In 1998, academic social scientists and representatives of trade unions attended a conference in Leuven, Belgium with the fundamental premises that the continuing relevance of the class concept as an analytical tool is frequently called into question among academics, and that the trade union has always been the social movement that has used this class principle to unite and defend workers. The 13 papers that sprang from that tension discuss such aspects as the crisis of union representation, labor market dualization and trade union involvement, and lessons from the American experience. There is no index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)