Shortly after Stan Lundine took office as Mayor of Jamestown in 1970, the city’s unemployment rate had reached 10.2 percent — more than twice the national average. In 1971, nearly 1,000 workers were unemployed, and an additional 2,800 jobs were in jeopardy as the largest company in town closed its doors. The contentious relationship between local unions and businesses had further damaged Jamestown’s reputation as an attractive place for manufacturers. Drawing on all of his available resources, Stan developed the Jamestown Area Labor Management Committee (JALMC) as a way to mediate labor disputes. This case study tells the story of JALMC, whose programs expanded into individual plants, focusing on worker engagement, skills development, and programs to increase productivity.
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