An investigation of images of labor in the media. Topics include the media and the economy, corporate bias and the manufacturing of news, and labor's response to the corporate image. The learning guide introduction for this course is available in Adobe Acrobat format. The legal and practical context of grievance arbitration, and its limitations and advantages in resolving workplace problems. Varieties of arbitration clauses and the status of awards.
Students analyze a cassette tape of a mock arbitration hearing.
Labor movements and labor relations in industrial societies from historical, analytical, and comparative perspectives. Emphasis on interaction between unions and political organizations, national labor policies, the resolution of workplace problems, the organization of white-collar employees, and the issues of worker control and codetermination. The learning guide introduction for this course is available in Adobe Acrobat format. Perspectives on the origin, development, and goals of organized labor. Theories include those that view the labor movement as a business union institution, an agent for social reform, a revolutionary force, a psychological reaction to industrialization, a moral force, and an unnecessary intrusion.