The emergence of the field of labor studies in both undergraduate and graduate programs, its struggle for acceptance within academe, and its effects within the labor movement are studied. Particular emphasis is given to the impact of the credentials issues on the character of the American union, which has traditionally prized experience rather…

This article offers a critique of Eduardo Padron's administration at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) in Florida. Padron has been district president at MDCC since 1995. Almost immediately after his appointment, Padron moved to centralize the school's administration. He fired employees en masse, cut and consolidated sports programs, and began…

Paying teachers varying amounts on the basis of how well their students perform is an idea that has been winning increasing support, both in the United States and abroad, and many school systems have adopted some version of it. Proponents claim that linking teacher pay to student performance is a powerful way to encourage talented and highly…

In this paper, we go beyond what have been described as "mechanistic" accounts of e-learning to explore the complexity of relationships between people and technology as encountered in cases of networked learning. We introduce from the social informatics literature the concept of sociotechnical interaction networks which focus on the…

The purpose of this case study was to explore how low-skilled workers who participated in a health care training program learned to acquire the technical, cognitive, and developmental competencies they needed to gain skilled employment in higher-level positions in the field and thus advance their careers. The data methods used were: (1) in-depth…

This monograph provides a portrait of non-tenure-track faculty, describes studies of their experiences, and proposes plans of action. Much of the research, particularly early on, tried to provide a picture and description of this faculty that have been largely invisible for years. Therefore, "Portrait of Non-Tenure-Track Faculty" focuses on the…

Late in 2006, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) released the first report in this series, "Building Minds, Minding Buildings: Turning Crumbling Schools into Environments for Learning." This second report, which covers the green schools movement is a natural follow-up; it highlights the work of AFT members and affiliates involved…

This paper explores the politics of various types of teacher compensation reforms, with a particular focus on pay for performance. It examines the political positions taken by the nations two teachers' unions, the extent to which these reflect the preferences of teachers, and how both influence the decisions by localities to implement reforms. New…

Training measures in the U.S. National Longitudinal Survey of Young Men, the National Child Development Study for Britain, and the Australian Longitudinal Survey of Youth were used to study determinants and labor market outcomes of postschool training received by young men. Twelve percent of U.S. youth reported getting formal training in the first…

This paper reports a survey of the attitudes of school personnel toward teacher unions and draws some implications concerning the dynamics of labor relations in school systems. Teachers, principals, superintendents, and school board members responded to questions on what areas unions should be involved in, degree of satisfaction with the local,…

This guide, designed to promote knowledge of labor unions and favorable attitudes toward them among students, describes examples of labor-in-the-schools projects, programs, and materials. The guide contains samples of AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations) materials, projects, and programs from international…

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…

AFL-CIO unions representing a wide range of workers in virtually every sector of the economy have teamed with employers to develop and sustain successful programs resulting in better trained, more productive workers. Joint training and education programs come in various forms and offer a wide range of services depending on the industry and worker…

The history of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and its relationship with the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) sheds some light on the most recent failed attempt of the NEA and the AFT to merge. The merger, in 1972, of NEA's New York State Teachers Association with the AFT's New York…

This book uses the testimony given before the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations to gain insight into the state of industrial relations and labor law in the United States. The book is organized in five chapters. The first chapter looks at the history of labor movements and labor legislation in the United States. Chapter 2…