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A recent study presents regression results that can be used to calculate the impact on the unemployment rate of women and youth in Ontario of a variation in the minimum wage. These regressions yield results very similar to those obtained for Quebec, an economy whose structure is fairly similar to that of Ontario. These results indicate that the proposed increase in the minimum wage in Ontario would lead to a one-percentage-point increase in the unemployment of women and youth in the province, which in terms of the unemployment rate of 1991, is approximately a 10% increase in employment. Such a result is in agreement with economists and should be taken into account by policymakers.

The article reviews several books including "The Skilled Metalworkers of Nuremberg: Craft and Class in the Industrial Revolution," by Michael J. Neufeld, "Mercedes in Peace and War: German Automobile Workers, 1903-1945," by Bernard P. Bellon, and "A History of Foreign Labor in Germany 1880-1980: Seasonal Workers/Forced Laborers/Guest Workers," by Ulrich Herbert.

The article reviews the book, "Le discours de presse - L'image des syndicats au Québec (1982-1983)," by Mayrse Souchard.

The article reviews the book, "Repenser le travail. Quand les femmes accèdent à l'égalité," by Ginette Legault.

Cet article compare les résultats obtenus suite à l'utilisation de deux méthodes de comparaison des emplois pour réaliser l'équité salariale dans les organisations. Les deux indicateurs retenus sont la proportion d'emplois à prédominance féminine dont le salaire horaire serait ajusté à la hausse et l'ampleur des ajustements mesuré en pourcentage du salaire. Les résultats obtenus révèlent que la moyenne des ajustements salariaux ne varie pratiquement pas, peu importe la méthode utilisée. La méthode «emploi à courbe» semble cependant supérieure à la méthode «emploi à emploi» en ce qui concerne la proportion d'emplois ajustés, en particulier dans les trois organisations où le nombre d'emplois de bureau à prédominance féminine était le plus élevé.

A meta-analytical framework is used to examine the true impact of specific beliefs about unions, general beliefs about unions, job satisfaction, sex, race, and Southern US residence on union voting intent. The results strongly suggest that union voting intent is affected by both specific and general instrumentality, with specific instrumentality being a more important predictor of union voting intent than general instrumentality. The results also indicate that non-whites and women are more likely to express a pro-union voting intent, while those with high job satisfaction are more likely to express an anti-union voting intent. Meta-analysis results show that even Southerners are likely to express a pro-union voting intent, but that the magnitude of this effect is very small compared with other factors. All of the factors considered in the study do affect union voting intent regardless of the situation, but the incidence of some of the factors on union voting intent could vary across situations.

The article reviews the book, "The Souls of the Skyscraper: Female Clerical Workers in Chicago, 1870-1930," by Lisa M. Fine.

Social support is examined as a correlate of perceived job demands and psychological strain and as a moderator of the relationship between stimulus and response, according to personality traits. An occupational stress questionnaire was administered to 807 hospital employees. Data were obtained regarding 2 sources of job demands, 3 psychological symptoms, 4 categories of personality, and 3 areas of social support. The strongest evidence favors a non-specific direct correlation between all dimensions of social support and all the strain symptoms analyzed. The differences between personality types are relative exceptions to the general trend. There is also evidence supporting a direct relationship between job demands and social support, as well as strain symptoms. Extrinsic job demands appear to be a strong correlate of both. Here again, the emphasis is on interdependency and not necessarily on causality. The results offer some support for the role of social support as a moderator variable in the relationship between occupational demands and psychological strain.

This book describes how business, labour and government have organized the production of goods and services in Canada since 1945. Daniel Drache and Harry Glasbeek focus on the industrial relations system and how it works. They call for fresh thinking on the economy and offer proposals for the reorganization of production. --Publisher's description

The article reviews the books "Love in the Time of Victoria," by Francoise Barret-Ducrocq and "Romantic Longings ― Love in America, 1830-1980," by Steven Seidman.

The article reviews the book, "Tom Mann," by Joseph White.

Criminal prosecutions are not a common incident in industrial disputes. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that there exists a range of criminal sanctions that can be and sometimes are used to punish picketers who get out of line. Peaceful, informational picketing is a protected right, but the criminal law is ready to step in if picketing is too loud, too pushy, untimely, or in the wrong place, or if there are simply too many picketers. Criminal sanctions thus act as an important state instrument in regulating industrial conflict. It is suggested that the use of criminal law to restrain picketing is inappropriate and incongruous with the stated aims of the industrial relations regime. Among the underlying goals of this regime is the fostering of successful collective bargaining through promoting equality of bargaining power and recognizing that the employment relationship is an ongoing one. Criminal prosecutions skew the odds in a strike in favor of the employer.

