Perspectives Online Companion
Spring 2008 and Fall 2007 Editions

Spring 2008 Edition (Number 8)

This eighth edition of LERA's Perspectives Online contains three articles. The first essay, by Ellen Dannin, of Penn State Dickinson School of Law, offers a preview of a feature – on Work, Workers, Faith and Values – to appear in the forthcoming print edition of Perspectives on Work . The second article, by Perspectives on Work editor Charles Whalen, examines the work (and play) of writing. The third article, by economist Markley Roberts, reviews Freedom Is Not Enough: The Opening of the American Workplace, by Nancy MacLean (Harvard University Press, 2006).

Readers are encouraged to contact LERA (at LERAoffice@uiuc.edu ) for information on the print-edition of Perspectives or to become a LERA member.

WORK, WORKERS, FAITH AND VALUES

Judaism, Community and Work
By Ellen Dannin

The key to the survival of Judaism, writes Dannin, is its focus on community and its demand for fair treatment of all members of that community, including workers, the poor, and resident aliens. “The rules that control Jewish life and religious practice address questions fundamental to human existence,” Dannin explains. Its concerns are frequently expressed in relation to work and poverty, and its rules apply to work hours, wages, workplace safety, immigration, and welfare.

Writing: Work? Fun? Both!
By Charles J. Whalen

Never dread a writing assignment again. Whalen's article demystifies the writing process and reveals the secret that turns writing into an enjoyable experience.

BOOK REVIEW
Equal Employment Opportunity : The Road to Fair Hiring and Promotion
By Markley Roberts
Review of Freedom Is Not Enough: The Opening of the American Workplace.

Fall 2007 Edition (Number 7)
This seventh edition of LERA's Perspectives Online presents three articles. Together they form a mini-symposium on worker organizing in the United States . Ruth Milkman of UCLA- author of L.A. Story: Immigrant Workers and the Future of the U.S. Labor Movement (Russell Sage Foundation, 2006)- looks at labor's attention to both organizing immigrant workers and the immigrant rights movement. Richard Hurd of Cornell University draws on recent interviews with leaders within the AFL-CIO and "Change to Win" to explore the labor's use of neutrality agreements, which enable union organizing without employer opposition. The third article, by Perspectives editor Charles J. Whalen, reviews a related book: Labor in the New Urban Battlegrounds: Local Solidarity in a Global Economy (ILR Press, 2007), edited by Lowell Turner and Daniel B. Cornfield.

Readers are encouraged to contact LERA (at LERAoffice@uiuc.edu ) for information on the print-edition of Perspectives or to become a LERA member.

CURRENT ISSUES IN WORKER ORGANIZING

Labor and the Immigrant Rights Movement
By Ruth Milkman

In recent years, unions in the United States have become increasingly receptive to the idea of organizing immigrants, and more supportive of the broader immigrant rights movement. According to Milkman, "The labor movement's revival - perhaps even its survival - will depend in large part on organizing immigrant workers alongside the native-born, both in the workplace and at the ballot box.

The Origins, Effectiveness and Future of Neutrality Agreements
By Richard W. Hurd

Today's U.S. unions often use a comprehensive strategic approach to secure objectives that address the concerns of current members and facilitate new organizing. The neutrality agreement, which allows a union to organize without employer opposition, is one tool employed as part of such an approach. Hurd's article reviews the use of such agreements and considers their likely impact on the future of organizing.

BOOK REVIEW

Community Solidarity and Labor Movement Revitalization: A Review Essay
By Charles J. Whalen

Review of Labor in the New Urban Battlegrounds: Local Solidarity in a Global Economy

Labor and Employment Relations Association
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