Agenda for Reform

For years William Gould has argued for labour law reform that would facilitate trade union organization and collective bargaining. That position, which he expands upon in this latest book, is based on his belief in the value of pluralism, the importance of employee participation in the economy as well as the political process, and the effectiveness of unions in best advocating employee interests in the workplace. In the face of increased erosion in worker protection and weakening of the collective bargaining process, Gould proposes an agenda of reforms to balance the interests of management and workers, and to protect employee participation and job security. Each chapter presents summaries of developed areas of labour or employment law and related policies. At the core of Gould's discussion are the workings and usefulness of the National Labour Relations Act. Gould first provides a history of the past and current labour-management relationships - how we got where we are today - and then reviews and evaluates such factors as the possible repeal or reform of the NLRA, the possible increase in worker participation plans, the change in the use of the strike weapon, wrongful discharge law, the protections afforded non-union employees, and race relations as factors that will affect the future of the labour management relationship and, consequently, the future of industrial relations.