The Shearing Labour Process in the 1960s

Abstract

Labour process sociology has rarely considered rural industries, pre ferring to focus on changes in the manufacturing workplace. Through a case study of the shearing labour process this article sug gests a number of qualifications and elaborations of previous con clusions about the role of technological change, conflict at the point of production and the arbitration system in the organisation of work. Emphasis is placed on the functions of law, the operation of wider labour markets and the limited impact of arbitration institutions.