Studies in industrial relations have concentrated on national differences or variation among industries, with regions assumed to be the result of industrial structure. Traditional treatments of Canadian industrial relations have either ignored regional differences or contrasted Quebec with the other nine provinces. Beyond the National Divide contains separate chapters on eight provinces, plus an introduction to the topic and a conclusion that explains the results in theoretical terms.

By examining the economic, political, and social forces that influence industrial relations, authors found that two groups of provinces exist: those with "confirmed systems" and those with "dependent systems." Confirmed systems are found in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia. In these provinces the institutions of collective bargaining and unionism are well established and respected by other stakeholders and labour organizations are important actors in the political and economic life of the province. Dependent industrial relations systems exist in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. In these provinces the institutions of industrial relations lack the strength to resist incursions from hostile governments or employers and the labour movement is a minor actor in the province's economic and political life. The roots of these differences can be traced back to the existence of an active labour party and the extent of bargaining power of labour during the period when labour and institutions of collective bargaining were incorporated into the life of the province. Contributors include Brian Bemmels (University of British Columbia ), John Godard (University of Manitoba ), Michel Grant (Université du Québec à Montréal), Larry Haiven (St Mary's University), Andrew Luchak (University of Alberta), Allen Ponak (University of Calgary), Yonatan Reshef (University of Alberta), Joseph B. Rose, Daphne Taras (University of Calgary), Mark Thompson, and Terry Wagar (St Mary's University).