Quick Update
Philip Dine will be teaching a labor-management course at the George Washington University School of Business this fall. State of the Unions has won honorable mention for best book about labor or work of the past five years from the United Association for Labor Education.
The Book & Political Change
Several factors make this a pivotal moment for American labor. The most labor-friendly administration since LBJ is in charge (in part because of behind-the-scenes campaign work of people like Jim Hoffa, Gerry McEntee and Rich Trumka with blue-collar folks in key swing states), while the public and political focus of recent years on external threats has shifted to the struggling economy. But for labor to capitalize, it has to navigate between its desire for legislative gains and the administration's broader goals, and unions also need to improve their ability to get out the message so Americans understand why labor is as relevant as ever.
The importance of State of The Unions to all this and more has been the topic of several recent radio and television shows, and of speeches by author/journalist Philip Dine to labor conventions, universities and political and legal conferences. From CNN to Fox, National Public Radio to Harvard Business School, State of the Unions has been cited for its message about what labor needs to do to rejuvenate itself.
Welcome 
Philip Dine is a Washington-based journalist, frequent speaker on labor and politics, and author of the recent State of the Unions: How Labor Can Strengthen the Middle Class, Improve Our Economy, and Regain Political Influence (McGraw-Hill). The book delves into the decline of American labor unions, explores how their troubles have had a powerful effect on our way of life and on our political landscape, and suggests how labor could revitalize itself.
This web site contains information about State of the Unions, Mr. Dine's book events and speaking appearances, as well as his periodic blog on labor issues.
What They're Saying
The book, State of the Unions, is receiving wide praise:
- Bill Clinton
- ”...a great book ....“
- Ted Kennedy
- ”...excellent, inspiring, and very readable....“
- AFL-CIO
- ”...one of the best books in years about the union movement, its strengths, its weaknesses and its pivotal importance for America's middle class....“
- AFSCME
- “..."combines a strong narrative of the lives of union members with insightful analysis of American labor’s triumphs and recent struggles ......”
- Washington Monthly
- “..."Dine's book is provocative...a joint review with NYT Steven Greenhouse's book ......”
- Boilermaker Reporter (current editon)
- “...who better to assess labor's decline and identify strategies for survival?......”
- Sacramento News & Review
- ”...read this book before you vote...if you’d like to understand where the jobs have gone, and why, and what can be done to stop the bleeding -- it’s worth reading Philip M. Dine’s analysis of what’s happened to unions in the last three decades...“
- Reuters
- “...a playbook for a comeback for organized labor at a time when many are ready to write off the American union movement as irrelevant and outdated.”
- Union Review Blog Quotes from Workers
- “...I recently had the opportunity to get this book. I must say that everything that I have read so far is simply amazing. I highly suggest this book... If you have a chance to get your hands on this, please do so....The forward by Gephardt and the prologue by Dine are worth the price of the whole book....It really is an inspiring book...it is fascinating about the Iowa Firefighters.”
- American Prospect
- “..a thoughtful work that gives readers hope that America's working class can regain the strength and respect they rightfully deserve.”
- Mark Shields, syndicated columnist
- “...a suberb new book...”
- IBEW
- “...A riveting portrait of the status of the labor movement...”
- CWA
- “..a highly touted book packed with colorful anecdotes and careful research...”
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- “...State of the Unions shatters conventional wisdom...”
See In the News for more Reviews.
Before Publication
- Mike Wallace, CBS News
- “Phil Dine tells a compelling tale – and he writes beautifully – of the decline, fall and potential rebirth of a powerful labor movement in the U.S.”
- Linda Foley, President, The Newspaper Guild-CWA
- “State of the Unions...is so well-written and entertaining, it beckons anyone who works for a living to bring it to the beach.”
- Bernard DeLury, Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service under President George H.W. Bush
- “The author enters areas few media professionals have ever even visited...in this astonishing new book...”
On Speaking
Contact Philip directly for speaking engagements. Learn More »
Monthly Spotlight
Read Philip Dine's May 26th column in the Washington Times.
Dine appeared on CNBC May 21st to discuss several labor and economic topics, including the UAW, Teamsters and pensions.
Philip will be the keynote speaker for the New England/New York Consortium of Labor Relations Associations annual conference on July 30th in Providence, R.I.
Philip appeared on Fox Business Network's "Money for Breakfast" to discuss the UAW and the auto industry.
Philip was the guest for an hour June 15 on Philadelphia public radio, WHYY's show Radio Times, about the auto industry/UAW and more broadly the status and future of the labor movement.
He was on the Francene Show on WHAS, a regional AM station in Louisville on June 9.
Philip spoke at a May 18 breakfast meeting of Midwest labor and business construction leaders at the 2009 Building and Construction Trades Department National Legislative Conference in Washington.
Dine was the speaker at AFSCME's Leadership Academy on April 28th in Columbus, Ohio. He led an online labor course at the University of Maryland the week of April 20th.
Universities are using State of the Unions as text for college courses. See University of Illinois. Dine also was one of three national judges for The Newspaper Guild's Heywood Broun journalism award.
State of the Unions is reviewed in the winter edition of New Labor Forum and mentioned in Monthly Review magazine.
Dine was luncheon speaker at the Labor and Employment Relations Association ( LERA) in Washington D.C.
Buying the Book
Order from Amazon.com or book stores, or order a signed copy from the author here.
About the Book
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Speaking Topics
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