The Role of Unions in the American Economy. Second Edition

Intended as a resource for secondary teachers, this book analyzes the role of unions in the American economy and examines the main forces influencing unions in the United States. This second edition includes important domestic and external events that have affected U.S. economic policy and unions since the first edition was published in 1976. There are eight chapters. The first chapter presents the basic rationale for the emergence of labor movements in response to the labor problems created by industrial societies. The origin of labor movements and the history of the American labor movement are dealt with in chapters 2 and 3. The next two chapters explore the relationship between unions and the economy. Major problems facing labor unions, such as organizing, collective bargaining, and dispute settlement, are examined in chapters 6 and 7. The concluding chapter discusses the role of unions in the 1980's. The appendix contains the names of major U.S. unions. (RM)