Editor’s Foreword by Jon Woronoff
Organized Labor: World Membership, 1870-2010
Preface
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Chronology
Introduction
The Dictionary
Appendixes
Glossary of terms
Bibliography
About the Authors
James C. Docherty was an Australian federal government employee in
various departments and a union member for over 20 years. He was an
Honorary Research Associate with the National Centre for Australian
Studies at Monash University from 1990 to 1996.
Sjaak van der Velden worked with the Historical Sample of the
Netherlands from 2000 to 2007. Since then he has been working with
the Socialist Party. His publications include 10 books in Dutch and
numerous articles in Dutch and English.
Docherty and van der Velden are not only researchers but also
former active members of unions. Consequently, they are able to
provide broad, authentic, and credible views of labor movements.
Their aims here are to make the subject of organized labor as
accessible as possible, to show the variety of labor studies
available, and to encourage a greater international outlook on the
topic. Designed as a starting point for anyone who wants to learn
more about labor, the work examines the history of organized labor
through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, a glossary
of terms, an extensive bibliography with relevant websites, and
almost 500 cross-referenced entries on countries, national and
international organizations, major unions, leaders, and other
aspects of the movement, such as changes in membership composition.
The entries, which emphasize 20th-century and current information,
are well written and informative, while the appendixes and
bibliography are comprehensive and lengthy. VERDICT This is a
useful first resource for researchers and general readers, and one
that is especially strong on topics of historical significance and
international interest. Enough new material has been added to this
incarnation to make it a worthwhile purchase for owners of the
older editions.
*Library Journal*
This updated edition covers the general history of the world-wide
organized labor movement, from key people to events and major
unions. The scope is decidedly international, making this a
specialized resource that will serve as a good starting point for
research on unions and the labor movement. The authors are
academics who have also been active union members. The detailed
chronology starts all the way back in 1152 BCE, with Egyptian tomb
makers refusing to work until they were paid, and ends in 2011,
with various international strikes, including those over the
collective-bargaining bill in Wisconsin. Over 400 entries cover
mainly 20th-century history and the present, focusing on national
and international organizations, major unions, major figures, and
events. Examples include Australian Council of Trade Unions,
Iconography, International Metalworkers Federation, Race and
ethnicity, White-collar unionism, and Working hours. Interestingly,
the authors note that they specifically kept references to ideas
and political parties to a minimum, because they are addressed in
Historical Dictionary of Socialism (2006). Appendixes (including
statistics and a list of past and present international labor
leaders), a glossary of terms, and an extensive bibliography round
out the work. The new material in this edition makes it a
worthwhile purchase for libraries owning the older editions.
Recommended for larger academic and public libraries.
*Booklist*
This dictionary is designed to be a research tool of first
resort....There are appendixes with lists of leaders of
international labor organizations, a glossary of terms, and union
membership statistics. The lengthy bibliography, after a seven-page
discussion of relevant literature, is divided up into: research
guides, sources, and journals; international studies; national
studies; features of labor unions; labor and society; labor and the
economy; and organized labor and the future. There is a guide to
selected Internet sites. It is a good starting point for the study
of organized labor. Its worldwide scope, including both higher and
lower income countries, is useful.
*American Reference Books Annual*
This title by independent scholars Docherty and van der Velden is
international in scope and covers the span of organized labor from
a work stoppage by pharaonic tomb builders (1152 BCE) to protests
in Ohio and Wisconsin against anti-collective bargaining
legislation (2011). Over 40 pages of introduction and chronology
will benefit novice researchers. The bulk of the book comprises
nearly 500 entries that cover countries, national and international
labor organizations, and labor issues. The entries vary from a few
lines to six pages, often pulling together information difficult to
find elsewhere. Most entries have cross-references in boldface, and
some have see also references. An 81-page bibliography includes
entries as recent as 2011. The appendixes feature a glossary,
membership data, and a list of labor federations. The third edition
has 95 more entries, along with updated statistics and facts; its
larger pages, new typeface, and layout make it easier to
read....Summing Up: Recommended.
*CHOICE*
This excellent, well-written book undertakes the formidable task of
bringing together in a single volume a wealth of information
concerning organized labor. It is a challenge the authors meet with
considerable skill and sophistication. The Historical Dictionary of
Organized Labor contains a very usable chronology, a concise
introduction, a vital glossary of terms, appendices with essential
statistical data and an extensive bibliography. ... The point to be
stressed is that the Historical Dictionary of Organized Labor
covers an amazing variety of topics and explains them in a clear,
concise manner. This is a valuable reference work that deserves to
be on the shelves of all serious libraries. It is highly
recommended.
*Labor Studies Journal*
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