Annual Philip Murray Memorial Labor Lecture

The Annual Philip Murray Memorial Labor Lecture is a yearly lecture presented to the Penn State University community by a distinguished representative of the labor movement. The lecture honors the memory of Philip Murray (1886-1952), first president of the United Steelworkers of America and second president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Lynn Williams, president of the United Steelworkers of America, presented the first lecture in November 1986.

The purpose of the annual lecture is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between the University community–students, faculty, and staff—and the leadership in the labor movement. The goal of this interchange is to contribute to a better understanding of the important role the labor movement has played, and continues to play, in a democratic society.

The School of Labor and Employment Relations and the United Steelworkers of America jointly sponsor this annual lecture series held at University Park.

Speaker Image	Title of Talk	Date
	Elissa McBride, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO “A Rising Tide: Student-Worker Solidarity and the Future of Organizing”	28th Annual Lecture March 30, 2023
	Kenneth Rigmaiden, General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades “Changing times, changing demographics, and changing union”	27th Annual Lecture April 16, 2019
	Mary Kay Henry, International President, Service Employees International Union “Fighting for a Just & Inclusive Economy & Democracy through a 21st Century Labor and Justice movement”	26th Annual Lecture March 28, 2017
	Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO “Changing the Rules to Create Shared Prosperity”	25th Annual Lecture March 29, 2016
	Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO “Wither or Weather Labor”	24th Annual Lecture April 15, 2015
	Lee Saunders, President, AFSCME “Labor’s ‘Fierce Urgency of Now’”	23rd Annual Lecture April 15, 2014
	Bob King, International President , United Auto Workers “The United Auto Workers in the 21st Century”	22nd Annual Lecture April 12, 2013
	Carol Landry, Organizing Director, United Steelworker “Change is Gonna Come…But When? Why Progress Takes Time, Even in the Twitter Age”	21st Annual Lecture March 15, 2012
	Edwin D Hill, President International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers “Waterloo in the States: Will Labor be Wellington or Napoleon?”	20th Annual Lecture March 22, 2011
	Elizabeth Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO “From the Real World to Survivor: Labor’s Reality Check”	19th Annual Lecturer March 23, 2010
	Stewart Acuff, Organizing Director of the AFL-CIO “Winning for Workers”	18th Annual Lecture September 22, 2008
	Charles Kernaghan, Director of the National Labor Committee “The Fight to End Sweatshops and Win Workers’ Rights in the Global Economy”	17th Annual Lecture April 13, 2006
	Reg Weaver, President, President, National Education Association “The National Education Association: A Union for the 21st Century”	16th Annual Lecture April 4, 2005
	James D. English, International Secretary and Former General Counsel United Steelworkers of America AFL-CIO “A Look at the Labor Movement After 40 Years of Involvement”	15th Annual Lecture March 31, 2004
	Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO “Why We Need Unions Now More Than Ever”	14th Annual Lecture April 4, 2003
	Sandra Feldman, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) “Labor Looks Ahead: Challenges of a New Century”	13th Annual Lecture March 25, 2002
	Leo Gerard, President of the United Steel Workers of America, AFL-CIO “Globalization and the New Age of Activism”	12th Annual Lecture April 11, 2001
	George Becker, President of the United Steel Workers of America (USWA) “21st Century Activism”	11th Annual Lecture March 20, 2000
	John J. Sweeney, President, AFL-CIO Speech “Good Jobs and Strong Communities: Challenges for Working Families”	10th Annual Lecture April, 1999
	Linda Chavez-Thompson, Executive V.P., AFL-CIO “What’s New in the Labor Movement”	9th Annual Lecture March, 1997
	Gerald McEntee, President, AFSCME “Working for America’s Men and Women”	8th Annual Lecture March, 1995
	Vincent Sombrotto, President, NALC “The Labor Movement and the Changing American Workplace”	7th Annual Lecture March, 1994
	Leon Lynch, Vice-President, USWA “Labor’s Continuing Relevance in the 90’s”	6th Annual Lecture November, 1992
	Richard Trumka, President, UMWA “A World to Win: A New Unionism for the 90’s”	5th Annual Lecture October, 1990
	Thomas Donahue, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO “The AFL-CIO in the 1990’s”	4th Annual Lecture March, 1990
	Lane Kirkland, President, AFL-CIO “The American Labor Movement: Its Role; Its Relevance”	2nd Annual Lecture October, 1987
	Lynn Williams, President, USWA “The Legacy of Philip Murray and the Future of American Unionism”	1st Annual Lecture November, 1986

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