Workers’ Rights Research Skills Series

A Skills-Based Research Program for Students

Organized by: Center for Global Workers’ Rights (CGWR), School of Labor and Employment Relations

Co-sponsor: Global and International Studies (GLIS) Program, Students for International Labor Solidarity (SILS), The Department of Sociology and Criminology, and College of the Liberal Arts

Gain Hands-On Experience With a Labor Researcher, Help Advance Workers’ Rights

The series will cover topics such as:

Research in academic and union contexts
Research process fundamentals
Strategic corporate research;
Analysis of corporations’ annual and financial reports
The responsible use of AI tools.

After the workshop series, participants will conduct supervised research with a mentor. Those who complete both the workshops and research period will receive a certificate.

Program Goals

Equip students with foundational research skills relevant to workers’ rights and labor relations.
Provide structured opportunities for students to apply research methods to real-world labor issues.
Enhance students’ career readiness for roles in employment relations, unions, labor organizations, and government agencies.
Promote civic engagement by connecting students with union and labor researchers and involving them in applied research projects when feasible.

Program Details

Date:

Wednesday, September 16
Monday, September 21
Wednesday, September 30
Wednesday, October 7

Time:

5:00–6:00 p.m.

Location:

502 Keller Building

Target Audience:

Undergraduate and graduate students interested in workers’ rights.

Content:

Research in academic and union contexts; research process fundamentals; strategic corporate research; analysis of corporations’ annual and financial reports; and the responsible use of AI tools.

Following the workshop series, students will undertake supervised applied research with a faculty member or a labor researcher.

A Guide to Conducting Strategic Corporate Research

A talk by Professor Tom Juravich, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Monday, September 21, 5:00–6:30 p.m., 115 Keller Building

Professor Tom Juravich focuses on union strategic corporate research and campaigns and has extensive experience teaching how to apply this approach. His new book (with Olvia Geho and Andrew Gorry), What the Boss Doesn’t Want You to Know: Discovering Power and Winning Campaigns, is the first introductory guide in this area.

He also founded and manages the Strategic Corporate Research website (strategiccorporateresearch.org/), a comprehensive resource for conducting corporate research in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Completion and Certification

Participants who successfully complete both the workshop sessions and the applied research period will receive a certificate issued by the School of Labor and Employment Relations.