HRIR 5025
COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL LABOR MOVEMENTS
Spring B '07
J. G. Scoville
...... CSOM 1-127:::Wednesdays 1745-2105
2 or 3 semester credits
The objective of HRIR 5025 is to explore the foundations of labor movements and national systems of industrial relations in the political, social and economic processes of societies undergoing change under tension. Thus, the course will appeal to students in a wide variety of majors, both graduate and undergraduate---human resources and industrial relations, history (including economic history), public affairs, political science and liberal studies. With almost 100% international or comparative content, the course (taken for 3 credits) will satisfy the CLE requirement for the International Perspectives Designated Theme.
The focus is primarily on the industrialized or high income countries of Western Europe, Oceania and Japan, but we will make exploratory forays into the "Little Tigers" and developing countries. The course will involve readings, lectures, discussions, a short paper and an individual or group project presentation. A longer course paper is required for the third optional credit. The participants in this course will:
o as a member of a 2-person team, present to the class a succinct summary of the development and salient characteristics of the industrial relations arrangements of an industrialized country or of a Little Tiger or a developing country (selected from lists below in Sections 3 or 6B);
o complete assigned reading;
o participate in the discussions of the group: and
o write a 6-8 page paper on an international or comparative topic (see suggestions below).
For the third credit, participants will:
o write a longer paper (on the order of 20-25 pages) on an international or comparative topic (see suggestions below).
There will be no final exam; any papers are due at the last class. Grading will be as follows: "Country paper" (an oral---not written---presentation, handouts, etc.), 40%; Term paper, 40%; participation, 20%. For those doing the longer paper for a 3rd credit, the weights are: Country paper: 30%; term paper: 50%; participation: 20%.
The presentation of "country papers" will begin with the session of
April 4 (if we need more time, it will be borrowed from subsequent sessions). A word of caution is needed about the vast amounts of historical material which can often make these presentations very long while obscuring the important differences between countries today. Depending on the size of the class, figure that you will have about half an hour to summarize the process of evolution of each country to its present situation. Handouts, e.g. tables of relevant data or schematics of bargaining systems, are a must. We will choose countries and fix dates at the first session on March 21.
While the country presentation is, by its nature, largely descriptive, it is intended that the term paper be more analytical. Simple description will not do. A list of some past topics (actual or suggested) is attached to give you some idea of what can be done. Students are reminded of the hazards of plagiarism in general and the need for extra caution in using Internet materials.
The scheduled topics of the course with readings are shown below. Each evening session (e.g., #2) consists of two or more sub-sections (e.g., 2A and 2B) which more or less correspond to separate class meetings in a twice-a-week day offering of the course.
COURSE SCHEDULE
1. March 21 Introduction, Orientation, and Administrivia
Syllabus will be distributed and discussed. The purpose of the course and of comparative study will be addressed. Dates and countries for "country papers" will be set.
A. The LDC's of 200 Years Ago
Michael Poole, Industrial Relations, chs. 1, 2.
Vincent J. Knapp, Europe in the Era of Social Transformation: 1700 Present, pp. 17107; 135164.
Adolf Sturmthal, Unity and Diversity in European Labor, Chs.1,2.
B. Governments and Labor
Gaston V. Rimlinger, "Labor and the Government: A Comparative Historical Perspective," Journal of Economic History, Vol. 37, March 1977, p. 210229.
2. March 28
A. Industrial Relations Systems
John T. Dunlop, Industrial Relations Systems, pp. 132.
Noah Meltz, "Dunlop's Industrial Relations Systems after three decades," in Roy Adams (ed.), Comparative Industrial Relations.
B. Towards a Theory of the Labor Movement
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Sturmthal and Scoville (eds.). The International Labor Movement in Transition, pp. 133; 5878.
S. M. Lipset, "Radicalism or Reformism: Sources of Working Class Politics", American Political Science Review, March, 1983.
3. April 4. Development of the Data Base Surveys of National Industrial Relations Arrangements
For discussion in class, "high income" countries should be drawn from the following list: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Japan, Australia, Spain, New Zealand and Israel. Canada, Russia and the former Soviet Union, and the smaller European states have secondorder priority. Among the "lower income" countries, particular interest may attach to Taiwan, Thailand, India, Mexico, Peru, South AfricaCbut this is a pretty laissez-faire class, so I=m open to almost any idea. There are numerous works on individual nations; check the Industrial Relations Reference Room (280 HHH). Detailed information on many countries is found in R. Blanpain (one of the European labor lawyers referred to above), ed., International Encyclopedia for Labour Law and Labour Relations.
4. April 11 (Continue development of Data Base as needed)
A. Werner. Sombart's "American exceptionalism" in Broader Perspective
Articles by M. Wallace (Newspapers), C. Pellegrini (Public Transit), E. Kassalow (Steel) and discussions by W. Solomon and J. Scoville, "Impact of World Recession on Labor relations," 1984 Industrial Relations Research Association Proceedings, pp. 325-59.
Eileen Applebaum and Rosemary Batt, The New American Workplace, pp. 3-54.
B. Women's issues, roles, and institutions in
the workplace and Labor movement
Alice Cook, Val Lorwin, and Arlene Daniels, eds., The Most Difficult Revolution: Women and Trade Unions, ch. 2.
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James G. Scoville, "Women, The Labour Market and the Labour Movement," Proceedings of the Fifth European Regional IR Congress, Vol. 6.
