The Future of Work in Massachusetts: A Labor Focused Critical Learning Seminar

This is a two semester course that will intro duce students to the Labor Studies major.  The content of the course will focus on the Labor Studies theme: The Future of Work in Massachusetts.   Society is undergoing economic changes comparable to the agricultural and industrial revolutions of past centuries.  The move from an industrial to a service economy, rapid changes in technology and the growth of part-time and contingent work are some of the changes that are happening.  We will study the history of work, analyze the changes that are affecting work and the workplace, and look at the implications for our communities and the Labor Movement.

Competencies: Dimensions of learning; Reading life histories (CORCOM 120); Critical inquiry; Historical change in the US (CORCOM 220 ).

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James Green &am p; Susan Moir

Reading Life Histories

CORCTR 120

Reading autobiographies, biographies, oral histories, memoirs, and certain novels and short stories students wi ll gain an understanding of the past (history) through the lives of individuals.  Through literature of life stories, students will gain insights into their own lives and their own place in history.  Students will examine how individual lives are shaped by conscious choices and historical events.

Competencies: Reading life his tories (CORCOM 120).

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James Green

Introduction to Labor Economics: Unions & Collective Bargaining

LABCTR

This course introduces the themes of work and workers. We will survey a number of issues, including labor history , labor unions, labor laws, organizing, collective bargaining, international competition and how globalization affects workers.

Competencies: Analyzing the problems of workers & their organizations (LABCOM 200).

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Marlene Kim

The Problems of Workers & their Unions: Labor Studies Tutorial

LABCTR 200

This tut orial, available by arrangement with Professor Green, is for Labor Studies students who will meet with the instructor on a regular basis, weekly at first and then bi-weekly, in individual and/or group discussio ns to examine readings and address questions in writing that concern:
a) major problems facing workers and unions, such as contingent work, employment discrimination, denial of the right to organize or speak freely, etc. along with case studies of various strategies and tactics unions and worker advocates have developed now and in the past to address those problems; and
b) significant models and types of leadership that have emerged in unions and worker organization, including the new model of union leadership influenced by the women's rights movement.

Competencies: Analyzing the problems of workers & their organizations (LABCOM 200); Leading & strengthening worker organizations (LABCOM 300).

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James Green

Negotiation

LAWCTR 200

Students will explore and practice effective negotiations in a variety of contexts, with focus on labor negotiations. Through role plays, reading and discussion, students will identify and practice essential negotiating pri nciples and skills; practice preparing for, conducting and evaluating negotiations; and explore how power relations impact negotiations.

Competencies: Negotiation (LEGLED 230); Making arguments (CORCOM 230).
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Gene Bind a

Introduction to Labor Organizing

ORGCTR 200

This class will focus on building argument, analysis and evaluation skills. Its aim is to increase students' ability to construct strong a rguments for their own positions as well as to respond to opposing arguments. We will work on constructing effective written arguments as well as on delivering persuasive advocacy speeches.

Competencies: Methods & goals of organizing (ORGCOM 200); Making arguments (CORCOM 230).

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Gary Dotterman

Analyzing Media/Labor

CMTCTR 200

Students in this course will learn about several models and theories of mass media, patterns of media ownership, systematic bias in media, and the range and limits of ideological debate in mainstream as well as alternative med ia.  Students will also be introduced to some basic technical elements of media production, and ways of analysing media in broader contexts (social, political, economic, etc.).  We will learn analytic skills in relation to real world media situations by using a case study approach.

Competencies: Analyzing media (CMTCOM 200).

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Participation in Government

LAWCTR 210

By focusing on current issues going through a decision-making process, this course will introduce and examine some of the basic formal and informal processes by which governmental bodies make decisions about fundamental issues affecting the rights of citizens. In this course, students will apply concepts and answer critical questions about democratic decision-making that can be applied to othe r issues and that will help them to become more effective political participants and advocates.

Competencies: Participation in g overnment (CORCOM 210).

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Rich Marlin

Division of Labor

LABCTR 220

Among the many changes that have affected the workforce over the past three decades has been the growth of nonstandard, "contingent" work arra ngements: temporary, contract, and part-time employment. Although these arrangements differ significantly from each another, they all differ from the standard full-time job with the expectation of ongoing emplo yment. Nonstandard work changes many aspects of the employment relationship.  Some workers move across work sites. Other work from contract to contract. Others work a shorter-than-standard schedule. Many w ork through temporary help agencies, which place them with these agencies' clients.

In this course we will study the historical progression from the standard industrial m odel of work relationships to the nonstandard model in the "new workplace." We will also analyze a range of case studies that, together, illustrate the scope and variety of contingent work arrangement s. In these case studies, we will examine the various ways in which nonstandard work changes the legal and social foundations of employment; the problems that contingent status creates for many workers; the imp lications of these changes for workplace justice; the likely reasons for the growth of the contingent work force; and possible responses to current trends.

Competencies: Choose one of the following: Assessing workers' power (LABCOM 220); Concepts of justice (LEGLED 235); Legal Studies I or II (LEGLED 341 or 342); Debating pol icy III (CORCOM 351).
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Terry McLarney

Basic Legal Advocacy

LAWCTR 265

U sing hypothetical cases and role plays, students learn legal advocacy skills necessary to present a client's case to an agency decision maker. Our focus will be on effective interviewing techniques, how to introduce testimony via direct and cross examination, making proper objections, the presentation of documentary evidence, and making persuasive oral and written arguments.

