Organizing Research Network
The Organizing Research Network seeks to bring together scholars and organizers. The purpose of the network is to encourage and promote more and better research on organizing as well as to improve the communication of thoughts, ideas and information about the research. We hope to help expand the research agenda on organizing to cover concerns of all segments of the workforce, from professional workers to low wage earners, to attract more researchers to the field, to generate interactions between workers, organizers and researchers, and to connect young scholars to potential mentors.
Find out more about ORN's mission and
goals here.
Conferences
July 2004 Conference, Economic Policy Institute (EPI)
Conference Agenda and Registration Information
June
2003 Conference, Harvard University
Conference
Summary and Presentations
Conference Agenda
May
2002 Conference, UCLA
Conference
Summary
Conference Agenda
June 2001 Conference, Economic Policy Institute (EPI)
Research
summaries
Conference agenda
Articles
When Internationals Create Non-Collective Bargaining Unions -
Samantha Clark discusses concerns about "non-collective bargaining organizing" based on her experience as Organizing Co-Chair and part-time organizer for the At-Large Unit of the National Writers Union, UAW Local 1981.
Child
Care Organizing - A report forwarded by Carol Zabin from the Center for
Labor Research and Education at UC Berkeley describing a conference hosted
by the Labor Project for Working Families in California. The conference was
called to consider efforts to organize childcare workers.
Keeping
the Pressure On at GE - by Jimmy Tarlau, CWA Organizing Coordinator -
This paper describes and discusses CWA affiliated non-majority employee committees
at non-union GE plants.
Nine
Theories in Search of Evidence - Presentation from Paul Booth, AFSCME, June
2003 - This paper outlines and discusses nine theories of labor revitalization.
United We Win, by SEIU staff - This paper is
being circulated by SEIU to stimulate discussion about what SEIU believes
are critical structural changes necessary for unions to consider if organizing
is to succeed.
Majority
Unionism, by Wade Rathke - Wade Rathke makes the case for creating an
American Workers Association that seeks to enlist millions of individual workers
as members and gives them voice across a broad range of issues. He also argues
for creation of sectoral associations that can create "members only"
representation at larger workplaces.
Proposal
for a University-based Campaign Research Program, by Gordon Lafer - Gordon
Lafer suggests a better linkage should exist between academics and union research
departments to the mutual benefit of both scholars and unions. He proposes
better coordination and the possibility of foundation funding.
Beyond Labor Law Reform, by Fred
Feinstein - Feinstein traces efforts at administrative and labor law reform
over the past 25 years. He suggests there are promising new approaches
to organizing that recognize federal law is unlikely to change in the near
future.
Resources
Resources
for scholars who support workers' rights
The Economic Benefits of Union Membership
- Literature Review
Employer
Interference with the Rights of Workers to Join Unions - Literature Review
Letter
from Eaton to Norwood, July 26, 2002
Newsletters
Member Directory
Research
On Organizing network participant contact information (revised 9/2003)
[password required]
About ORN
Organizing
Research Network (ORN) - Mission and Goals
For further information about ORN or this Web site, please e-mail Fred Feinstein ( ffeinste [at] umd.edu ).