Gary N. Chaison (born October 21, 1943 – February 17, 2022) was an industrial relations scholar and labor historian at Clark University.
[3] While still working on his doctorate, Chaison was appointed a lecturer at Baruch College in 1968 and in 1970 an assistant professor at SUNY-Buffalo.
He concluded that mergers do not solve the fundamental problems facing labor unions (such as organizing large numbers of new members or combating the negative effects of globalization), but they do enable unions to rationalize jurisdictions, and to devote more resources to organizing and building political power.
Reviewers called the work "...a fresh and lucid discussion of legitimacy as it applies to labor unions and their role in society.
The book also assesses emerging and continuing trends in organizing, collective bargaining, and union political action.
His popularity with the mainstream press led a consortium of central Massachusetts universities and colleges to cite his output specifically as an asset to the community.
"[8] In part, Chaison is utilized as a resource by the mainstream press because he is noticeably pessimistic about the future of the American labor movement.