Disintegrating Democracy at Work: Labor Unions and the Future of Good Jobs in the Service Economy

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Virginia Doellgast

Disintegrating Democracy at Work

Labor Unions and the Future of Good Jobs in the Service Economy

Virginia Doellgast

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English

ILR Press
15 February 2012

Sociology & anthropology; Politics & government; Labour economics; Personnel & human resources management; Industrial relations & safety; Trade unions

The shift from manufacturing- to service-based economies has often been accompanied by the expansion of low-wage and insecure employment. Many consider the effects of this shift inevitable. In Disintegrating Democracy at Work, Virginia Doellgast contends that high pay and good working conditions are possible even for marginal service jobs. This outcome, however, depends on strong unions and encompassing collective bargaining institutions, which are necessary to give workers a voice in the decisions that affect the design of their jobs and the distribution of productivity gains.

Doellgast's conclusions are based on a comparative study of the changes that occurred in the organization of call center jobs in the United States and Germany following the liberalization of telecommunications markets. Based on survey data and interviews with workers, managers, and union representatives, she found that German managers more often took the ""high road"" than those in the United States, investing in skills and giving employees more control over their work. Doellgast traces the difference to stronger institutional supports for workplace democracy in Germany. However, these democratic structures were increasingly precarious, as managers in both countries used outsourcing strategies to move jobs to workplaces with lower pay and weaker or no union representation. Doellgast's comparative findings show the importance of policy choices in closing off these escape routes, promoting broad access to good jobs in expanding service industries.

By: Virginia Doellgast
Imprint: ILR Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 907g
ISBN: 9780801450471
ISBN 10: 0801450470
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 15 February 2012
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Undergraduate , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified

Reviews for Disintegrating Democracy at Work: Labor Unions and the Future of Good Jobs in the Service Economy

<p> This unique and original book makes a major contribution to comparative industrial relations. It is a solid empirical analysis based in the growing service sector and examines a globally growing occupation, the call center customer service representative. Virginia Doellgast argues that both participation rights and union bargaining power are important supports for the adoption of high involvement employment systems. -Jeffrey H. Keefe, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey