present (and likely future) circumstances demand a break with the
now outmoded tug-of-war between traditional approaches. The elec-
tion of President Clinton opened new possibilities for developing a
system of workplace relations that can simultaneously ensure the
basic rights of workers while fostering international competitive-
ness. Achieving this "win-win" outcome would contribute greatly to
the prospects for sustained economic growth, the creation of high-
quality jobs, and the promotion of fairness and dignity for workers.

This book was written as a search for new common ground be-
tween employers and their workers on which to shape the future of
employment relations, and of workers' rights in particular. If such
common ground is to be gained, the federal government must play
a central role in moving us toward it; but policymakers must be able
to articulate a clear vision of where we are going, or their efforts
will simply be interpreted (and supported or opposed) within the
rather tired polarities of traditional liberal-versus-conservative dis-
course. Important new opportunities beckon, and they are too valu-
able to be lost in outdated controversies.

In writing this book, I was aided by many who made generous
and excellent contributions for which I am extremely grateful. The
Twentieth Century Fund provided support--both financial and
moral--without which this particular book would not have been
undertaken nor completed; Nina Massen, John Samples, and Bev-
erly Goldberg were particularly helpful. Nancy Davidson and James
R. Schneider at the Brookings Institution and Vincent Ercolano
greatly improved the book by providing helpful reviews, insightful
criticism, and intelligent editing.

My colleagues at the University of Massachusetts, especially
Herbert Gintis, Samuel Bowles, and Michael Podgursky, have of-
fered continuing help by pointing me to literature I had overlooked,
exposing weak arguments, and forcing me to confront alternative
viewpoints. I was also greatly helped by those who, although for-
mally research assistants, were in fact colleagues and members of
the research team: June Lapidus, Lisa Kessler, Kevin Crocker, and
Marlies Schoeneberger. I extend my sincere thanks to them. My
greatest single debt is to Denny Kalyalya, who simply performed
brilliantly in so many ways to help bring this book to completion.
Despite all the help, I remain, of course, solely responsible for the
argument of the book and for any flaws or deficiencies in it.

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