Labor Extension Program

At UMass Dartmouth, the Labor Extension Program has been very active working directly with unions, and other worker and community organizations. We are here to help build organizations through skills training, strategic planning, and technical support. The core of our work is in leadership development to build strong, democratic organizations.

Since 1995, the University of Massachusetts statewide Labor Extension Program has provided hands-on training and technical assistance to workers, union members and community organizations to help them fully and effectively represent an increasingly diverse membership, to train a new generation of union leaders to face the challenges of the future, and to prepare all workers, organized and unorganized to exercise their full rights in the work place and the community.

What is the Labor Extension Program?

Since 1995, the University of Massachusetts statewide Labor Extension Program has provided hands-on training and technical assistance to workers, union members and community organizations. This program is based in the UMass campuses at Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell. The program's goal is to provide non-credit training and education to workers, their unions, and other workers' organizations. Our focus is on strengthening these organizations and increasing activism. We help build the skills necessary to effectively advocate for the needs and concerns of the workforce and to organize the unorganized.

How does the Labor Extension Program Work?

We offer programming in a variety of formats for individual unions, central labor councils, community-based organizations and individual union members and community activists. Our offerings include short courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, and special programs on a broad range of subject areas. We contract with unions and other workers' organizations to custom design programs for their members, officers and staff. We also offer open enrollment programs that anyone may attend for a small fee. We also provide assistance and support to labor organizations in the development and delivery of their own educational programs.

What Kinds of Programs do we offer:
See the list below for workshop topics about workshops, classes and technical assistance that we offer. If you don't see your subject heading below, contact us as this list is not totally inclusive.