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The article reviews and comments on several books: Kristi Anderson's "After Suffrage: Women and Partisan and Electoral Politics before the New Deal" (1996), Suzanne Marilley's "Woman Suffrage and the Origins of Liberal Feminism in the United States, 1820-1920" (1996), and Susan Marshall's "Splintered Sisterhood, Gender and Class in the Campaign against Woman Suffrage" (1997).

As the labor movement refocuses its commitment to organizing, it is turning increasingly toward organizing in communities of color. We know from quantitative research that workers of color are more likely to organize and are concentrated in low-wage industries that are more sus ceptible to organizing. Despite major victories such as Justice for Janitors in Los Angeles and a string of victories by UNITE in the South, unions have much to learn about organizing in communities of color. This article is an in-depth analysis of UNITE's victory among predominantly El Salvadoran workers at the Richmark plant in Everett, Massachusetts. It is based on interviews with union staff, community activists, and workers at the Richmark plant. Given its unusual circumstances, Richmark is in many ways not a model for organizing. Yet there are important lessons to be learned from the Richmark victory that extend beyond this Everett- based plant and inform organizing in communities of color. First, UNITE did not just enter the El Salvadoran community for this campaign but already had a presence in the community. Second, UNITE organizers recognized and nurtured the rank-and-file leadership that emerged. And, finally, the organizers and staff at UNITE were flexible, adapting both to the situation and to the workers at Richmark. While schooled in a specific model of organizing, they were able to look beyond those models and emerged victorious.

The article revews and comments on "The Undeclared War: Class Conflict in the Age of Cyber Capitalism," by James Laxer, and "Postmodern Management: The Emerging Partnership Between Employees and Stockholders," by William McDonald Wallace.

The article reviews the book, "Stratégies de résistance et travail des femmes," edited by Angelo Soares.

The article reviews the book, "The Origins of Capitalism," by Ellen Meiksins Wood.

The article reviews the book, "Technology and Gender Fabrics of Power in Late Imperial China," by Francesca Bray.

The article reviews the book, "Le guide Québec inc. 1997. Profil des 500 plus grandes entreprises au Québec," by Jean Auclair, Pierre Auger and Raymond Boisvert.

The article reviews the book, "Fonction formation," by Jacques Sayer.

Research has begun to increasingly document Native peoples' participation in wage employment in Canada. Despite an acknowledgement of native participation in wage labour, little is known of the role of the state in mobilizing Native workers for Canadian industry. Using the case of Native migration to the southern Alberta sugar-beet industry in the 1950s and 1960s, this paper analyzes the role of the state in the mobilization of the native workers for employment. We show that the various levels of the state, acting through federal/provincial manpower committees and the Indian Affairs Branch of the federal government, used a variety of paternalistic and coercive measures to help farmers in southern Alberta recruit and retain Native workers. One of the main measures used by the federal and provincial governments to coerce Native people into migration was to cut off social assistance benefits to those Native people deemed to be employable.

Quality improvement (QI) and downsizing have been 2 popular initiatives to enhance firm competitiveness. When used together, the relationship between them is neither simple nor straightforward. Although there have been many separate studies of QI and downsizing, there is a paucity of empirical work on the relationship between them and their organizational implications. A study is presented that seeks to fill this lacuna by shedding light on: 1. how employees respond to these initiatives when combined, 2. their compatibility, and 3. ways to alleviate the negative effects of one initiative on the other.

Examines the work regimen at Fraser Companies pulp and paper mill in Edmundston, New Brunswick, from 1947-74 to verify the thesis of Marxist political economist Harvey Braverman on the deskilling and degradation of work in the 20th century. Discusses ownership, administrative and technological changes as well as company-union relations. Twenty francophone longtime workers were interviewed. Concludes that although many jobs were eliminated, deskilling is a complex issue.

The article reviews the book, "Un siècle d'histoire industrielle : Belgique, Luxembourg, Pays-Bas, industrialisation et sociétés, 1873-1973," by René Leboutte, Jean Puissant, and Denis Scuto.

The article reviews the book, "Why Unions Matter," by Michael D. Yates.

Reprint of an article first published in the Vancouver Sun, entitled "Productivity Latest Stick to Beat Workers." Discusses the debate that it generated.

Briefly describes the newly released documentary, "The Plywood Girls," which focuses on the hundreds of women who worked at the sawmill in Port Alberni, BC, during the Second World War.

Prenant appui sur des données collectées auprès des travailleurs de l'usine de la GM à Boisbriand, cette étude cherche à mettre en évidence que leur évaluation du travail en équipe est intimement associée à la dynamique sociale qui prévaut au sein des équipes. Les résultats suggèrent que leur évaluation varie selon la capacité de coopération et d'action des travailleurs, laquelle est fortement liée aux modalités du marchandage de l'effort. Dans le cadre de ce marchandage continue sur les lieux de travail, le rôle joué par les chefs d'équipe apparaît comme un enjeu central. Il peut en effet constituer un catalyseur ou un frein à l'émergence de nouvelles capacités d'agir en commun au sein des équipes.

The article reviews the book, "Making Peace with the 60s," by David Burner.

The article reviews and comments on Kazuo Nimura's "The Ashio Riot of 1907: A Social History of Mining in Japan" (1997) and Yuko Ogasawara's "Office Ladies and Salaried Men: Power, Gender, and Work in Japanese Companies" (1998).

Compilation of recent English/French publications on Canadian labour history that emphasize the period 1800-1975. Materials pertaining to the post-1975 period may also be included, although more selectively. [See the database, Canadian Labour History, 1976-2009, published at Memorial University of Newfoundland.]

Examines the strikes waves of pin-boys and golf caddies during the 1930s in Canada. Argues that two distinct typologies may be discerned between bowling alleys and golf courses in terms of workplaces/cultures and work patterns. Considers the roles of various actors including the state, the employer-side YMCA, and the communist Workers Unity League. Concludes by offering observations on the impact of subsequent technological change, mass culture and the commodification of leisure time, and how the strikes illustrate the historic connection between the social wage (relief) and the labour market in the service sector.