Review of Labor relations and human relations

Abstract

Reviews the book, Labor relations and human relations by Benjamin M. Selekman (1947). Another appropriate title for Selekman's book would be A Psychology of Labor Relations and it is indeed a reflection upon psychologists as a group that one of them has not come forward to write a volume on this subject. Granted that a sizable body of empirical facts has not been developed in this area, it is heartening to see someone strike out and prepare an exploration of the human relationships involved in negotiating and living under a union agreement. While other authors have discussed the subject, this organized treatment is long overdue. Selekman paints the current picture of strife in the world of union relations and raises the questions of "why" and "what can be done about it?" "How can we achieve in daily shop behavior the cooperation necessary for realizing both full production and maximum human satisfaction?" His answer traces the emotional reactions of both union and management men from the time a union enters the industrial scene as an organizing unit, through the negotiation of the first agreement, to the problems of administering and modifying the agreement. The book could be useful to the industrial psychologist for distribution to his friends in labor relations and in unions; they may find it a trifle hard to read but it Mali be well worth the effort. It is a book that the non-industrial psychologist will find valuable in understanding the potential role of the psychologist in union relations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)