Workers In Solidarity & Education (WISE)
Conference Returns in 2024: November 14-16
The WISE Conference (Workers In Solidarity & Education) is returning for 2024 from November 14th through November 16th! Refer to links provided in the announcement below for details on this year's conference, including registration, payment, and scheduling information.
In 2018, the Labor Studies Center at Wayne State University created the WISE (Workers in Solidarity & Education) conference series as an extension of the Labor School. The Labor School empowers workers by strengthening highly sought after skills including leadership, communication, and critical thinking.
WISE conferences will also provide the space for workers from various industries, occupations, experiences and backgrounds to connect face-to-face through common struggles and identify effective strategies that build solidarity and power in their workplaces, unions and communities
Location: Hollywood Hotel at Greektown
Date: Thursday, November 14 through Saturday, November 16, 2024.
Agenda: For the final, 2024 WISE Conference Agenda, click HERE, or just scan the QR code included below:
For a complete brochure on WISE 2024, click HERE.
To Register for WISE, Click HERE.
For Payment Options for WISE, Click HERE.
Questions? Email the Labor School at laborschool@wayne.edu or call (313) 577-2191.
The WISE conference is open to all individuals including union and non-union workers, labor leaders, staff and labor activists. The WISE conference has a commitment to the principles of diversity, therefore WISE does not discriminate in violation of the law on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, sexual orientation, age, physical challenge, nation of origin, gender or any other characteristic.
Welcome to Labor@Wayne
For over 60 years, Wayne State University has been a resource to workers, labor, and the employment and labor relations community. Labor@Wayne is the home base for these efforts. Renamed in 2009, Labor@Wayne built on the past efforts of the Institute for Labor and Industrial Relations, Labor Studies programs, and the Labor School to carry forward the commitment of Wayne State University to research, educate, and promote labor and employment relations, knowledge about the workplace and workers, and understanding the history, current state, and future of the labor movement in the United States and globally.
We at Labor@Wayne are dedicated to supporting labor research and education and to providing union and community programs designed to promote and support effective labor relations and union representation.
Labor@Wayne houses the Douglas A. Fraser Center for Workplace Issues, a program which fosters and recognizes faculty and student research through annual awards and public lectures. The Center sponsors a range of conference workshops and events designed to bring labor, business, government and community leaders together. Labor@Wayne also provides labor education to address the problems of a postindustrial age and coordinate both graduate and undergraduate degrees in employment and labor relations. The Labor School offers a certificate program that provides union workers an introduction to labor history and economics, labor law, and applied skill courses.
Located in the Reuther Library at Wayne State University, an archive originally built by the United Auto Workers (UAW), Labor@Wayne delves into the past of the labor movement, explores the present moment in its complexity, and works to prepare the next generation of scholars and workers for the future.
Fall 2024 Employment and Labor Relations (ELR) Courses:
Labor@Wayne, in cooperation with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, offers two degree programs to serve the needs of students interested in employee and labor relations. Our programs are interdisciplinary, including elements of labor studies, labor history and economics, and dispute resolution, as well as work in human resource management.
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Click Here for More Information on Our Undergraduate (BAELR) Program
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Click Here for More Information on Our Master's Level (MAELR) Program
Undergraduate Classes:
- ELR 1110 Work and Democracy: An Introduction
Tuesday and Thursday, 2:30 - 3:45 PM: Roy Wilson State Hall, 2111- This course explores the role that labor and the labor movement have played in shaping democracy in the United States over the past two centuries and the limits of democracy in the workplace. It covers key political achievements of labor and workers' organizations and the contemporary challenges they face today.
- Instructor: Faue, Elizabeth V.
- This course explores the role that labor and the labor movement have played in shaping democracy in the United States over the past two centuries and the limits of democracy in the workplace. It covers key political achievements of labor and workers' organizations and the contemporary challenges they face today.
- ELR 2500 Introduction to Labor Studies
Asynchronous Online- Introduces students to labor and employment relations, and how to successfully navigate them in the twenty-first-century workplace. Learn the essential nature, evolution, and purpose of labor.
- Instructor: Daugherty, Jacqueline Anne
- Introduces students to labor and employment relations, and how to successfully navigate them in the twenty-first-century workplace. Learn the essential nature, evolution, and purpose of labor.
- ELR 4500 Applied Labor Studies: Employment Law
Asynchronous Online- Practical training for students in various labor relations specialties, such as collective bargaining or labor law, for future employment and/or union work. Consult instructor, specific topic changes every semester.
- Instructor: Nowakowski, Michael Gregory
- Practical training for students in various labor relations specialties, such as collective bargaining or labor law, for future employment and/or union work. Consult instructor, specific topic changes every semester.
