Union Booms and Busts: The Ongoing Fight Over the U.S. Labor Movement

Union Booms and Busts examines the changing fortunes of American workers and their unions over 115 years, comparing organizing and union-building successes and failures across industries. It highlights workers' and unions' actions, including strikes, union elections, and organizing strategies, and employers' legal maneuvers, workforce-based strategies, and race and gender divisions to disrupt union organizing. The book concludes by discussing what might come next for workers and unions in America and provides access to online data for readers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Union Booms and Busts provides a comprehensive analysis of the changing fortunes of American workers and their unions, as well as employers and their organizations. Drawing on detailed data spanning 11 industries and 115 years, the book explores union density, contrasting successes and failures across decades. It delves into the historical developments and economic, political, and legal contexts of each period, highlighting the actions of workers and their unions, including strikes, union elections, and organizing strategies. At the same time, it sheds light on employers' efforts to disrupt union organizing through legal maneuvers, workforce-based strategies, and divisions based on race and gender. Through a data-driven approach, the authors reveal the ongoing history of unionization, highlighting the strategies employed by workers and employers to gain power and influence. The book is organized into chapters that follow different time periods: the early unregulated period, the mid-century regulated period, and the later dis-regulated period. Each chapter examines the trends and developments that shaped unionization during these periods, including the rise

Early Unregulated Period:

Unions began to take hold in only a handful of industries during this period, which was characterized by limited government regulation and a lack of collective bargaining rights. Despite the challenges, workers in these industries fought for better working conditions and the right to form unions.

Mid-Century Regulated Period:

The mid-century regulated period saw a significant growth in strikes, elections, and union density across industries. This period was marked by the emergence of labor laws and regulations that protected workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.

Later Dis-Regulated Period:

The later dis-regulated period saw union trajectories diverge, with some industries experiencing drastic decline and others holding steady. This period was characterized by deregulation, globalization, and technological advancements that affected the nature of work and the power of unions.

Conclusion:

Union Booms and Busts offers a valuable insight into the ongoing history of unionization in America. By examining the data and the historical context, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of the strategies employed by workers and employers to gain power and influence. It concludes by turning toward what might come next for workers and unions in America and provides access to on-line data for readers who want to take a closer look. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, and anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of labor relations and the role of unions in shaping the American workforce.

Weight: 546g
Dimension: 162 x 244 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197539859