With Neil M. Fox, Kraig Kircher, David Nicolai, Curtis A. Scott, Christina E. Shalley, and Janet Snow-Godfrey "Milton Derber and associates have written a solid, straightforward, sensible, workmanlike, fair, and authoritative study. The struggle of men and women to make decent working lives for themselves shines through, as do their imperfections. The Derber company has put together an enterprise touching virtually every facet of labor in all of its intricacies. I am impressed with the tender, loving care that Derber and company have lavished on the work. "Labor in Illinois" is inspiring reading for labor activists and labor scholars will discover a treasure house of detail." -- Jack Barbash, author of "Labor's Grass Roots" "Milton Derber's "Labor in Illinois: The Affluent Years, 1945-80" is clearly the most comprehensive among recent state labor histories. In it the labor movement is reviewed from a variety of perspectives: collective bargaining in seven unions, labor community impact in six cities. Especially interesting are chapters on labor's electoral politics and legislation, the role of minorities, the decline of labor radicalism, the extent of corruption in the labor movement, and the changing quality of work life." -- Robert W. Ozanne, author of "The Labor Movement in Wisconsin: A History"