SPOTLIGHT ON LABOR UNIONS

by William J. SJ Smith ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 2, 1946

An intelligent approach to understanding the place of unions in a capitalistic system. The author analyses the need of unions, their purpose; their weaknesses as well as their strengths. He shows how and why union members as well as employers remember the years when the dice were loaded on the side of capital- and how that period bears fruit today in union politics, undemocratic procedures, failures to allow free speech and criticism within the unions themselves. He shows how the conservatism of the AF of L, its disregard of public opinion, its failure to recognize the responsibility of their representatives as holding a public trust hurts its ultimate strategic position. He feels that when they stray from the path, they should be criticized and believes they are too sensitive to such criticism....He believes that while the CIO has made a contribution where the AF of L failed, and has done a fine job of educating the public and management as well, on many labor issues it has weakened its progressive attitude by allowing the Communists to gain too much power....He analyses the position of the truly independent unions, too, and urges that all unions combine forces to the end that labor be served....He discusses the purpose of strikes, the place of the closed shop, political action. He gives his code for labor based on the dignity of the individual employee and the concept of the common good. He believes in definite rights of management as well as their responsibilities to the public- and to the workers. And he maintains that best results for labor and capital can come only through cooperation.... A more objective book than Huberman's.

Pub Date: Sept. 2, 1946

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Duell, Sloan & Pearce

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1946

Categories: NONFICTION