After years of being ignored by the media and public, labor finds itself squarely in the spotlight - under attack from all angles and fighting back fiercely. No longer can anyone claim that labor's falling membership has made it a mere relic, for its adversaries would not expend so much energy to destroy a movement grown truly irrelevant. But what is this war on labor all about? Can unions survive, and how? And what are the stakes for the middle class and for our country? With the benefit of 25 years of award-winning reporting, Philip M. Dine takes us on a riveting journey - replete with colorful characters and penetrating analysis - that answers these questions. It places today's news in context while making a powerful argument that a reinvigorated labor movement and a strong middle class are inextricably linked. "Phil Dine offers an insightful, riveting, reader-friendly examination of organized labor..." - Alexis Herman, 23rd U. S. Secretary of Labor "...a thoughtful work that gives readers hope that America's working class can regain the strength and respect they rightfully deserve." - American Prospect "...a must read...keen observations and thoughtful conclusions...so well written and entertaining, it beckons anyone who works for a living to bring it to the beach. " - Linda Foley, Past President, The Newspaper Guild "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..." - Sacramento News & Review "One of the best books in years about the union movement, its strengths, its weaknesses and its pivotal importance for America's middle class...(Dine) tells fascinating stories few knew." - AFL-CIO "Phil Dine offers a compelling and provocative look at labor's role in the political, social and economic marketplace." - The Honorable Tom Ridge "Phil Dine gives an intriguing new perspective on labor's declining numbers and the ill effects for our country if we let this trend continue." - Donna Brazile, Commentator, CNN and ABC News "...State of the Unions shatters conventional wisdom..." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch "State of the Unions does a masterful job of...showing how labor can revitalize itself so it is in a position to tackle the problems." -Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) "State of the Unions should be of great interest to labor leaders, scholars and students, as well as citizens concerned about the future of our democracy." - Richard Hurd, Professor of Labor Studies, Cornell University "When I read Phil Dine's account of the largest strike by black workers in Mississippi's history, I was swept back to the summer of 1990 standing in a cotton field in Indianola, Mississippi...Phil Dine tells their story as no one else can." - G. Neel Lattimore, former Press Secretary to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton