The Unions and the Democrats

Although labor unions have faced a decline in membership in recent decades, they have not necessarily lost their political clout. The Unions and the Democrats illuminates the inner dynamics of labor's relationship to the American political system over the past generation. It examines organized labor from the Johnson administration through the 2000 elections, showing that labor's alliance with the Democratic Party has endured despite changes in the economy and the revival of conservatism.Drawing on extensive interviews with union leaders and lobbyists, Taylor E. Dark provides a historical perspective often lacking in studies of union political involvement. He compares the relationship of presidents Johnson, Carter, and Clinton with labor and analyzes cases of union involvement in legislative lobbying, executive decision-making, and both congressional and presidential elections.The book explores such topics as the effects of political reform on union power, the development of union legislative goals, and the impact of unions on economic policymaking, and also evaluates the controversy over union campaign spending in the 1996 elections. It demonstrates that labor's evolving alliance with the Democrats continues to shape America.

Author: Taylor E. Dark
Publisher: ILR Press
Published: 05/09/2001
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 9.39h x 5.95w x 0.63d
ISBN13: 9780801487330
ISBN10: 0801487331
BISAC Categories:
- Political Science | Labor & Industrial Relations
- Political Science | Political Process | Political Parties

About the Author

Taylor E. Dark was formerly Associate Dean of the Graduate School of American Studies at Doshisha University in Japan.