Labor Education Programs at LER
Hispanic Initiative
The Hispanic workforce has growing importance and presence in the economy and society. The Labor Education Program at the University of Illinois recognizes that there is a great need for increased knowledge about workers’ rights, labor relations and related matters in the Hispanic community.
This Initiative extends educational programming in Spanish or bilingual formats on worker’s rights, labor unions, constructive labor-management relations, labor studies, immigrant rights and leadership development throughout the state of Illinois. This will create a new generation of Hispanic labor leaders able to effectively address the concerns of Hispanic workers and bridge to the broader society.
Each year the Initiative will open with a fall conference on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The goals for the conference are to discuss problems Hispanic workers face in the workplace. Community organizations and Unions with Hispanic workers that deal with workers’ problems are invited to attend.
The Initiative includes seminars on labor issues, an annual conference on labor issues affecting Hispanic workers, courses and workshops on Hispanic worker issues and labor education for community agencies and organizations working with Hispanic workers. These programs are available to the community at our office or at your site.
Get Involved! We encourage others to join this initiative. Including: community leaders, labor leaders, community based organizations, policy makers, labor unions and others who share a vision around strategic educational initiatives for the Hispanic community.
Hispanic Initiative Conference
The Hispanic Initiative is focused on providing labor education and other resources to workers, labor unions and community agencies interested in labor-related issues affecting Hispanic workers. We invite you to become a part of this initiative!
Each year the Initiative will open with a fall conference on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. The goals for the conference are to discuss problems Hispanic workers face in the workplace. Community organizations and Unions with Hispanic workers that deal with workers’ problems are invited to attend.
In the past the conference addressed immigration history and the labor movement, the impact of globalization on collective bargaining, unionism, and important language in collective bargaining agreements.
For more information please contact Yesenia Vargas yvargas@illinois.edu.