Posted on May 28: Professor Examines Globalization and Labour

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/liunaDN.jpg” caption=”Robert O’Brien”]

A unique professorship established at McMaster University will focus on the challenges trade unions and workers face in the global economy.

The LIUNA/Henry Enrico Mancinelli Professorship in Global Labour Issues has been created to improve society's understanding of the changes posed for organized labour in the wake of increasing liberalization and globalization of political economies.

The inaugural holder of the professorship is Robert O'Brien, an associate professor of political science and associate director of the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition at McMaster University.

The professorship, officially announced today, is endowed with a $500,000 gift from the Labourers' International Union of North America (LIUNA). It is named in honour of Enrico “Henry” Mancinelli, an outstanding Hamilton union and community leader for more than 40 years. The University will match the gift.

“It is important for labour issues facing a global economy and workers everywhere around the world to receive adequate attention by our scholars and by a great institution like McMaster University,” said Henry Mancinelli. “I am honoured that McMaster University and my organization, the Labourers' International Union of North America are partnering in this very important and exciting endeavour.”

LIUNA has 800,000 members in more than 650 locals across North America. It has proven itself to be one of the most innovative unions in the labour movement and in Hamilton is committed to urban renewal and linked with numerous rejuvenation projects across the city.

Joseph Mancinelli, international vice-president and central and eastern Canada manager for LIUNA, said the professorship, named in honour of his father, is another example of strong partnerships in the community.

“We are extremely honoured such a significant relationship has been formed with an economic engine that has such breadth and depth of knowledge in our community, in Canada and around the world.”

McMaster President Peter George hailed the establishment of the professorship as a generous investment in the continued success of outstanding teaching and research in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

“This exciting partnership with Henry Mancinelli, Joseph Mancinelli and LIUNA allows the University to build on one of its roles as a leader in the study of globalization,” said President George. “It contributes in a significant way to McMaster's ability to deliver exceptional educational programs and research in the field of global labour issues and ensures our students will continue to be recipients of innovative, interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship.”

In 1997, McMaster University identified globalization and the human condition as one of its six strategic research areas and the University subsequently created the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition as a catalyst for faculty research in this area.

Recently, a group of researchers led by professor William Coleman was awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council award of almost $2.5 million to fund a five-year study of globalization.

The professorship in Global Labour Issues complements this research.

Associate professor Robert O'Brien, the first holder of the professorship, said his research will focus on the relationship between globalization and labour in the global economy. The professorship will deal with three specific challenges:

Organizational challenges, such as how workers and farmers should organize themselves

Cultural challenges, examining how people in different countries cooperate for a common cause

Resource challenges, such as how trade unions and worker organizations mobilize human and financial resources.

“The process of globalization creates challenges for people around the world,” said O'Brien. “This professorship will support research into a vital, but neglected area the relationship between globalization and labour. The same process that threatens to undermine communities and workers through increased competition also provides opportunities for coordination and mobilization. The research will concentrate on how workers and unions can exercise a positive influence on the global economy.”

O'Brien received his doctorate from York University and held a faculty position at the University of Sussex in England before joining McMaster in 1998 as one of the new faculty members appointed to support the strategic research area of globalization. He has taught courses on the internationalization of public policy, international political economy, regional integration, international economic organizations and a first-year inquiry course on globalization.

Photo caption: From left to right Peter George, Enrico Henry Mancinelli, Robert O'Brien, and Joseph Mancinelli. Photo Credit: Rob Tatlock.