A recent study contrasts competing paradigms of a key issue in the employee-employer relationship: the application of the concept of progressive discipline. In a review of both the arbitral jurisprudence in the unionized sector, and the organizational behavior literature, two very different perspectives regarding the application of discipline in the workplace are illustrated. One view is embodied in arbitral law and focuses on the corrective effects of discipline, while the other is embodied in behavior modification theory and emphasizes its negative effects. The notion of discipline is discussed in a broader perspective by highlighting some current trends in human resource management, as well as alternative approaches to dealing with employee misconduct.

La recherche comparative en relations industrielles bénéficie actuellement d'un regain d'intérêt. Un des thèmes majeurs est la génération du consentement au sein de l'atelier. Il existe déjà une tradition de recherche bien établie sur ce thème, mais son apport n'a reçu que peu d'attention jusqu'ici. L'article expose les grandes lignes de cette tradition ethnographique, mettant ses forces en relief. Il existe aussi des points faibles, notamment en ce qui a trait à la généralisation des résultats. Après évaluation, ces limites paraissent moins définitives que ne le suggèrent certaines critiques. Des exemples de l'application de cette approche à l'étude comparative sont présentés, et un programme de recherche est avancé.

The article reviews the book, "Ideology: An Introduction," by Terry Eagleton.

A number of hypotheses as to the possible impact of the collective bargaining process of Section 48 of the Alberta Public Service Employee Relations Act (PSERA) are tested. Section 48 declares non-arbitrable a broad range of management rights items. The results suggest that power relations, market forces, and shared understandings in Crown hospitals have overridden the anticipated effect of the law. In Crown Service bargaining, however, Section 48 has served to buttress traditional management rights that pre-date the PSERA. Management's defense of such rights, facilitated by Section 48, has contributed to frustrating legalism, strained bargaining relationships with certain Crown locals, and a blunting of union power within the formal bargaining system. Further research is needed to determine the nature and effect of informal workplace responses. Recent unlawful strikes of social workers and corrections officers are evidence of growing pressure for change in the legislation.

The article reviews the book, "The Blacksmith in Upper Canada, 1784-1850: A Study of Technology, Culture and Power," by William N. T. Wylie.

In 1973 the Government of Canada and the ten provinces agreed to undertake jointly a complete review of Canada's social security system. The review and development of policy options was scheduled to be completed by 1975 with the implementation of chosen options to take a further two or three years. A prominent and much debated policy option with respect to income security was a guaranteed annual income. In 1974 the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba agreed jointly to undertake a guaranteed annual income experiment called the Manitoba Basic Annual Income Experiment. The primary research purpose of the experiment was to provide information respecting the labour supply response of the recipients of a system of guaranteed annual income payments. The experiment officially ended in March, 1979, but did not report on the labour supply response. This study examines the history and fate of the Manitoba Basic Annual Income Experiment. Two major conclusions are drawn. The first conclusion is that the Government of Canada had decided shortly after the experiment had begun that it would not support a one-tiered guaranteed annual income program such as was being tested by the experiment. The second conclusion is that social policy research that requires the use of rigorous and complex social science methodology should be considered an important part of the normal policy-making process, but should be conducted by a research body that is independent of the initiating government(s).

The article reviews and comments extensively on the book, "History and the New Left: Madison, Wisconsin, 1950-1970," edited by Paul Buhle.

Many industrial relations decisions are made on the basis of perceptions, including, in some cases, which shop steward to approach to handle a union member's grievance. An analysis of shop steward performance and role conflict suggests that steward effectiveness in relating to members and management can be fostered by providing more time for stewards to perform their duties as union representatives. While training can ease the adjustment to stewardship, its main impact on role performance may be greater information dissemination. Most important, greater conflict in the union-management relationship may lead to fewer resolutions at the first step, lower quality steward-management relations, and a lesser ability to disseminate information. Stewards generally reported that they adopted a rather pragmatic approach to resolving grievances with supervisors. Regression analysis suggests that women may adopt a less-aggressive, more problem-solving approach than men.