About the book
An exciting yet relatively unknown episode in American labor history took place in New York City between 1965 and 1975. Rank-and-file members of numerous unions caught a “strike fever” as they challenged the entrenched power of some of the country’s most powerful politicians, employers, and union leaders in a wave of contract rejections, wildcat strikes, and electoral campaigns.
Workers in unions across New York wanted more than better contracts: they contested control of the work process, racism on the job, and workers' place in America’s socioeconomic hierarchy while implicitly and explicitly demanding greater democratic control of their representative organizations. Some initial challenges were effective and succeeded in delivering better contracts and unseating undemocratic leaders. However, those early successes were short-lived.
Glenn Dyer traces the way workers were met with employer recalcitrance and union attacks that proved too powerful to organize against. In the face of this resistance, workers retreated into a survivalist attitude of accommodation and resignation, contributing to the decline of social democratic New York and working-class power in the city. Ultimately, Dyer argues, the failures of the rank-and-file organizing efforts in New York City, which was the biggest center of organized labor in the country, shows how stunted workers' aspirations and numerous defeats not only uprooted the foundations of New York’s uniquely social democratic polity but also ushered in a national era of increased working-class subservience that has resonance today.
Editions of The Era Was Lost
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469682051
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469682068
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682075
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682099
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469682105
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469682082
Read an Excerpt
An exciting yet relatively unknown episode in American labor history took place in New York City between 1965 and 1975. Rank-and-file members of numerous unions caught a “strike fever” as they challenged the entrenched power of some of the country’s most powerful politicians, employers, and union leaders in a wave of contract rejections, wildcat strikes, and electoral campaigns.
Workers in unions across New York wanted more than better contracts: they contested control of the work process, racism on the job, and workers' place in America’s socioeconomic hierarchy while implicitly and explicitly demanding greater democratic control of their representative organizations. Some initial challenges were effective and succeeded in delivering better contracts and unseating undemocratic leaders. However, those early successes were short-lived.
Glenn Dyer traces the way workers were met with employer recalcitrance and union attacks that proved too powerful to organize against. In the face of this resistance, workers retreated into a survivalist attitude of accommodation and resignation, contributing to the decline of social democratic New York and working-class power in the city. Ultimately, Dyer argues, the failures of the rank-and-file organizing efforts in New York City, which was the biggest center of organized labor in the country, shows how stunted workers' aspirations and numerous defeats not only uprooted the foundations of New York’s uniquely social democratic polity but also ushered in a national era of increased working-class subservience that has resonance today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Era Was Lost about?
An exciting yet relatively unknown episode in American labor history took place in New York City between 1965 and 1975. Rank-and-file members of numerous unions caught a “strike fever” as they challenged the entrenched power of some of the country’s most powerful politicians, employers, and union leaders in a wave of contract rejections, wildcat strikes, and electoral campaigns.
Workers in unions across New York wanted more than better contracts: they contested control of the work process, racism on the job, and workers' place in America’s socioeconomic hierarchy while implicitly and explicitly demanding greater democratic control of their representative organizations. Some initial challenges were effective and succeeded in delivering better contracts and unseating undemocratic leaders. However, those early successes were short-lived.
Glenn Dyer traces the way workers were met with employer recalcitrance and union attacks that proved too powerful to organize against. In the face of this resistance, workers retreated into a survivalist attitude of accommodation and resignation, contributing to the decline of social democratic New York and working-class power in the city. Ultimately, Dyer argues, the failures of the rank-and-file organizing efforts in New York City, which was the biggest center of organized labor in the country, shows how stunted workers' aspirations and numerous defeats not only uprooted the foundations of New York’s uniquely social democratic polity but also ushered in a national era of increased working-class subservience that has resonance today.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Era Was Lost?
Economics, Finance, Business and Management > Industry and industrial studies > Industrial relations, occupational health and safety > Industrial arbitration and negotiation
Where can I read a sample of The Era Was Lost?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469682051
How long is The Era Was Lost and how many pages does it have?
The Era Was Lost has 232 page(s)
Is The Era Was Lost part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Justice, Power, and Politics
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Era Was Lost?
Glenn Dyer
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Era Was Lost is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469682051) and paperback(ISBN 9781469682068) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682075) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682099) and ebook(ISBN 9781469682105) and pdf(ISBN 9781469682082)
Where can I buy The Era Was Lost online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Era Was Lost from below
Where can I buy The Era Was Lost?