediately prior to the Great Depression.....ILLUSIONS OF PROSPERITY reminds one of the sort of comprehensive, buteminently readable social policy analyses Michael Harrington wrote in pastdecades.Joel Blau, as in his previous book, THE VISIBLE POOR:Homelessness in the United States, is clearly carrying on the tradition.

Advance Praise for ILLUSIONS OF PROSPERITY
"Joel Blau has written a thoughtful and cogent analysis of the state of American society today, the impact of the market system on working families, and the consequences likely to flow from weakening the safety netfurther.The "Next Deal" solutions he proposes -- fullemployment policies, living wages, protection of the right to organize,stepped up infrastructure investments and meaningful social and welfareprotections -- are cornerstones of any economic and political democracy,which lawmakers would do well to keep in mind as they shape policy for the21st century." -- JOHN SWEENEY, PRESIDENT, AFL-CIO

"Blau hascompiled a powerful brief against the neo-laissez faire doctrines that havedominated American economic and social welfare policy for threedecades." -- RICHARD CLOWARD AND FRANCES FOX PIVEN

"Clearlywritten, closely argued, and carefully documented, ILLUSIONS OF PROSPERITYis an indispensable guide to public policy in these uncertain times.Blaunot only charts how the American governement's embrace of laissez-faireideology has wrecked havoc he tells us what can be done to undo the damage. Must reading for anyone who cares about what's happening to the averageAmerican." -- CHARLES NOBLE, author of WELFARE AS WE KNEW IT ... Read more

Book Description

An economy that operates 24/7—as ours now does—imposes extraordinary burdens on workers. Two-fifths of all employed Americans work mostly during evenings, nights, weekends, or on rotating shifts outside the traditional 9-to-5 work day. The pervasiveness of nonstandard work schedules has become a significant social phenomenon, with important implications for the health and well-being of workers and their families. In Working in a 24/7 Economy, Harriet Presser looks at the effects of nonstandard work schedules on family functioning and shows how these schedules disrupt marriages and force families to cobble together complex child-care arrangements that should concern us all.

The number of hours Americans work has received ample attention, but the issue of which hours—or days—Americans work has received much less scrutiny.Working in a 24/7 Economy provides a comprehensive overview of who works nonstandard schedules and why. Presser argues that the growth in women’s employment, technological change, and other demographic changes over the past 30 years gave rise to the growing demand for late-shift and weekend employment. She also demonstrates that most people who work these hours do so primarily because it is a job requirement, rather than a choice based on personal considerations. Presser shows that the consequences of working nonstandard schedules often differ for men and women since housework and child-rearing remain primarily female preserves, even when both spouses are employed. As with many other social problems, the burden of these schedules disproportionately affects the working poor, reflecting their lack of options in the workplace and adding to their disadvantage. Presser also documents how such work arrangements have created a new rhythm of daily life within many American families, including those with two earners and absent fathers. With spouses often not at home together in the evenings or nights, and parents often not at home with their children at such times, the relatively new concept of "home-time" has emerged as primary concern for families across the nation.

Employing a wealth of empirical data, Working in a 24/7 Economy shows that nonstandard work schedules are both highly prevalent among American families and generate a level of complexity in family functioning that demands greater public attention.Presser makes a convincing case for expanded research and meaningful policy initiatives to address this growing social phenomenon. ... Read more

Book Description

The world knows that there is a global crisis of inequality in pay.But what caused it?Where is it more and where less severe?What can be done?This book deploys new techniques and a new global data set to advance striking answers to these questions, answers that have eluded even the largest international research institutions such as the OECD and the World Bank. Chapters trace the U.S. wage structure back to 1920, the relationship of inequality and unemployment in Europe, and the relationships of inequality to economic growth, liberalization, financial crisis, state violence and industrial policy in more than fifty developing countries. ... Read more

Book Description

We live in an age of economic paradox. The dynamism of America's economy is astounding--the country's industries are the most productive in the world and spin off new products and ideas at a bewildering pace. Yet Americans feel deeply uneasy about their economic future. The reason, Paul Osterman explains, is that our recent prosperity is built on the ruins of the once reassuring postwar labor market. Workers can no longer expect stable, full-time jobs and steadily rising incomes. Instead, they face stagnant wages, layoffs, rising inequality, and the increased likelihood of merely temporary work. In Securing Prosperity, Osterman explains in clear, accessible terms why these changes have occurred and lays out an innovative plan for new economic institutions that promises a more secure future.

