Jianxuan Lei
Contact
Education:
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Master's 2021Human Resources and Industrial Relations, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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B.B.A. 2019Business Administration, Renmin University of China
Expertise:
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Labor Unions
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Collective Bargaining
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Strikes
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Worker Voice
Biography
I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Work and Organizations at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. I study industrial relations with a focus on labor unions. My current research centers on understanding causes of union decline and identifying strategies for union revitalization. One line of my work investigates the role of employer resistance in explaining union decline. My job market paper, in particular, examines whether President Reagan’s 1981 firing of over 11,000 striking air traffic controllers contributed to falling private-sector union organizing activity by signaling a growing acceptability of union busting. Another line of work explores the opportunities and challenges of building inclusive labor movements to support union revitalization, analyzing union members’ evolving attitudes towards women’s employment and immigration.
Selected Works & Activities
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Working PapersLei, Jianxuan. “Normalizing opposition to labor unions: The Impact of the 1981 PATCO strike on union organizing.” Status: Data analysis.
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Working PapersLei, Jianxuan. "From gender antagonism to inclusive solidarity? Trade union membership and attitudes towards women's employment" Status: Working paper.
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Working PapersLei, Jianxuan. "Contested solidarity: Trade union membership and immigration attitudes in Europe." Status: Manuscript development.
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Working PapersLei, Jianxuan, Xin Meng, and Xueyu Wang. “Do you hear the people sing? The impact of strikes on workers’ mental health.” Status: Under review.
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Journal ArticlesLei, Jianxuan. “The importance of legal strength for trade unions: Theory and evidence from China.” Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society 63.4 (2024): 491-511.
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Conference Presentations
- Lei, Jianxuan. June 2024. “Contested Solidarity: Trade Union Membership and Immigration Attitudes in Europe.” Labor and Employment Relations 76th Annual Meeting, NY
- Lei, Jianxuan. Aug 2023. “Trade union membership and women’s right to work: From gender antagonism to inclusive solidarity?” Carlson School Multi-Disciplinary Academic Research Summit. Minneapolis, MN
- Lei, Jianxuan. June 2023. “Trade union membership and women’s right to work: From gender antagonism to inclusive solidarity?” Labor and Employment Relations 75th Annual Meeting. Detroit, MI
- Lei, Jianxuan. May 2022. “Trade union membership and women’s right to work: From gender antagonism to inclusive solidarity?” The Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change (CERIC) Doctoral Conference, University of Leeds, UK (Remote)
Honors and Awards
- 2023-2024, Carlson School Ph.D. Student Conference Travel Fellowship, University of Minnesota
- 2022-2024, Carlson School Summer Research Fellowship, University of Minnesota
- 2022, Deans, Chairs, and Directors Council (DCDC) Best Student Paper Award, Labor and Employment Relations Association