The Labor Education Service is sponsoring the 2010 Midwest School for Women Workers July 28 – Aug. 1 on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota.
These are difficult times for working women, our families and our unions, with massive unemployment, high workloads and cuts to public services. Unions are trying to respond to the economic crisis at the same time that we organize, bargain and mobilize to improve the standard of living for everyone. It’s a tall order.
Teaching labor in the schools: New opportunities
By Deborah Rosenstein
To provide more resources for teaching about workers and labor history, the Labor Education Service has released a new video and website devoted to teaching about the Minneapolis truckers’ strikes of 1934. LES also has embarked on a new student-focused project documenting the history of the state Capitol.
Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the United Association for Labor Education have all passed resolutions supporting the expansion of labor-in-the-schools efforts.
Some states, including Wisconsin, have passed legislation requiring labor history to be taught in the schools.
Multimedia classroom resources
The 1934 strike by Minneapolis Teamsters was the most important single event in Minnesota labor history and paved the way for landmark federal worker rights legislation. Yet few Minnesota students learn about this important struggle.
LES hopes to address this need through a new website, video and curriculum titled “Minneapolis Truckers Make History.” An 18-minute film, designed for classroom use, chronicles the strike and helps students connect their own lives with people in the 1930s. The video streams on the website, www.minneapolis1934.org and is also available to purchase on DVD through LES and the Minnesota Historical Society.
While supplies last, Minnesota teachers may request one free copy for classroom use. Interested teachers should contact les@umn.edu.
Minneapolis1934.org contains a wealth of resources, including participatory classroom activities, a list of speakers, ideas for field trips, art, music, biographies of key individuals and more. An annotated list of other online resources for teaching about labor is also included. The video and website were funded, in part, by the Education Minnesota Foundation.
New project in development
LES staff hope that “Minneapolis Truckers Make History” will be the first of many projects designed for classroom teachers. “Who Built the Capitol?” a new initiative designed to uncover the names and stories of the workers who constructed the Minnesota state Capitol, is now underway. Once completed, “Who Built the Capitol?” will bring another important chapter of Minnesota’s labor history to classrooms via video and accompanying curriculum. Read more about this project on Workday Minnesota.
While developing “Minneapolis Truckers Make History” and “Who Built the Capitol?,” LES staff received critical guidance from middle and high school teachers across the state.
LES also brought presentations about “Minneapolis Truckers Make History” to this year’s Education Minnesota Professional Conference, the Minnesota Council for Social Studies Annual Conference, the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs Annual Conference and the St. Paul Federation of Teachers Professional Conference.
To request a free presentation about “Minneapolis Truckers Make History” or other labor-in-the-schools material, e-mail Deborah Rosenstein.
State legislation provides boost
Since 2002, California has designated the first week of April as “Labor History Week.” Its purpose is to encourage schools "to commemorate this week with appropriate educational exercises that make pupils aware of the role the labor movement has played in shaping California and the United States."
In December 2009, Wisconsin’s governor signed the “Labor History in the Schools” bill into law after 12 years of organizing by workers, unions and allies. “Once again Wisconsin leads the way in progressive labor legislation,” commented Steve Cupery, president of the Wisconsin Labor History Society.
In West Virginia, a bill similar to Wisconsin’s has been introduced.
The Minnesota AFL-CIO plans to support labor-in-the-schools legislation in Minnesota during the next session. A number of representatives have already expressed interest in supporting such a law, said Jennifer Schaubach, the federation’s legislative director.
Labor resolutions
During their 2008 convention, AFT delegates passed a resolution calling for a national task force and conference devoted to K-12 Labor Education (the NEA had previously passed a similar resolution). The AFL-CIO convention followed suit in 2009 and UALE did so this year. Labor educators hope the momentum created by these resolutions will lead to greater coordination and support for labor-in-the-schools initiatives.
Croce wins university’s outstanding service award
by Howard Kling
Labor Education Service staff member Randy Croce is the recipient of the University of Minnesota 2010 President’s Award for Outstanding Service. Croce will be recognized with other award winners at the May University Board of Regents meeting and again at a special university ceremony in June.
In a letter announcing the award, University President Robert Bruininks stated, “With this award, you become a member of an elite group of faculty and staff of the University community. Your excellence is a model for your colleagues and co-workers to emulate.”
Croce, a Labor Education Service staff member since 1990, is known for the quality of his video work on behalf of Minnesota’s workers and union members. This award focuses on his contribution to the overall university community, most importantly through his tireless advocacy work on behalf of non-faculty professional employees.
Pam Stenhjem, research fellow at the university’s Institute on Community Integration, said in her nomination of Croce, “Through his extensive involvement and leadership in governance, Randy has made what can only be called a profound and long-lasting impact on the quality of work life for Academic Professional and Administrative employees at the University of Minnesota.”
Approximately 5,400 people are employed at the university in the P&A classification.
In 1999, Croce became active in a university-wide committee that eventually was renamed the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators. Quickly demonstrating leadership around a variety of issues and initiatives, he became head of an important committee and then was elected chair of the organization.
During his time as chair, Croce helped increase the visibility, respect and voice of P&A employees at the university, gaining inclusion for these workers in university governance at a variety of levels. Through his efforts, Minnesota became the first university to include P&A staff on the University Senate. Croce was praised for his “unassuming and collaborative” leadership that broke down barriers and opened doors, leading to significant changes in university policy.
In addition to his advocacy and governance efforts, the award also recognizes the quality of Croce’s contribution to the Labor Education Service and the Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies. In the past 20 years, he has won numerous awards and other distinctions for his video production work.
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