Osterman begins by sketching the rise and fall of the postwar labor market, showing that firms have been the driving force behind recent change. He draws on original surveys of nearly 1,000 corporations to demonstrate that firms have reorganized and downsized not just for the obvious reasons--technological advances and shifts in capital markets--but also to take advantage of new, team-oriented ways of working. We can't turn the clock back, Osterman writes, since that would strip firms of the ability to compete. But he also argues that we should not simply give ourselves up to the mercies of the market.

Osterman argues that new policies must engage on two fronts: addressing both higher rates of mobility in the labor market and a major shift in the balance of power against employees. To deal with greater mobility, Osterman argues for portable benefits, a stronger Unemployment Insurance system, and new labor market intermediaries to help workers navigate the labor market. To redress the imbalance of power, Osterman assesses the possibilities of reforming corporate governance but concludes the best approach is to promote "countervailing power" through innovative unions and creative strategies for organizing employee voice in communities. Osterman gives life to these arguments with numerous examples of promising institutional experiments.

Reviews (2)

Socialism in the Business School
I have carefully read this book and have seen Dr. Osterman deliver severallectures.The theoretical model underlying all of his work is the transferof money and resources from those who have earned it to those who have not- in other words socialism.

One of the primary pieces of evidence in thisbook and others is the growing wage gap between the "rich" andthe "poor."Paul and other policy wonks of his ilk know verywell these are misleading statistics.Ours is a dynamic economy.Longterm studies of the rich and poor show that the folks in the bottom end ofthe income spectrumare very young and/or uneducated.Over any 5 yearperiod of time fewer than 20% of the people at thebottom remain at thebottom.Dr. Osterman recommends policies to move people out of thesetemporary brackets not by individual hard work but by income redistribution- overseen, presumably, by academic elites like himself.

Lefties such asOsterman believe a small group of elites can make better decisions providebetter outcomes for society than individuals making decisions forthemselves.I discourage the purchase of this book; a subscription to theWall Street Journal is money much better spent.

Wise look at the need for raising all ships
Osterman presents a carefully researched look at the problems facing American workers in the new economy.He puts forth so solid a case for the need to ensure equity for all--not just technologists--that he evenconvinced this consultant that something has to be done.Like many, Ithought the disillusionment and chaos of the past was history, but heproves that only by forming new kinds of institutions will workers be ableto ensure that they are allowed the opportunity to succeed in what remainsa very difficult environment for all too many workers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sally Helgesen has done a remarkable job of illuminating the ways the workplace has infringed upon our lives. She uses the pop-speak phrase 24/7 to symbolize the transformation of our sense of time through technology and the blurring of boundaries between work and home. Helgesen details changes including the shift from an industrial economy to a "knowledge economy"; the technology that has spawned a sleepless business culture; the leaner organizations with longer job descriptions; and the domestic drama of overscheduled children and overmanaged health care and finances. The result, warns Helgesen, is not that time is getting away from us, or that work intrudes upon leisure, but that "We have forfeited ways of being that are fundamental to us as humans."

Yet Helgesen doesn't simply describe the challenges to our public and private lives. She also offers six smart strategies for pursuing what she calls "elegance and simplicity in all our decisions and taking advantage--or resisting--what technology has wrought." Her ideas include a new approach to networking through "building a web of inclusion," learning to "zigzag" by charting an individual path of development, and building a personal brand that expresses core values. Helgesen's artful balance of observations and suggestions creates a insightful and practical guide in a rock-around-the-clock world. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent!
Similar to Steven Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People, etc.) principles, but stated in a fresh way and making insightful observations about life at the turn of the 21st century - why it's so stressful, and what we can do about it. I bought this book for one friend and recommended it to several others.

A practical guide to adjusting routines
Six strategies for taming the 'new world of work' address the problems inherent in the breakdown between barriers between work and home life. Readers who find themselves working not only harder but all the time will find Thriving In 24/7 a practical guide to adjusting routines and recognizing the hidden obstacles to success at home and at work. ... Read more

Book Description

In the next 20 years, citizens over the age of 65 will outnumber children for the first time. America?s labor force is not only growing older, it?s also ushering in a whole new set of work force issues to tackle ? including an impending labor shortage. By 2010 there will be 169 million jobs in the United States, but only 159 million workers to undertake them ? a 10 million worker shortfall! Exhaustively researched, masterfully written, and extremely informative ? this book candidly and comprehensively lays out the statistics of the graying labor pool, the implications for business organizations, and suggested solutions and strategies. It helps organizations plan and position for the changing labor market, offering strategies to help companies effectively compete for the best and the brightest of the shrinking labor pool. It also explores how to leverage the strengths of older workers, slowdown strategies, phased retirement, rehiring, and much more. It?s a must read for business owners, executives, HR professionals, consultants ? any anyone responsible for staffing and business strategy. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A wake-up call for business leaders!!
Bob Critchley'sbook provides a powerful and compelling argument for "thinking outside the box".

