Labor & Employment Law

90 Students Graduate from National Labor College

By James Parks

Doug Swanson, a teacher from Wisconsin, spent 12 years working to earn a college degree while coping with his wife’s illness and three job changes that required moving to two different states.

Deborah Thiri, a Burmese refugee now living in Los Angeles, spent years in Thai refugee camps before she was able to come to the United States and get an education.

But now, Swanson and Thiri are college graduates. This past weekend, they joined 88 other union members who received degrees during the National Labor College’s (NLC’s) 12th commencement.  

In her commencement address, U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) told the graduates that workers will drive America’s economic renewal.

As future members of America?s workforce, you may question the current condition and immediate future of the domestic and global economy. But I believe fully that the degrees you receive here today are answers to those questions.

Yes, we must take further action to improve our economy and make sure the United States can adequately compete in the 21st century, but that action comes with the understanding that you all will be the driving force behind economic renewal.

Edwards, whose congressional district includes the college, also received an honorary degree from the NLC.

 AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who chairs the NLC Board of Trustees, told graduates and their families the union movement needs educated members: 

Today, the labor movement confronts challenges everywhere we turn. That?s why it?s important that we have graduates who understand the world that we live in and how to effectively respond to these challenges.

Several students received special recognitions at the graduation ceremonies, including  Robert Auchard, a member of the Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA) from San Jose, Calif., who received the 2010 Seidman Award given to students whose senior paper best focuses on aging and retirement issues. His senior project, ?Passing the Torch: Can Building Trades Retirees Help to Attract New Members Through Volunteerism?? provides an in-depth analysis on how intergenerational community service projects can help bolster union membership.

Established as a training center by the AFL-CIO in 1969 to strengthen union member education and organizing skills, the NLC, located in Silver Spring, Md., is now the nation?s only accredited higher education institution devoted exclusively to educating union leaders, members and activists. The NLC became a degree-granting college in 1997.

In January 2010, the NLC announced plans to enhance its online education service to bring high-quality degree programs to union members and their families. Tentatively named the College for Working Families, the program will combine the advantages of online learning with the resources of unions to provide programs specifically suited to the needs and interests of union members. Working adults will be able to build on their prior training and experience through the program.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on June 30, 2010 (boomark / email).