By Bill Barry

What can unions do as the Great Recession ravages workers and their unions and threatens to destroy decades of collective bargaining gains? What must local union leaders do to help their laid-off members, protect those still working, and prevent the gutting of their hard-fought contracts – and their very unions themselves?

This incredibly helpful new manual for union negotiators explains both the fundamentals and the details of costing a collective agreement to prepare for and conduct your contract negotiations. It describes the principal ways that contract costs are calculated and expressed by negotiators, and guides you through the process of accurately calculating average wages for your bargaining unit – for contracts with step progression and those without. Chapters in the manual explain how to analyze and calculate the value of contractual benefits: overtime pay, shift differentials and other hourly premium payments; holidays, vacations, personal days and leave time; health, dental, disability and life insurance plans; pensions and savings programs; and other kinds of benefits found in many union agreements

Here is a review of Kim Bobo's latest book "Wage Theft in America." I posted the review to Daily Kos earlier and wanted to make sure it got to UnionReview as well. Please read this review, but more importantly, treat yourself to this important read. You can buy it right off the site at this link.