The population demographics are inevitable and organisations ignore them at their own peril.

Unless organisations adopt flexible ways of engaging employees and think laterally about how to maximise the contribution of every single employee, they are doomed to become victims of the demographic reality.

Critchley's book not only provides the evidence and demonstrates the inevitibility - but he also provides a compendium of ideas about how to respond.

An invaluable guide to any forward thinking HR professional.

A must read for people focussed organisations
Time marches slowly on and we all tend get caught up in our day to day and short term activities. Just like when global warming incidents started to occur. In isolation they meant little and then a pattern and explanation emerged. Critchley pulls together the signs in our demographic and employment changes. Dramatic shortages in skilled labour arise; a lack of investment in infrastructure becomes apparent; retirement and aged care issues start to be reported in the media; the funding of retirees becomes a federal budget issue; government start to create incentives to get people back to work. For those who run businesses other symptoms become apparent. So often the employer has to convince the prospective employee why to join them; the employer becomes aware of impending skill losses as older employees approach retirement age; people talk about not wanting to fully retire and having flexible arrangements; the employer can't find the right people.
Critchley's book suddenly pulls all these incidents and changes in attitude together into one easy flowing cohesive read. He paints a picture of why things are happening and what is likely to continue to happen. More importantly he canvasses what needs to be done for organisations to be successful in this environment. Many organisations pay lip service to people being their most important asset and often they have a short term focus. Critchley really sets down some ideas and a framework that organisations, who really do value people, will need to adopt to be successful in the long term. A must read.

Excellent and insightful
Robert has continued in the genre of his earlier work, providing an invaluable 200 pages of insights, examples and especially ideas on how to cope - and communicate with - a multi-generational workforce. The second half of the book is a real easy "go to" piece when you're faced with needing reinforcement and new ideas to optimise your businesses biggest asset. Despite its easy going nature, there's a strong message throughout this book, which is hard to ignore, and will create a real wake-up call for many.

The shape of things to come
Bob Critchley addresses an important subject namely changing demographics and the implications for our emerging world of work.By combining insightful observations with thoughtful questions Bob effectively prompts us to address these coming changes.

Insightful!
This is a timely book about a huge, unchangeable natural event: the demographic shift. Nothing can turn back the clock or change the direction of a demographic wave. Author Robert K. Critchley is well armed with age data to make a powerful case that there will be a worldwide labor shortage, but corporate CEO and human resources (HR) people are doing little to prepare for this massive change in labor management. To prepare for the inevitable labor force shift, companies should recruit and encourage older (50 plus) employees to remain on the job. Downsizing and outsourcing are shortsighted knee-jerk reactions to this looming problem and will not strengthen corporations for the inevitable. Companies that really believe that people are their best asset must develop effective human resources programs that actually do employees some good. That's why we think this is crucial reading for HR executives and CEOs. It's a reminder that time stops for no corporation, and that the people who work for you, even if they are getting a little gray, are going to be tough to replace - so you may want to keep them around. ... Read more

Book Description

It is possible to establish a clear link between good human capital management and enhanced financial performance. In other words, effectively dealing with people is of major importance for all organizations. Human Resource Management in a Business in Context locates HRM and other perspectives of people management in a framework focused on the needs of business studies students. It provides a thorough and comprehensive overview of all the key aspects of people management using numerous real examples from actual business situations. The practical, rather than prescriptive, approach allows students to understand the issues without getting lost in operational details. The new edition has been strengthened to make this our key offering in HRM and an ideal core text for most courses, fully able to compete with the comprehensive competition. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Strong international content
The 2nd edition of this book preserves all the best qualities of the original edition while adding considerably to its international content. New chapters have been added, including discussion on high-performance organizations, knowledge management, international legislative frameworks, human capital, HRM in smaller organizations, entrepreneurship, pay and compensation, work-life balance, employee involvement and stress. Numerous case studies and examples are taken from Australia, Canada, South Africa, Asia and Europe as well as the UK and US. All-in-all, a more balanced and authoritative, general HR textbook than the first edition but still uniquely focused on HR in its business context.

