The Labor Center collaborates with labor unions, community organizations, and government agencies to develop and disseminate cutting-edge research that examines industries, workplaces, workplace programs, and employment conditions. We employ analytic approaches grounded in sociological research methods and utilize a variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques including surveys, interviews, and ethnography.
Research Capabilities:
- Strategic Corporate Research
- Worker and/or Community Surveys
- Data Collection
- Program Evaluation
- Needs Assessments
- Data Presentations
- Strategic Planning
Please contact Clare Hammonds, Professor of Practice, at (413) 545-6166 if you are interested in developing customized labor-related research.
The entire faculty at the Labor Center is involved in a number of cutting-edge research projects on topics including global labor rights, food justice and labor, low-wage workers, community coalitions, women and work, care work, and analyzing success and failure of social movements. Under the direction of the faculty, graduate students in the Labor Center have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a wide variety of labor research projects. Learn more about faculty research and recent working papers.