5. April 18. Shape and Control of Conflict; Modifications to Capitalist Management
A. The Shape and Control of Conflict
Douglas A. Hibbs, "Industrial Conflict in Advanced Industrial Societies," American Political Science Review, Vol. LXX, December 1976, pp.
A. The Shape and Control of Conflict 10331058.
Poole, ch. 6
B. Modifications and Alternatives to "Capitalist Management"
James G. Scoville, "Organizing Our Thoughts About Workers' Participation," Labour and Society, Vol. 5, No. 3, July, 1980, pp. 255265.
Roy Adams, "Universal Joint Regulation: A moral imperative," 1990 IRRA Proceedings.
A. Ben Ner and D. Jones, "Employee Participation, Ownership and Productivity: A Theoretical Framework," Industrial Relations, October, 1995.
FILM: ATurbulent Waters@
6. April 25. Transnational Matters; Labor in Developing Areas
A. Transnational Problems and Organizations, including the ILO
Lloyd Ulman, "Multinational Unionism: Incentives, Barriers, and Alternatives," Industrial Relations, Vol. 14, February, 1975, pp. 131.
Stephen Schlossberg, "United States Participation in the ILO: Redefining the Role," Comparative Labor Law Journal, Fall 1989, pp. 48-80.
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B. Labor issues in Developing Areas
FILM: AMade in Thailand@
Country papers on selected "Little Tigers" or developing nations: e.g. India, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan. (About half an hour each.)
Ron Bean, Comparative Industrial Relations, chs. 9, 10
James G. Scoville, "Social Tensions, Labor Market Conditions, and Industrial Conflict," in Japan Institute of Labour, Social Tensions and Industrial Relations Arising in the Industrial Relations Processes of Asian Countries, 1979 Asian Regional conference on IR.
Michel Bonnet, "Child Labour in Africa," International Labour Review, 1993:3.
Poole, ch. 9
7. May 2
A. Distribution of Results: AOutcome sysstems@
1. Health Care Systems
2. Social Security Systems
3. Education and Training Systems
Poole. Ch. 8
Francois Neilson and Arthur S. Alderson, AIncome Inequality, Development and Dualism.@American Socioplogical Review, October, 1995.
B. Perspective and Overview (possibly including brief discussion of your papers)
Thomas Kirkwood and Horst Mewes. "The Limits of Trade Union Power in the Capitalist Order: The Case of West German Labour's quest for codetermination," British Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. XIV, November 1976, pp. 295305.
Roy Adams, Industrial Relations under Liberal Democracy(1995), Chapter 8: "Transcending Adversarial Industrial Relations."
Everett Kassalow, "Trade Unions and Industrial relations, Toward the 21st Century," Bulletin of Comparative Labor Relations #16, 1987.
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For the short course paper, I suggest doing a little follow-up research on something interesting that you encounter in the newspaper or a magazine. You can find a good deal of information on the Net. Examples might be a review of issues, objectives, tactics involved in a strike somewhere overseas, review of an international conference on labor or human rights issues, an initial review of questions (and answers?) that you would need to ask if [your company] were to build a facility in [some country of interest], the labor movement=s evolving role in some foreign political system.....almost anything you encounter where your reaction is: "I=d like to know a little more about that!" Use your imaginations!!
To facilitate thinking about longer (3rd credit) papers, here are examples of topics that could be used or have been used. While most of the topics are historical (reflecting data and literature likely to be available) and labor-relations related, you will note that some are based in comparative personnel and HRM. You should feel free to write a paper from any part of the broad field of IR---just so long as it is comparative.
Effects of Migrant or "guest" Workers in (Country) on Wages, Industrial Relations, etc.
Impacts of Codetermination in Germany
Scandinavian Proposals for Worker Stock Funds, etc.
Modernization/Computerization and Dockworkers (or Printers and Compositors, or Railway Workers, or many others) in (Country)
Party/Union Relationships in ______
The Structure of Collective Bargaining in the (Industry) in Countries A, B, C
The Passage and Repeal of the British Industrial Relations Act of 1971
The IR effects of Mrs. Thatcher
Costs and Benefits (to Worker and Union) of Settling certain Questions in Various Countries (e.g., Comparative Costs and Benefits of U.S. Arbitration, German Labor Courts and French Conseils de Prud'hommes)
Absenteeism Levels in Various Industries in Various Countries
Labor Market Adjustment Programs in Various Countries
Earlier Experiments with International Trade Union or Labor Activity
Union Attitudes to Job Enlargement in Norway, Britain and the U.S. (or A, B, C)
Approaches to Occupational Health and Safety Legislation (etc., etc.) in A, B, C
Family Allowances and the rise of female labor force participation
Sex Discrimination Legislation in (Country) compared with US
Systems of Pay in (Industry) in various countries
The structure and components of compensation in X
Multinational Collective Bargaining Prospects in the Industry
Comparable Worth in International Perspective
Comparative Role of Government in Fixing Benefits in the U.S. and France
Protective Labor Legislation in the US, Mexico, and the Maquiladora
Effects of Works Councils on Personnel Practice in W. Germany
Selected Personnel Practices in the MNC
Training and Development practices in Germany, Japan and the US
Use and Validation of Tests in Japanese and US Industry
Safety (including worker compensation) rules/practices in _____
The Divergence and Merger of Personnel (or Labor Relations) Systems in East and West Germany
Rev. 2-16-06