An excellent, unique introduction to HRM.
This book distinguishes itelf from other HRM introductory texts buy focusing on the integration of HR with the business and organization. Its breadth and depth are very impressive. The text has an international quality, providing insights into circumstances and issues in many countries. Be aware, however, that because it is written by an emeritus professor in the UK, sections relating to law, and many specific references, are limited in applicability; if this is a problem, it can be worked around for students of other nations. Overall, this is an excellent introduction to human resource management. Every chapter includes further reading, review questions and problems for discussion. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is an important collection of papers published over the past ten years in American and European journals. Part 1 explains market structure as a function of sunk costs and market size. Part 2 illustrates the central role of pricing schemes (including parallel pricing, delivered pricing and competition clauses) in sustaining equilibrium outcomes in oligopolistic markets. Parts 3 and 4 give a game-theoretic foundation to competition policy and merger control. Louis Phlips offers a comprehensive introduction to the text in which he very carefully explains the reasoning behind his choice of papers, and provides a superb synthesis of the material. ... Read more

Book Description

The first book to examine Southern farm women's confrontation with modern America.

***Winner of the Willie Lee Rose Prize given by the Southern Association for Women Historians

In the years after World War I, people of the upcountry South found their world rapidly changing.A postwar plunge in farm prices stretched into a twenty-year agricultural depression.New Deal agricultural programs eventually transformed the economy, pushing many families off the land to make way for larger commercial farms.These changes brought mixed results, but the years between the world wars marked a turning point in the struggle of upcountry women to shape their own lives.New industry and the intervening hand of big government, intruding on once insular communities, forced new choices and redefined the roles of women in this region.

In All We Knew Was to Farm, Melissa Walker carefully examines these critical developments, depicting the southern farm woman's confrontation with modern America.Drawing on personal interviews, archives, family papers, and contemporary government records, Walker reconstructs the stories of rural women dealing with bewildering and unsettling change.Some of them, Walker finds, were forced by the constraints of race and class to choose the best of a bad set of options.Others adapted to change by becoming partners in farm operations, adopting the roles of consumers and homemakers, taking off-farm jobs, or leaving the land.The material lives of rural upcountry women improved dramatically by midcentury; yet in becoming middle class, Walker concludes, they found their lives both broadened and circumscribed. ... Read more

Book Description

This book considers why there are such great international differences in the way employment relations are organized within the firm. Taking account of the growing evidence that international diversity is not being wiped out by 'globalization', it sets out from the theory of the firm, and explains why firms and workers should use the employment relationship as the basis for their economic cooperation. ... Read more

Book Description

David Card and Alan B. Krueger have already made national news with their pathbreaking research on the minimum wage. Here they present a powerful new challenge to the conventional view that higher minimum wages reduce jobs for low-wage workers. In a work that has important implications for public policy as well as for the direction of economic research, the authors put standard economic theory to the test, using data from a series of recent episodes, including the 1992 increase in New Jersey's minimum wage, the 1988 rise in California's minimum wage, and the 1990-91 increases in the federal minimum wage. In each case they present a battery of evidence showing that increases in the minimum wage lead to increases in pay, but no loss in jobs.

A distinctive feature of Card and Krueger's research is the use of empirical methods borrowed from the natural sciences, including comparisons between the "treatment" and "control" groups formed when the minimum wage rises for some workers but not for others. In addition, the authors critically reexamine the previous literature on the minimum wage and find that it, too, lacks support for the claim that a higher minimum wage cuts jobs. Finally, the effects of the minimum wage on family earnings, poverty outcomes, and the stock market valuation of low-wage employers are documented. Overall, this book calls into question the standard model of the labor market that has dominated economists' thinking on the minimum wage. In addition, it will shift the terms of the debate on the minimum wage in Washington and in state legislatures throughout the country.

Reviews (1)

Superb and refreshing
For those of us without formal economics training, Card and Krueger present an easy-to-read alternative view of the minimum wage controvery.They undermine powerfully the long held assumption that minimum wagesdecrease job opportunities for low wage workers, and elegantly descibe whatpoor workers have known for years. ... Read more

Book Description

Often overlooked in the history of Progressive Era labor, the hoboes who rode the rails in search of seasonal work have nevertheless secured a place in the American imagination. The stories of the men who hunted work between city and countryside, men alternately portrayed as either romantic adventurers or degenerate outsiders, have not been easy to find. Nor have these stories found a comfortable home in either rural or labor histories.

