The UMass Labor Extension Program is a statewide effort based on the UMass campuses at Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell. The labor programs on all four campuses provide training and education to workers, their unions, and other workers’ organizations.

The Labor Center contracts with unions and other workers’ organizations to custom-design programs for your members, officers and staff. We work with unions and community organizations to help with strategic planning, leadership development, and assistance with organizing and bargaining. We also offer open enrollment programs that anyone may attend for a small fee.

The Labor Center offers programming in a variety of formats for individual unions, central labor councils, community-based organizations, union members, and community activists. We offer short courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, and special programs on a broad range of subject areas.

We also provide assistance and support to labor organizations in the development and delivery of their own educational programs.

The Labor Center, in conjunction with the labor programs at the other UMass campuses, has offered the following workshops and technical assistance:

  • Stewards Training
  • Union Officers Training
  • Leadership Development
  • Getting Members Involved: Internal Organizing
  • Organizing the Unorganized
  • Popular Education
  • Contract Bargaining
  • Building Effective Campaigns
  • Corporate Research for Organizing and Bargaining
  • Strategic Planning
  • Media Strategies
  • Economic Issues for Unions and Working People
  • Political Action and Public Policy
  • The Public Sector
  • Globalization/International Issues for Working People
  • Immigration
  • Diversity / Fighting Discrimination
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Workplace Bullying
  • Health and Safety
  • Labor History
  • Public Speaking
  • Running Effective Meetings
  • Workers’ Rights
  • Basic Labor Law
  • Basic Unionism

Please contact Clare Hammonds, Professor of Practice, at (413) 545-0577.  Also see the statewide labor extension program website.