THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

by ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 22, 1961

With the help of the old pen-pro Kramer, Nathan W. Shefferman, (a labor-management consultant who became famous during the McClelian hearings), now offers a fast, not too fancy, free-wheeling account of unionism today. It's a pretty exhaustive non-partisan guide, centering on that economic trial, Big Labor, Big Business, and the attendant Bureaucracy of each. We get a warm, somewhat personalized defense of Dave Beck, a snappy appraisal of slippery Jimmy Hoffa, a few muted swipes at Bob Kennedy, a valentine for Dan Tobin, a generalized profile of The Boss and his problems, a How-To-Organize case history plus a How-To-Counter-it drive, some Nostradamus insights on the upcoming putsch for the while collar vote, and assorted journalistic conclusions and paraphernalia. We go from the lower depths of fink racketeering and teamster trickery to the executive style manipulations of Reuther hierarchy finally ending with the expected uneasiness over automation, the proposal of a community peace board, and the sad detailing of more hot and unholy clashes in the wage war. What's left out is simply the worker, his feelings, his fallings. Still this is of-the-hour, on-the-spot material, briskly done.

Pub Date: Sept. 22, 1961

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1961

Categories: NONFICTION