The advent of neoliberalism and globalization in modern Mexico caused a shift in the traditional labor discourse which had governed labor relations for most of the 20th century. In its place came a new economic model with higher demands for productivity and a more democratic labor sector. These changes contributed greatly to the deterioration of the Confederacion de Trabajadores Mexicanos (CTM), the largest labor confederation in Mexico for over sixty years.

In the 1970s political and economic changes to the world order led to an emerging "globalization" credited with the ceding of state sovereignty to a "de facto world government" of transnational corporations and with the anti-globalism movement directed at countering it. Mexico, however, has maintained the salience of the national unit in the form of the state as a ruling apparatus and as the target of organized, non-state, political opposition. This study examines the transformation of Mexico's social and political organization from state corporatism to transnationalized corporatism, a form distinguished by the effect that International Financial Institutions and the World Trade Organization have on the state's relationship to the rest of society. By exploring how non-governmental organizations, political parties, unions and social movements (notably the Zapatistas) engage with the state under neoliberalism, this work significantly emphasizes the continued relevance of corporatist structures in an environment of electoral democratic reform.

New developments in legislation have increased the availability of employment. These advances result in long-term improvement of economic and sustainable development. Employment Protection Legislation in Emerging Economies is a critical scholarly resource that examines legislation relating to employment protection in developing economies and its impacts on unemployment, job creation, productivity, and the efficiency of the labor market. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics, such as labor reform, job creation, and the social protection agenda, this book is geared towards academicians, practitioners, and researchers seeking current research on legislation relating to employment protection.

This book examines the most significant factors accounting for the decline of union density during the neoliberal period, focusing on the case of Mexico. Union density, which reflects the representation of labor unions in the employed labor force, is one of the main indicators of union strength. The relation of organized labor with the state and the political system are also considered. The analysis is framed within a structure concentrated on cyclical, structural and political-institutional factors linked to labor union performance. Over the last decades, the transformations brought about by neoliberalism and democratization reshaped many features of the domestic political and economic model in Mexico. Therefore, an examination of these developments regarding the repercussions of the factors linked to union density decline is crucial.

Leading scholars discuss ideology and hotly contested post-structuralist theory.

A comprehensive Statistical Appendix provides regional and country-by-country data in such areas as GDP, manufacturing, sector productivity, prices, trade, income distribution and living standards."--BOOK JACKET.