- ELR 4500 Applied Labor Studies: Music Copyright, Workplace and Law
Tuesday and Thursday, 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM: Synchronous Online- Practical training for students in various labor relations specialties, such as collective bargaining or labor law, for future employment and/or union work. Consult instructor, specific topic changes every semester.
- Instructor: May, Eldonna L.
- Practical training for students in various labor relations specialties, such as collective bargaining or labor law, for future employment and/or union work. Consult instructor, specific topic changes every semester.
- ELR 4500 Applied Labor Studies: Negotiations of Labor
Tuesday, 6:00 - 8:30 PM: Synchronous Online- Practical training for students in various labor relations specialties, such as collective bargaining or labor law, for future employment and/or union work. Consult instructor, specific topic changes every semester.
- Instructor: Zambardi, Nicholas A.
- Practical training for students in various labor relations specialties, such as collective bargaining or labor law, for future employment and/or union work. Consult instructor, specific topic changes every semester.
- ELR 4700 Senior Seminar
Asynchronous Online- Satisfies General Education Requirement: Writing Intensive Competency. Research, reflection, discussion and analysis of labor relations practice.
- Instructor: Liebler, Michael Lynn
- Satisfies General Education Requirement: Writing Intensive Competency. Research, reflection, discussion and analysis of labor relations practice.
- ELR 4990 Directed Study
Asynchronous Online- Students may decide that there is a particular area of study that they would like to pursue.
- Instructor: Faue, Elizabeth V.
- Students may decide that there is a particular area of study that they would like to pursue.
Graduate Classes:
- ELR 7000 Introduction to Labor and Employment Relations
Asynchronous Online- Introduction to the broad and changing field of labor and employment relations. Topics from the nature of work and role of labor in society to current labor and employment laws. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- Instructor: Jenkins, Reginald Terrence
- Introduction to the broad and changing field of labor and employment relations. Topics from the nature of work and role of labor in society to current labor and employment laws. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- ELR 7420 Labor and American Politics
Asynchronous Online- Role of organized labor in American politics. Historical background, including rise of the UAW and its role in Detroit and Michigan politics. Recent declines; future of organized labor as a force in American politics. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- Instructor: Faue, Elizabeth V.
- Role of organized labor in American politics. Historical background, including rise of the UAW and its role in Detroit and Michigan politics. Recent declines; future of organized labor as a force in American politics. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- ELR 7450 Employment Relations Law in North America
Asynchronous Online- Federal and state legislation affecting employee-employer relations: discrimination, pension, occupational safety and health, fair labor standards. Study the implementation of these policies and their effects on worker-manager relations across Canada, Mexico, and the US. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- Instructor: Nowakowski, Michael Gregory
- Federal and state legislation affecting employee-employer relations: discrimination, pension, occupational safety and health, fair labor standards. Study the implementation of these policies and their effects on worker-manager relations across Canada, Mexico, and the US. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- ELR 7550 Selected Topics in Employment and Labor Relations: Negotiations for Labor
Asynchronous Online- Various topics to be offered on a limited basis to meet needs of students with special interests not covered by regular course offerings. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- Instructor: Zambardi, Nicholas A.
- Various topics to be offered on a limited basis to meet needs of students with special interests not covered by regular course offerings. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- ELR 7600 Internship in Employment and Labor Relations
Arranged- Experience gained through working closely with those in the field of Employment and Labor Relations, students will transfer their learned skills from the classroom to a practical setting.
- Instructor: Faue, Elizabeth V.
- Experience gained through working closely with those in the field of Employment and Labor Relations, students will transfer their learned skills from the classroom to a practical setting.
- ELR 7990 Directed Study
Arranged- Students may decide that there is a particular area of study that they would like to pursue.
- Instructor: Faue, Elizabeth V.
- Students may decide that there is a particular area of study that they would like to pursue.
- ELR 7999 Master's Essay Direction
Arranged- Choose a topic for a paper about employment and labor relations issues to explore in-depth under the supervision of a WSU ELR advisor. Papers will need to be carefully planned and approved by ELR advisor.
- Instructor: Student's Advisor/Varies
- Choose a topic for a paper about employment and labor relations issues to explore in-depth under the supervision of a WSU ELR advisor. Papers will need to be carefully planned and approved by ELR advisor.
- ELR 8000 International Employment Labor Relations and Human Resources
Monday, 6:00 - 8:30 PM: Synchronous Online- Provides an understanding of the role of international ELR and divided into three areas of study: the economic, political, and social contexts of international ELR; strategic and functional ELR policies and practices cross-nationally; and cross-national comparisons on dimensions of efficiency, equity, and voice. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
- Instructor: Sandefur, Scott
- Provides an understanding of the role of international ELR and divided into three areas of study: the economic, political, and social contexts of international ELR; strategic and functional ELR policies and practices cross-nationally; and cross-national comparisons on dimensions of efficiency, equity, and voice. Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.