Even since the last edition of this milestone text was released, union membership in the private sector of the economy has fallen to levels not seen since the 19th century; the forces of economic liberalism (neo-liberalism), capital mobility, and globalisation have affected measurably the material standard of living enjoyed by US workers; and mass immigration from the southern hemisphere and Asia has continued to restructure the domestic labour force -- all of which has been exacerbated by national security policy formed in the shadow of the tragic events of 9/11. Yet even in the face of anti-union legislation and a continuing decline in the number of organised workers, the purpose of this latest book edition -- the powerful and appealing story of the American worker from the colonial workshop to the modern mass-assembly line -- remains the same as that of the 1st edition written more than 50years ago: to enlighten present and future generations of students about the history of work, workers and worker movements in the US, and to encourage them to learn and think about those who built America and those who will shape its future.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
To work with dignity,
By
This review is from: Labor in America: A History (Paperback)
This is not "Capitalism in America". It is not "Management in America". If you can accept the focus on labor and the concerns for labor, this may be a useful book for you.
I wasn't offerered a class in Labor in High School. It would have been a big help in entering the work world, if I had had the sense to listen to it then. Now I've been working decades but this book is still a big help. My sense of labor history has been terrible. There were slaves. In colonial times, there were indentured servants. Within the past century, government forces have been used to imprison or kill people who went on strike. To the extent our government finds itself in war, it doesn't want to lose products and services to strikers, so there are laws that can be invoked to force people to work. Labor unions may have become content to do a minimal amount. Industrial unions have been heavily resisted by employers and the government, although even today the Industrial Workers of the World is making constructive efforts. Haymarket. Homestead. Names worth knowing and honoring. Will worker conditions slide back? Knowing history helps, this isn't the first time unemployment, cheap labor, or new technology threatened labor. As capital has responded with welfare capitalism, with hi tech niceties like stock options and free soda, as McDonaldization spread workers out but under a common corporate control. as they are fewer tough workers like miners and longshoreman, as globalism undermines the benefit of local work forces's unity, understanding labor history and wisdom is as important as ever before. Understanding labor issues is central to understanding one's life, to feeling deep in one's joints all the years one will be work. It will be up to you to turn this fact-filled book into a healthy path for yourself and perhaps others.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clean and Detailed,
This review is from: Labor in America: A History (Paperback)
This text was very useful for learning the history of labor in America. It also did an excellent job of mentioning how unions were developed and regulated. Recommending this book for anyone interested in understanding the evolution of relationships between workers and employers seems to be the only logical thing to do. Enjoy!
6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a world of knowledge,
By
This review is from: Labor in America: A History (Paperback)
an absoulty amazing book covering America's labor struggle from the begining to current day.
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