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.
NALHC Returns: October 10-12th, 2024
The North American Labor History Conference is a nationally-recognized conference exploring the past, present, and future of the labor movement in the Americas. Established in 1979 by Philip P. Mason, the founder and first director of the Walter P. Reuther Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, it grew from a small regional conference to the major labor conference in the country. The NALHC showcased an entire generation of labor scholars with cutting-edge research and gave budding graduate students their start not to mention serving as the launching pad for the Labor and Working-Class History Association (LAWCHA).
Having run continuously from 1979 as an annual conference, we began a biennial schedule in 2018, but have been on hiatus due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Now, in October 2024, we are bringing back the NALHC as a three-day conference from Thursday, October 10th, to Saturday, October 12th. It will be hosted by Labor@Wayne, the Department of History, the Reuther Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, and our other academic and organizing partners at Wayne State University.
All panels at this year’s NALHC will be held in either the historic Walter P. Reuther Library on Cass Avenue (Thursday) or in the Student Center on campus (Friday and Saturday). A historical exhibit down Reuther Mall on campus will show the way between buildings. Instructions on registration, lodgings, parking, transportation, dining options, and local attractions are available along with the preliminary conference program that follows.
Instructions for Registration
Registration for the North American Labor History Conference is available to attendees on a sliding scale. Regular Registration, or the full registration rate, is $90.00 for the entire conference and includes lunch options for Friday and Saturday. Other registration options and their costs will vary depending on your institutional/union affiliation and employment status. Discounted, $40.00 rates for non-Wayne State students, faculty, and union members are available, though conference lunches are not included and will require separate payment. Wayne State students can attend NALHC for free but must register using their unique, Access ID provided by the university.
To access the registration page for NALHC, either follow the QR code in the preliminary conference program (included below) or click HERE.
Instructions for Lodgings
This year’s conference hotel is the Westin Book Cadillac in Downtown Detroit. The hotel’s address, phone number, and other contact information are provided below. A URL is also included to the hotel's conference registration site, where the rooms can be reserved using the exclusive conference rate negotiated by NALHC. is listed as Other hotels and lodgings are available to conference attendees if the Westin
Book Cadillac has no vacancy, though other lodgings will not offer the same pro-rated rate for attendees negotiated by the university.
The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Phone: +1(313)442-1600
1114 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan 48226
To make a reservation with the Westin Book Cadillac using the NALHC rate, click HERE. Reservations must be made by September 11th.
Preliminary Conference Program
A preliminary program for the 2024 North American Labor History Conference can be accessed using the link provided below. Please understand that, while this program aims to provide attendees with a hollistic schedule for the conference, final program planning may differ slightly from what is noted here. If you have any outstanding questions regarding the conference program or have any other concerns, please email us at NALHC@wayne.edu.
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.
-
Click Here for More Information on Our Undergraduate (BAELR) Program
-
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.