Skip to main content
Log in

Current prospects for employee representation in the U.S.: Old wine in new bottles?

  • Articles
  • Commentary
  • Published:
Journal of Labor Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A major issue currently being debated in the U.S. is whether to allow employers to establish works councils, employee committees, or other representational systems not permitted under the current labor laws. I bring economic, political, and historical analysis to bear on this issue and recommend an experimental relaxation of current law proscribing employer assistance to labor organizations. This is likely to improve the quality of employee participation, although it is unlikely to raise the amount of it.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bacon, David. “Another Sellout of the Workers?”The National (May 30, 1994): 748–51.

  • Barenberg, Mark. “The Political Economy of the Wagner Act: Power, Symbol, and Workplace Cooperation.”Harvard Law Review 106 (May 1993): 1381–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farber, Henry S. “The Decline of Unionization in the U.S.: What Can Be Learned from Recent Experience?”Journal of Labor Economics 8 (January 1990): S57–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, Richard, and Joel Rogers. “Who Speaks for Us? Employee Representation in a Nonunion Labor Market.” In Bruce E. Kaufman and Morris Kleiner, ed.,Employee Representation: Alternatives and Future Directions. Madison, Wisc.: IRRA, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heckscher, Charles.The New Unionism: Employee Involvement in the Changing Corporation. New York: Basic, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacoby, Sanford, and Anil Verma. “Enterprise Unions in the United States: A Case Study.”Industrial Relations 31 (Winter 1992): 137–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, Maryellen, and Bennett Harrison. “Unions, Technology, and Labor-Management Cooperation.” In Lawrence Mishel and Paula Voos, ed.,Unions and Economic Competitiveness. Armonk, N. Y.: M. E. Sharpe, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine, David, and Laura Tyson. “Participation, Productivity, and the Firm’s Environment.” In Alan Blinder, ed.,Paying for Productivity. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, David, and Richard Peterson.The Modern Grievance Procedure in the United States. New York: Quorum Books, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Note. “Section 8(a)(2): Employer Assistance to Plant Unions and Committees.”Stanford Law Review 9 (March 1957): 351–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osterman, Paul. “How Common is Workplace Transformation and Who Adopts It?”Industrial & Labor Relations Review 47 (January 1994): 173–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, Mike, and Jane Slaughter. “AFL-CIO May Trade Away Law Against Company Unions.”Labor Notes (December 1993): 7–11.

  • Weiler, Paul.Governing the Workplace: The Future of Labor and Employment Law. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worthy, James. “Responsibility of the Personnel Administrator in Modern Business Management.” InProceedings of the 6th Annual Conference of the Personnel Association of Toronto. Toronto: PAT, 1948.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jacoby, S.M. Current prospects for employee representation in the U.S.: Old wine in new bottles?. Journal of Labor Research 16, 387–398 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685765

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685765

Keywords

Navigation