T[~HE development of autonomous procedures for dealing with labor-management problems has been one of the distinctive characteristics of the American industrial-relations system. Pressed by unions, many employers have agreed to explicit procedures governing disciplinary action, the contracting out of work, the determination of production standards, and related matters. Similarly, non-union employers have sometimes decided that due process is the better part of managerial prerogatives and have imposed limitations on the manner in which these rights can be exercised.' In recent years, a growing concern over employee displacement arising from closings has led to further innovation in the procedural aspects of labor relations. In a dynamic economy, changes in technology and market structure have always taken their toll of production facilities that have lost their economic usefulness. Whereas in the past the unit usually suffered a swift, unheralded demise, an impending may now involve a variety of measures to inform, and perhaps comfort, the affected parties. By themselves, these procedures for advance notice of do not alter the economic facts. Considerable evidence reveals, however, that they can contribute to sound labormanagement relations by facilitating an orderly adjustment to employee displacement and by providing a framework for developing other remedial measures. This study is concerned with an analysis of programs for advance notification of employees and their representatives of scheduled permanent shutdowns. The term plant shutdown describes the closing of any physically separable production unit and includes office facilities, telephone exchanges, and railroad installations as well as conventional manufacturing units. In addition, a few cases of partial involving problems similar to those associated with complete closings have been included in the study. Data have been obtained for thirtytwo shutdowns or major dislocations in fifteen firms and two government agencies. The firms include a large chemical company, two oil companies, two agricultural equipment manufacturers, a meat packer, a can company, a manufacturer of electrical equipment, a soap producer, a ladies' garment firm, a telephone company, two railroads, an automobile manufacturer, and an electronics firm. The government agencies are the Veterans Administration, and the Treasury Department's Bureau of Accounts and the Bureau of Public Debt. In twenty-one of the cases, unions repre* This article is largely based on a study made by the authors for the Armour Automation Committee.