UMass Gives 2022
The current moment...
It's an exciting time. New unions are holding elections and winning new bargaining units weekly. Workers are striking and winning in record numbers across the country. Even after Janus, public sector labor unions are stronger than ever. We are witnessing the rebirth of the Labor Movement.
“A strong and effective labor movement has never been more necessary than today, and rarely a day goes by where I don’t rely on the knowledge and skills I gained at the Labor Center.”
- Chris Land-Kaklauskas, ILO, Switzerland/Myanmar
Our students:
Most of our students are rank-and-file union members who can't pay the full cost of a Master's program. You can support the rebirth of the Labor Movement by supporting the Labor Center.
The Labor Center offers the only exclusively union-side limited-residency Master's program in the country. Our ULA students keep their jobs while completing their Master's degree over 2.5 years. The students bring a range of experiences to the classroom from their work as researchers, organizers, rank-and-file members, shop stewards, and elected leaders. They meet and inspire each other to take the work forward.
Our accelerated residential Master's program is for students who can take a year off for intensive study. This program has a nearly 100% placement rate after graduation. During the program, many of the students work as interns gaining practical knowledge and honing their skills as researchers and organizers.
"The UMASS Labor Center has been an outstanding resource in assisting us on staff campaigns with knowledgeable and committed alumnae and student interns. Over the years we have watched Labor Center interns gain practical organizing experience, while making meaningful contributions in assisting workers to build a better life through unionization."
- Tom Clarke, Principal Consultant, Workers First Strategies
Our Goals:
- An endowed scholarship to benefit ULA students. These students are often rank-and-file members who do not have the extra income in their budgets for a Master's degree. We want our students to graduate with as little student-debt as possible.
- Physical updates and renovation for the Labor Center's physical space. The space we occupy in Thompson Hall hasn't been updated in decades and it's time to bring a center to the Labor Center.
Put your money where your politics are:
Please contact Director, Cedric de Leon, for more information on donations and supporting the Labor Center.