Indispensable Outcasts weaves together history, anthropology, gender studies, and literary analysis to reposition these workers at the center of Progressive Era debates over class, race, manly responsibility, community, and citizenship. Combining incisive cultural criticism with the empiricism of a more traditional labor history, Frank Tobias Higbie illustrates how these so-called marginal figures were in fact integral to the communities they briefly inhabited and to the cultural conflicts over class, masculinity, and sexuality they embodied. He draws from life histories, the investigations of social reformers, and the organizing materials of the Industrial Workers of the World and presents a complex and compelling portrait of hobo life, from its often violent and dangerous working conditions to its ethic of "transient mutuality" that enabled survival and resistance on the road.

More than a study of hobo life, this interdisciplinary book is also a meditation on the possibilities for writing history from the bottom up, as well as a frank discussion of the ways historians' fascination with personal narrative has colored their construction and presentation of history. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The Reo Motor Car Company operated in Lansing, Michigan, for seventy years, and encouraged its thousands of workers to think of themselves as part of a factory family. Reo workers, most typically white, rural, native-born Protestant men, were dubbed Reo Joes. These ordinary fellows had ordinary aspirations: job security, decent working conditions, and sufficient pay to support a family. They treasured leisure time for family activities (many sponsored by the company), hunting, and their fraternal organizations. Even after joining a union, Reo Joes remained loyal to the company and proud of the community built around it.

Lisa M. Fine tells the Reo story from the workers' perspective on the vast social, economic, and political changes that took place in the first three quarters of the twentieth century. She explores their understanding of the city where they lived, the industry that employed them, and the ideas about work, manhood, race, and family that shaped their identities. The Story of Reo Joe is, then, a book about historical memory; it challenges us to reconsider what we think we know about corporate welfare, unionization, de-industrialization, and working-class leisure. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An easy read, but a bit out of date
I had to read this for a class and found it easy to read, but really out of date.Although revised in December of 2001, there is so much it left out in terms of changes in technology and 911 (and yes, these things do apply to Economics!) that I wonder how thoroughly it was updated.

If you're buying it, most probably you have to.Ask your professor to find a more current edition, but one that's as interesting and easy a read as this one, and you'll do fine in your Eco class!

Best book on employment law out there!
This book makes a dry subject interesting and understandable. It is packed full of useful information. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Clears away the hype on the new economy
This book provides the clearest analysis of work in the new economy of anything I've read, using Silicon Valley as the prototypical region of the future of work.It cuts through all the hype, and analyzes both the region's dynamism, but also the reasons behind the volatility, insecurity, and rise in contract/temporary employment.It provides innovative and useful suggestions for ways of increasing security for workers in the region's labor market, while maintaining the region's dynamism.Should be read by every elected official and policy maker in the country, and anyone else concerned about the changing nature of work in the new economy. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

On Further Review
The author makes it abundantly clear that without the backing of a labor union, most workers stand little chance of countering unilateral and capricious employer actions. A collective bargaining agreement is a quasi-constitution that provides for due process for workers in many workplace situations. Otherwise, employees simply work "at the will" of employers with no recourse to challenge decisions.

The author explores the steps that generally need to be taken to form a union under the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Beyond those procedures, he repeatedly stresses the class and workplace solidarity needed to form an effective union. But the main American labor movement in its evolution has never developed a coherent stance on the class nature of capitalism. Bureaucratic, bread-and-butter, business unionism describes the American labor movement after WWII. It is an orientation that does not seek to transform the essential dominance of American capital over the American working class.

It is clear that the American labor movement has since the Civil War faced incredible opposition from both employers and the state, including the police, the armed forces, and the judiciary. In addition, the various media empires portray unions as un-American or criminal in nature. Nonetheless, the author is unhappy with the conservatism of the labor movement regardless of any practical reasons for that stance. He views the purge of left-wing elements from unions and the lack of union internal democracy as developments that greatly weaken the ability of unions to fully represent the working class.

The key structure of unions is the local union that is centered on one or more workplaces in a geographical area. Naturally their concerns are with local issues and generally not on broader working class concerns. The author wishes to see a far more aggressive labor presence in the political realm. Issues such as employment as a right, national health care, shorter work hours, greater equality in pay, and democratization of workplaces need to appear on the political agenda of organized labor. The author does not really address the issue of what would be the role for labor unions if the American working class actually became powerful enough to implement pro-worker legislation. For example, what would the role for unions be in worker-dominated firms?

