Collective Bargaining in the Private Sector (review)

I cannot recall ever having read a more concise and informative book about private sector collective bargaining than this one. This volume examines the recent history of the bargaining process and issues in eight industries: airlines, autos, health care, hotels and casinos, newspapers, pro sports, telecommunications and trucking. Each individual chapter gives detailed information by an author knowledgeable in the field.

Having spent nearly twenty years in the Newspaper Guild as a rank-and-file activist and officer, I found that Paul F. Clark's use of historical background and analysis of current conditions in the newspaper industry rings true, although participants in some of the contract struggles he outlines might have hoped for a less impartial voice. For those industries about which I know relatively little—for example, hotels—authors C. Jeffrey Waddoups and Vincent H. Eade make arguments and analyses that would be seen by insiders and outsiders to contain truth.

This is, for me, the book's strength. In each chapter, evenhanded assessments of union strengths and weaknesses are raised, which is especially helpful for those not conversant with the industry. The chapters quickly identify issues and players, with the economic forces shaping industry plainly laid out. This enables all readers regardless of background a chance to be on the same page,. The tone may appear to some to be a bit dispiriting, but given organized labor's lack of strength in the private sector, that will not be that surprising to most readers.

I'll mention two weaknesses. One is the lack of a prescription to boost any of these industries, much less labor as a whole. However, we cannot be too harsh on the authors, since organized labor is not clear what the cure is either. The other problem is the instant prediction of how the airline industry would fare in the wake of the 2001 terror attacks. The book was published in 2002, and while airline unions were weakened after 9/11, the tragic events of that day provided an excuse for the federal government and the management to try to stick it to unions yet again.

Collective Bargaining in the Private Sector could serve as an extremely handy teaching aid in a collective bargaining class that stresses theory over mock negotiating sessions. The episodic nature of the book's chapters could allow an instructor to focus on one industry per class or per week, depending on how class time is apportioned.