Labor Studies
October 24, 2006
Terrie Phillips
Staff Writer
Labor Studies will soon find a home elsewhere due to a decision made at IUPUI. Labor studies will be offered at two other campuses and online.
Labor Studies, according to labor.iu.edu/laborstudies.shtml, “is an interdisciplinary field that deals with work, the workplace, workers, and their organizations.”
After December, Labor Studies will be located at two IU campuses: IUPUI and IPFW. The program will also be available online, according to Paul Mishler.
Alfred Guillaume, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, said, “Labor Studies is an IUPUI program that is housed on this campus.” The decision was made at IUPUI after a series of consultation hearings all over the state. “The program and faculty at IUSB are the program and faculty of IUPUI,” said Guillaume.
There are many beliefs on why the program is being cut. Mishler believes the program is being cut due to lack of interest in the field here at IUSB. The program includes two parts: “One is really for people already active in unions to do your job better. There is a whole bunch of technical and legal structures in order to do your job well,” said Mishler.
The other part of the program is in the classroom where they teach a variety of things. “We learn labor history, economics, and organization of work,” said Mishler. They teach both sides: the practical part that includes life experiences and how to use them in regards to work, and history or the liberal arts part that includes math, science, and language.
Mike Compton, Buisness Manager for Electrical Workers Local 153 and former graduate from the Labor Studies program, said, “I think this program is very important. I think that people in the work force need to be educated about their rights. This is one of the few places formally. There are business schools that teach management. You need to know bargaining, the National Labor Relations Act, know about insurance, and fringe benefits.”
“Labor Studies was somewhat close, brought everything together in one place,” said Compton, who also liked the idea of the degree being from IU, a tenor school. ”It makes you somewhat recognized when you sit down with other folks.”
“You are not taught about Labor Studies and working for an hourly wage in school. There are things that happen right here in South Bend that began here, such as the sit-down strike [that you are never taught in high school].” In the history of labor, there were struggles to go from 12 hour workdays down to 10 and from 10 hour workdays down to 8. “Now we seem to be going backwards,” said Compton.
“Directed more towards individual classes, specific issues, and non-credit classes,” said Compton. Compton believes the university does not find this program beneficial due to lack of interest in credited classes. He also feels this is due to the change in politics, and that the legislative has taken a more business-oriented attitude. “I think legislative tends to be more business-oriented, and don’t feel the need to fund labor programs like this,” said Compton.
Guillaume said, “It will have a negative effect in the fact that the program will no longer be available on campus.” Due to his position, Guillaume was not able to comment on how he feels this will affect the community.
Labor Studies will no longer be available here on campus, but it will be available via the internet. “Indiana University has been a leader in labor education for over 50 years,” according to labor.iu.edu/laborstudies.shtml.
