Biographical sketch of John L. Lewis, with emphasis on his rise and performance as a great labor leader and organizer of the Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO). (SH)

Based on an analysis of oral history interviews, this paper examines the events and consciousness surrounding a 1979 strike initiated by 53 female office employees of the Wisconsin Education Association (WEA) Insurance Trust. Faced with sex-discriminatory working conditions, the women at the Trust responded by initiating a strike. For many of the…

This book contains 16 units with 1 to 6 lessons per unit. A wide range of subject areas regarding workers and organized labor are addressed with lessons for both primary and secondary education levels. Though the focus is predominantly on grades 1-6, the curriculum can be modified to apply to various grade levels. Unit titles include: (1) "Child…

A nationwide survey of employed persons was conducted to provide information on labor standards problems, assess the impact of working conditions on workers, develop job satisfaction measures, and establish statistics for similar data collections. The survey revealed that the majority of workers expressed satisfaction with their jobs but they also…

Trends concerning women working in industry are discussed. Although women make up a majority of the workforce in most manufacturing industries in both developed and developing nations, they have little say or consideration in the decisions that affect their lives. Following a brief introduction in chapter 1, the second chapter, "The Rise of…

Results of physiological and psychological studies related to night and shift work are reviewed from the standpoint of their possible use by industry in understanding the problems of shift work and finding solutions. (New research data that has appeared since original preparation of the manuscript is presented in a three-part addendum with…

This collection of papers, which is intended as a contribution to the body of knowledge known as labor studies, examines the ways in which labor unions have and are continuing to respond to technological change in the workplace. The introduction by Donald Kennedy, Charles Craypo, and Mary Lehman traces the impact of technological change on the…

In 1983, personal interviews with 38 adult, Mexican American, migrant farmworker, male heads of households working tomato crops in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan revealed living and working conditions and views and involvement regarding labor rights and the farmworker movement among the estimated 65,000 Midwestern migrant farmworkers. Interview data…

The numbers of women entering the workforce have steadily risen since the mid 1950s. The nature of the family unit has correspondingly changed; the family in which the man was the husband and breadwinner and the woman was wife and mother devoted full time to home and family is a rarity. The attempt on the part of working family members to…

Adopting technology to people and examining projects through the eyes of those concerned are two ways new technology and engineering can be installed and successfully operated under the adverse conditions of northern Canada and in the face of predicted labor shortages in the 1980's. Adopting a more flexible technology provides the opportunity for…

The study described in this report sought to determine why industrial plants become no longer economically viable and how to prevent this from happening prematurely. Conducted in Cleveland (Ohio) for the Cleveland Tomorrow Committee, the research was done by the McKinsey and Company staff, who interviewed chief executives, conducted case studies,…

Research confirms anecdotal impressions of the following causes of high turnover among both home health and nursing home aides: low wages; inadequate benefits; excessive workloads; poor training, supervision, and working conditions; and job-related stress. Public policy initiatives can dramatically alleviate or exacerbate the crisis among…

Covers women's labor history in the United States and in industrialized nations from the early 1800s to the present. Provides primary source documents from New England workers in the 1830s and 1840s and from women workers on global assembly lines in the 1980s. Includes discussion questions. (LS)

The traditional systems used to produce goods and services in this country are being challenged by evolving alternatives. The focus of these new alternatives is on the human element in the work force. Studies in adult work attitudes indicate that a more humanistic system is needed to promote productivity. Inherent in the human condition is the…