School of Labor and Employment Relations
Derber Lecture 2019
7 pm, Lincoln Hall Room 1090
The Middle Class, Democracy and Unions: Why you can't have one without the others
When working people come together in unions they curb the excesses of employers and can bridge divides across race, gender and nationality. That's good for business and for our democracy. So what's the problem? Karen Nussbaum will discuss the trends stemming from the 1970s that have led to a hollowed out middle class, deepening divides, and threats to our democratic institutions -- and why strong unions are an essential part of the solution.
Karen Nussbaum has been organizing working people for 50 years. She is a founder of 9to5, the national association of Working Women and of District 925, SEIU, and collaborated with Jane Fonda on the iconic movie 9 to 5. Nussbaum was the director of the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor in the Clinton Administration, the highest seat in the federal government devoted to women. She went on to join the national AFL-CIO and is the founding director of Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO. She now serves on their board. Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO president has called Nussbaum the best organizer in the country. For more information on Working America go to www.workingamerica.org