LER 100 Syllabus
LER 100 “Introduction to Labor Studies”
Spring 2014. Three Credits. Online course
Second 8 weeks class. March 17 to May 7
INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Iram Ramírez Linares, Visiting Lecturer, School of Labor and Employment Relations
Email: irl@illinois.edu, but please use Compass email to contact me.
Office phone: (787) 294-2064; please contact me through email to set up a phone appointment
Office hours: Please contact me through Compass email to set up a phone meeting.
Office address: LER, 815 W. Van Buren #110, Chicago IL 60607
ABOUT THE COURSE
The course provides an overview of workers and unions in American society and introduces you to topics covered in the field of Labor Studies. The course looks at economic, political, and workplace issues facing working people, why and how workers join unions, how unions are structured and function, and how unions and management bargain a contract. The class includes an overview of U.S. labor and working class history, an analysis of the state of U.S. employment laws, and a discussion of the contemporary struggles workers and unions face in a rapidly changing global economy. Finally, the class examines a contemporary labor struggle to explore changing labor-management relations, the U.S. government’s role, and internal struggles within the labor movement.
Upon completing this course you will:
Gain a familiarity with the field of Labor Studies
Know and be able to comfortably use key labor terms;
Understand key issues facing working people today;
Understand why and how workers organize and join unions;
Understand basic U.S. labor and employment laws impacting unions and workers;
Understand how individual and national unions are structured;
Gain an overview of U.S. labor and working class history; and
Be able to analyze the problems and options facing unions in labor conflicts;
The course is divided into segments. Each segment’s lecture highlights important material from the
Spring 2014. Three Credits. Online course
Second 8 weeks class. March 17 to May 7
INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Name: Iram Ramírez Linares, Visiting Lecturer, School of Labor and Employment Relations
Email: irl@illinois.edu, but please use Compass email to contact me.
Office phone: (787) 294-2064; please contact me through email to set up a phone appointment
Office hours: Please contact me through Compass email to set up a phone meeting.
Office address: LER, 815 W. Van Buren #110, Chicago IL 60607
ABOUT THE COURSE
The course provides an overview of workers and unions in American society and introduces you to topics covered in the field of Labor Studies. The course looks at economic, political, and workplace issues facing working people, why and how workers join unions, how unions are structured and function, and how unions and management bargain a contract. The class includes an overview of U.S. labor and working class history, an analysis of the state of U.S. employment laws, and a discussion of the contemporary struggles workers and unions face in a rapidly changing global economy. Finally, the class examines a contemporary labor struggle to explore changing labor-management relations, the U.S. government’s role, and internal struggles within the labor movement.
Upon completing this course you will:
Gain a familiarity with the field of Labor Studies
Know and be able to comfortably use key labor terms;
Understand key issues facing working people today;
Understand why and how workers organize and join unions;
Understand basic U.S. labor and employment laws impacting unions and workers;
Understand how individual and national unions are structured;
Gain an overview of U.S. labor and working class history; and
Be able to analyze the problems and options facing unions in labor conflicts;
The course is divided into segments. Each segment’s lecture highlights important material from the