LABR 330: Issues in Labor Organizing at School of Labor&Urban Studies

About this course

This course examines the development of theory and practice in labor organizing as it has emerged over the course of a century. It addresses organizing in both the public and private sector, through certification elections, recognition actions and alternative methods of organizing. Students discuss the determinants of successful organizing campaigns, including targeting, tactics, and styles of organizing. The subject of organizing is studied in a historical, social, and political context, allowing students to analyze the evolution of an organizing mission and the emergence of various strategic initiatives over time. Students review differing theories of organizing and analyze worker attitudes as well as employer strategies and tactics. In addition, students examine the body of law (National Labor Relations Act) that regulates labor organizing in the US and consider methods of organizing outside the parameters of existing labor law. Students also examine union infrastructures administrative practices that affect how campaigns are financed and staffed.