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[img_inline align="right" src="http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/liunaDN.jpg" caption="Robert O'Brien"]<p>A unique professorship established at McMaster University will focus on the challenges trade unions and workers face in the global economy.</p><br />
<br />
<p>The LIUNA/Henry Enrico Mancinelli Professorship in Global Labour Issues has been created to improve society&#039;s understanding of the changes posed for organized labour in the wake of increasing liberalization and globalization of political economies.</p><br />
<br />
<p>The inaugural holder of the professorship is <a href="http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/%7Epolisci/faculty/obrien.htm">Robert O&#039;Brien</a>, an associate professor of political science and associate director of the <a href="http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/%7Eglobal/">Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition</a> at McMaster University.</p><br />
<br />
<p>The professorship, officially announced today, is endowed with a $500,000 gift from the <a href="http://www.liuna.org/">Labourers&#039; International Union of North America</a> (LIUNA). It is named in honour of Enrico "Henry" Mancinelli, an outstanding Hamilton union and community leader for more than 40 years. The University will match the gift.</p><br />
<br />
<p>"It is important for labour issues facing a global economy and workers everywhere around the world to receive adequate attention by our scholars and by a great institution like McMaster University," said Henry Mancinelli. "I am honoured that McMaster University and my organization, the Labourers&#039; International Union of North America are partnering in this very important and exciting endeavour."</p><br />
<br />
<p>LIUNA has 800,000 members in more than 650 locals across North America. It has proven itself to be one of the most innovative unions in the labour movement and in Hamilton is committed to urban renewal and linked with numerous rejuvenation projects across the city.</p><br />
<br />
<p>Joseph Mancinelli, international vice-president and central and eastern Canada manager for LIUNA, said the professorship, named in honour of his father, is another example of strong partnerships in the community.</p><br />
<br />
<p>"We are extremely honoured such a significant relationship has been formed with an economic engine that has such breadth and depth of knowledge in our community, in Canada and around the world."</p><br />
<br />
<p>McMaster President Peter George hailed the establishment of the professorship as a generous investment in the continued success of outstanding teaching and research in the Faculty of Social Sciences.</p><br />
<br />
<p>"This exciting partnership with Henry Mancinelli, Joseph Mancinelli and LIUNA allows the University to build on one of its roles as a leader in the study of globalization," said President George. "It contributes in a significant way to McMaster&#039;s ability to deliver exceptional educational programs and research in the field of global labour issues and ensures our students will continue to be recipients of innovative, interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship."</p><br />
<br />
<p>In 1997, McMaster University identified globalization and the human condition as one of its six strategic research areas and the University subsequently created the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition as a catalyst for faculty research in this area.</p><br />
<br />
<p>Recently, a group of researchers led by professor <a href="http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~polisci/faculty/coleman/coleman.htm">William Coleman</a> was awarded a <a href="http://www.sshrc.ca/web/home_e.asp">Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council</a> award of almost $2.5 million to fund a five-year study of globalization.</p><br />
<br />
<p>The professorship in Global Labour Issues complements this research.</p><br />
<br />
<p>Associate professor Robert O&#039;Brien, the first holder of the professorship, said his research will focus on the relationship between globalization and labour in the global economy. The professorship will deal with three specific challenges:</p><br />
<br />
<ul><li>Organizational challenges, such as how workers and farmers should organize themselves</li><br />
<li>Cultural challenges, examining how people in different countries cooperate for a common cause</li><br />
<li>Resource challenges, such as how trade unions and worker organizations mobilize human and financial resources.</li></ul><br />
<p>"The process of globalization creates challenges for people around the world," said O&#039;Brien. "This professorship will support research into a vital, but neglected area  the relationship between globalization and labour. The same process that threatens to undermine communities and workers through increased competition also provides opportunities for coordination and mobilization. The research will concentrate on how workers and unions can exercise a positive influence on the global economy."</p><br />
<br />
<p>O&#039;Brien received his doctorate from York University and held a faculty position at the University of Sussex in England before joining McMaster in 1998 as one of the new faculty members appointed to support the strategic research area of globalization. He has taught courses on the internationalization of public policy, international political economy, regional integration, international economic organizations and a first-year inquiry course on globalization.</p><br />
<br />
<p><i>Photo caption: From left to right Peter George, Enrico Henry Mancinelli, Robert O&#039;Brien, and Joseph Mancinelli.  Photo Credit: Rob Tatlock.</i></p>

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