Yes, unions do matter. No other organizations even remotely afford workers the voice and protection that unions do within workplaces. But there is wide variability in their effectiveness. Furthermore, it is rather obvious that the labor movement as presently conceived has been quite limited in its ability to counter the global forces of capitalism that have been playing havoc with the world's working classes. Basically, the author is not quite as pro-union as it might seem at first glance.

Another Important Michael Yates Book
Over the past decade, economist Michael Yates has written a number of books for working people -- "Power on the Job," "The Labor Law Handbook," "Longer Hours, Fewer Jobs: Employment and Unemployment in the United States" and now "Why Unions Matter." Yates manages to write in a clear readable style and, at the same time, talk about complex matters. He is also one of the very few nonlawyers who has an understanding and grasp of the role of law. "Why Unions Matter" manages to provide a lot of information about union history, labor economics, and even how to organize a union and bargain a contract in a very concise book. While I might differ with Yates on some details, I think this book makes a valuable contribution. It and his other books should be on every unionist's bookshelf, and unionists should lobby their public libraries to carry Yates' books.

As a final note, it is a very rare thing for academics, such as Yates, to write for a popular audience. All the pressures in academia are to write for other academics. It takes imagination, caring and courage to do what Yates does, and he deserves our gratitude for it.

For some, unions matter; for most, unions are an irrelevancy
Yates does present a good basic review of the trials and tribulations and the benefits of unions over the last century or so. But there is much disingenuity in this book. He points out that much of the basis of early unions was an urban-based solidarity of workers who lived, worshipped, and worked in close proximity in the early decades of the 20th century. He calls for a renewed, if not similar, solidarity among mainstream workers today; but the demographics of US workers and the structure of industries are far different. The closest example today of old time solidarity may be the relationship of black churches and neighborhoods and municipal workers. Other than workers from union families and left-liberal college professors, most US workers in many segments of the economy don't have a clue about unions and what they know is negative. His calls for worker activism in the political process and within workplaces have to be reconciled with the reality of political apathy and workplace authority. That is the ground that must be tilled for solidarity. For the one in ten workers that are in unions, the NLRA and NLRB and well as union officialdom probably contain and constrain as much as empower workers. For example, changing national union affiliation is not viewed with equanimity. Yates is too accepting of US-style unionism; for example German-style works councils could have been contrasted with US unions in terms of giving workers agency. Also, it seems that Yates derives far too much satisfaction from the fact that the AFL-CIO will now talk to left-liberal academics. He needs to appreciate better that the activists of bygone eras were generated from within the working class which reflected an inherent understanding of their class condition. How many Americans today even have a notion of class? As stated, Yates' book does a good job of showing the state of AFL-CIO unionism. But the book would not be satisfying for those who have critically examined that terrain. ... Read more

Book Description

Providing a realistic picture of actual collective bargaining and labor relations situations drawn from the authors' considerable experiences, this distinctively up-to-date introduction contains separate chapters on benefits, wage issues, discrimination laws, and international labor relations, and integrates many recent examples throughout to support discussions. Text provides an overview of labor relations, details the collective bargaining process, and describes the labor relations process in action.For labor relations professionals and others requiring a practical overview of current trends in labor relations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Book
Great book for the novice negotiator or student.Current, easy to read, practical examples.

Concise & complete
The authors provide a complete & concise discussion of the process of collective bargaining within a general labor relations context. Many, current cases, tips from experts, and historical references help present the concepts. A solid text for the novice negotiator or interested student.

Carrell and Heavrin Update The Field
Michael R. Carrell and Christina Heavrin's 6th edition of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining; Cases, Practice , and Law is an excellent contemporary and very readable book. Included are supplementary materials and even important Web sites of the companies and labor organizations featured in the text. Relevant and up-to-date case studies and exercises follow each chapter, enhancing opportunies for group work and practical application. Chapters 10, 11 and 12, which cover implementing the collective bargaining agreement, grievance procedures, and arbitration process are particularly comprehensive and well presented. Included in these chapters are excellent examples of items in a negotiated contract, forms used in the grievance process, and recent arbitration decisions. Each chapter also ends with a list of important terms and concepts and review questions. This book has wide application and use for either an introductory course at the lower division or upper division courses at the Colledge or University level. ... Read more