The Way We Build Restoring Dignity to Construction Work
The Way We Build Restoring Dignity to Construction Work by Mark Erlich, published by University of Illinois Press on July 18, 2023, presents a detailed examination of the construction trades and their evolution over time. This 160-page book discusses how unionized craftsmen once found a pathway to the middle class, highlighting the pride and dignity associated with their work. Erlich addresses the decline of union strength over the past fifty years and the rise of a non-union sector that offers lower wages and more hazardous conditions, which has impacted the tradition of upward mobility in the industry.
Readers will find a blend of historical context and personal insights as Erlich explores the dynamics of the construction industry, the implications of union policies, and the experiences of those working within the trades. The book emphasizes the need for unions to adapt by embracing diversity, organizing efforts, and preparing for technological advancements. Through powerful narratives and a comprehensive overview, this edition sheds light on the challenges and opportunities facing the construction sector in the United States, particularly in the context of labor and industrial relations during the 20th century.
Official synopsis Publisher
The construction trades once provided unionized craftsmen a route to the middle class and a sense of pride and dignity often denied other blue-collar workers. Today, union members still earn wages and benefits that compare favorably to those of college graduates. But as union strength has declined over the last fifty years, a growing non-union sector offers lower compensation and more hazardous conditions, undermining the earlier tradition of upward mobility. Revitalization of the industry depends on unions shedding past racial and gender discriminatory practices, embracing organizing, diversity, and the new immigrant workforce, and preparing for technological changes.
Mark Erlich blends long-view history with his personal experience inside the building trades to explain one of our economy’s least understood sectors. Erlich’s multifaceted account includes the dynamics of the industry, the backdrop of union policies, and powerful stories of everyday life inside the trades. He offers a much-needed overview of construction’s past and present while exploring roads to the future.
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