Publisher Description

In Re-Union, David Madland explores how labor unions are essential to all workers. Yet, union systems are badly flawed and in need of rapid changes for reform. Madland's multilayered analysis presents a solution-a model to replace the existing firm-based collective bargaining with a larger, industry-scale bargaining method coupled with powerful incentives for union membership.These changes would represent a remarkable shift from the norm, but would be based on lessons from other countries, US history and current policy in several cities and states. In outlining the shift, Madland details how these proposals might mend the broken economic and political systems in the United States. He also uses three examples from Britain, Canada, and Australia to explore what there is yet to learn about this new system in other developed nations. Madland's practical advice in Re-Union extends to a proposal for how to implement the changes necessary to shift the current paradigm. This powerful call to action speaks directly to the workers affected by these policies-the very people seeking to have their voices recognized in a system that attempts to silence them.

Author Biography

David Madland is Senior Fellow and Strategic Director of the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress. He is author of Hollowed Out. Follow him on Twitter @DavidMadland.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. The Plan
2. Unions as the Solution
3. The Contours of a Modern Labor System
4. Lessons from Canada, Britain, and Australia
5. Answering Skeptics
6. Creating the New System

Review

What makes Re-Union stand out is that this solution is not only bold but also plausible. According to Madland, implementing the labor reforms is a matter of scale because rudimentary forms of new labor policies already exist in the United States. To support this idea, he provides numerous examples. Anyone who is interested in how theory and practice interact should not miss out on this book. * ILR Review *
David Madland's exquisitely argued new book does not merely rehearse facts that we already know. Instead, it makes a bold, plausible, and sensible proposal about how to revive the fortunes of trade unions in the USA, and, in fact, globally. * Transfer *

Long Description

In Re-Union, David Madland explores how labor unions are essential to all workers. Yet, union systems are badly flawed and in need of rapid changes for reform. Madland's multilayered analysis presents a solution--a model to replace the existing firm-based collective bargaining with a larger, industry-scale bargaining method coupled with powerful incentives for union membership. These changes would represent a remarkable shift from the norm, but would be based on lessons from other countries, US history and current policy in several cities and states. In outlining the shift, Madland details how these proposals might mend the broken economic and political systems in the United States. He also uses three examples from Britain, Canada, and Australia to explore what there is yet to learn about this new system in other developed nations. Madland's practical advice in Re-Union extends to a proposal for how to implement the changes necessary to shift the current paradigm. This powerful call to action speaks directly to the workers affected by these policies--the very people seeking to have their voices recognized in a system that attempts to silence them.

Review Quote

"What makes Re-Union stand out is that this solution is not only bold but also plausible. According to Madland, implementing the labor reforms is a matter of scale because rudimentary forms of new labor policies already exist in the United States. To support this idea, he provides numerous examples. Anyone who is interested in how theory and practice interact should not miss out on this book."

Details