Unions in the 21st Century

This book presents a series of research essays on the state of unions in many different parts of the world. Written by leading researchers in the field it provides insights into the causes of union decline. But it goes beyond historical analyses to investigate the prospects for the future. Can unions organize in segments of the workforce such as the youth, women, low wage workers and those in the informal sector? Can unions network with other organizations such as NGOs nationally and internationally to gain power and influence?

'Discussing unions on a global level, this collection of papers written by well established researchers trying to provide an insight into why union density and influence in some parts of the world is declining...This book is a practical assessment, not just an observation, of the role and future role of unions throughout the world.' - Labour Research

' this book showcases the strengths as well as some of the weaknesses of contemporary industrial relations scholarship on union renewal.' - Journal of Industrial Relations

JOHN BURGESS Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Newcastle, Australia ISLA CARMICHAEL Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada RAFAEL GOMEZ Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK REBECCA GUMBRELL-MCCORMICK School of Management and Organizational Psychology, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK MORLEY GUNDERSON Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Chair in Youth Employment, University of Toronto, Canada RAYMOND HARBRIDGE Professor of Management and Head of the School, Graduate School of Management, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia RICHARD HYMAN Professor, Industrial Relations Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK BRUCE KAUFMAN Professor of Economics, School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, USA DAVID LIVINGSTONE Centre for the Study of Education and Work, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and University of Toronto, Canada RICHARD LOCKE Professor of Entrepreneurship and Political Science, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA GRAEME LOCKWOOD Lecturer, Management Centre, Kings College, University of London, UK DAVID MARSDEN Professor of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK MIGUEL MARTINEZ-LUCIO Professor of Industrial Relations, University of Bradford School of Management, UK NOAH MELTZ Formerly Director, Centre for Industrial Relations, University of Toronto, Canada SIAN MOORE Senior Research Fellow, Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University, UK PAUL OSTERMAN Professor, Department of Urban Planning, Sloan School of Management, MIT, USA MICHAEL PIORE Professor, Sloan School of Management, MIT, USA CHRIS RIDDELL Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Economics, University of Toronto, Canada CRAIG RIDDELL Professor, Department of Economics, University of British Columbia, Canada RUEBEN ROTH Senior Research Officer, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Canada GLENDA STRACHAN Associate Professor, School of Management, Newcastle University, Australia MARK STUART Senior Lecturer, Industrial and Labour Studies Division, Leeds Business School, UK MICHAEL TERRY Professor of Industrial Relations, University of Warwick Business School, UK C.S.V. RATNAM Professor, International Management Institute, New Delhi, India PAT WALSH Professor, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand DAVID WILKINSON Deputy Head of School and Programme Director, Graduate School of Management, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia GEOFFREY WOOD Director, Human Resource Management Research Group, Coventry Business School, Coventry University, UK STEPHEN WOOD Research Professor and Deputy Director, Institute of Work Psychology, University of Sheffield, UK