Competencies: Legal advocacy (LEGLED 265).

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Andrew Leong

Union Administration

MGTCTR 340

This course is taught on five Saturdays. It will be of interest to union officers and staff who would like to have more skills and confidence in the administrative abilities; rank and file leaders preparing to run for office and union members who are interested in pursuing an educ ation in Labor Studies. Topics will include legal requirements, benefits, financial managements, personnel and human resources, supervision and dispute resolution and the role of technology in organizing strong er and democratic unions.

Competencies: Management theories & practice (MGTCOM 340); Leading & strengthening worker organizations (LABC OM 300).

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David Brenner

Unstitching the Memoir: Life through a Lens

CORCTR 351

This course is a prerequisite for the memoir capstone that will be offered Spring term in the same time slot; students interested in only a o ne-term commitment are also welcome. Many students find that their studies in their academic major (labor studies, human services, gerontology, etc.) provide a framework for understanding their own life story. Memoir, a selective telling of one's story through a chosen question or investigation, draws on this resonance between the personal and the social/political world. This course will involve close reading, discus sion, and analysis of a variety of memoirs that address a range of content; as well as readings about writing. We will look at how each writer crafts a narrative persona who tells the story; and how problems su ch as exposition, changes of time between present and past, imagery, dialogue, the ordering of incidents, and revealing highly charged material are handled. As a final project, students will develop their own m emoir proposal that links to their major.

Competencies: Critical readings I (CORCOM 371-3) OR II (CORCOM 372-3) OR III (CORCOM 3 73).

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Historical Change: Work, Culture & Society in Modern USA

CORCTR 351

Using the text Who Built America? and various documents—visual, textual and oral—students will explore the history of work and working people, their lives and struggles, since 1877. The course will focus on how workers are represented in various forms, and how they expressed their own feelings through a rt and politics.

Competencies: Historical change in the US (CORCOM 220); Analyzing problems of workers & their organizations (LABCOM 200).

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Jim Green

Human Resource Management

MGTCTR 360

The focus of this course will be on critical areas of human resource management--hiring, benefits, performance evaluations, etc.--as they affect the goals and operations of a c ommunity or human service agency, or labor union.  Students will draw upon their own work or volunteer experience as a worker and/or manager. Competency will be met through a series of written assignments.

Competencies: Human resource management (MGTCOM 360).

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Bette Skandalis

Ambitious and Dangerous Writing: Advanced Writing Workshop

CORCTR 380

Short essa ys that combine personal experience with social commentary appear regularly in magazines and newspapers, and on the radio. Why not your story and point-of-view? This advanced writing course provides a chance to strengthen writing skills and bring your viewpoint into the public realm. We'll closely examine published short writing for format requirements and their hook; as well as for issues of writing craft, such as v oice, point-of-view, humor, tone, and narrative. Through a series of assignments and the critiquing of each other's work, students will develop a portfolio of essays with specific work-counts. With faculty supp ort, students will research and submit for publication to a target market for their writing: community newspaper, union magazine, a journal in their field of study, etc.

Competencies: Crafting art (CORCOM 258): Public & community action III (CORCOM 252).

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Values at Work: Stories and Imagery of Shifting Ground

LABCTR 400

How do co-worker dynamics shift when management and rules change? What happens when the low person doesn't "know their place?" Or when family crisis and work deadline crash head-on? Is there an emotion or social conflict that can't be found in the workplace, or in the inter-relationship between job and family life?

Through close reading of imaginative literature, fiction, poetry, memoir—that centers on work, s tudents will examine how writers use language, character, and narrative to explore uncomfortable questions, dramatize dilemmas, and honor the complexity of ethical issues.  We will approach the readings as writers ourselves, identifying tools and techniques of powerful writing.  A good counterpoint to the Argument competencies, this course will look at how well-chosen sores and images can convey situations of social concern.

Competencies: Value conflicts (CORCOM 235) or Critical readings (CORCOM 371); Crafting art (CORCOM 258) or Public & comm unity action III (CORCOM 280).

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Susan Eisenberg

Strategic Analysis for the Labor Movement Seminar

LABCTR 400

Students in this course will study, discuss and analyze how today's labor organizations are responding to the past 25 years of government attacks on the right of U.S. workers' to organize. The course will include presentations from leaders in the Massachusetts Labor Movement who will address strategic analysis in diffe rent industries (construction and health care), in different sectors (industrial, service, and public), and in political organizing.   Guest lecturers will present case studies on developing and implementi ng strategic plans.  Competency evaluation will be heavily weighted towards students' participation and writing.  In conjunction with advising, course work may lead to a Labor Studies Capstone project.

Competencies: Strategic analysis for worker (LABCOM 400).

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Susan Moir

Field Placements in Worker Organizations

FLDCTR

Through the Labor Studies p rogram, you will complete a one semester field placement in a worker organization, while also completing at least one competency.  You must be able to commit to a minimum of 40 hours of work over the semes ter and adhere to a set work schedule.   Depending on your skills and interests, you can work with one of the following worker organizations: Jobs with Justice, Women's Institute for Leadership Development , Teamsters Local 26, Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, or Service Employees Local 615, among others. 

Competencies: Your work can be applied to a number of different competencies, including, but not limited to:  Leading & Strengthening Workers' Organziations, Designing and Delivering a Training Curriculum, Public and Community Action II or III, Methods and Goals of Organizing, Assessing Workers' Power. In the past CPCS students have also earned Community Media & Technology competencies.

Susan Moir