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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.

The article reviews the book, "Clearcutting the Pacific Rain Forest: Production, Science, and Regulation." by Richard A. Rajala.

This article investigates whether older workers affected by plant closures are more likely to be discouraged from participation in the labor force and to be bitter towards employers as well as whether they are less likely to report career growth in subsequent employment situations. The data indicated that older workers are less likely to report the career-growth effect. In addition, post-closure training activities reduced the likelihood of the discouraged-worker effect for the 45-55 age group. The respondents from the older age groups who undertook post-closure training activities were more likely to report the poisoning effect and less likely to report the career-growth effect. It is argued that the results relate to the definition of the age groups, the transferability of human capital, and the value of community support. The implication of the results for public and institutional policies are discussed.

The article reviews the book, "Jack London: A Life," by Alex Kershaw.

The article reviews and comments extensively on Elizabeth Jameson's 'All That Glitters: Class, Conflict, and Community in Cripple Creek' (1998) and Janet L. Finn's 'Tracing the Veins: Copper, Culture, and Community from Butte to Chuquicamata' (1998).

Cet article traite des transformations récentes des formes de qualification du travail. Il est le fruit d'une vaste enquête sur la dynamique des emplois dans le secteur manufacturier au Québec. Les auteurs analysent d'abord les modifications cruciales de la dynamique des entreprises. Ensuite, ils examinent les nouvelles qualifications exigées des travailleurs, à savoir les compétences nécessaires pour accomplir les tâches, ainsi que les principaux profils de qualification privilégiés par les employeurs en vue du recrutement. L'article met en relief l'émergence de trois modèles inédits de qualification, tous fondés sur la flexibilité, soit le modèle flexible de type professionnel-conceptuel, le modèle flexible de type taylorisé et le modèle flexible de type adroit-analytique.

Analyzing the experiences of 3 unionized manufacturing firms in North America, 2 relatively unexplored issues in previous literature are examined: 1. skill based pay in unionized organizations, and 2. the transition from job-based pay to skill-based pay. The 3 cases showed substantial variety, particularly in the areas of practical details of SBP and the work system in which SBP operates. The cases show that SBP can be successfully designed and implemented in older unionized workplaces with strong contract language. Specifically, it was found that SBP can be introduced even where numerous job classifications are retained and that seniority rights are not inconsistent with an effective SBP system.

The article reviews the book, "Eh, Paesan!: Being Italian in Toronto," by Nicholas DeMaria Harney.