About Us


The American Labor Studies Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to collect, analyze, evaluate, create and disseminate labor history and labor studies curricula and related materials, aligned to the various state and national standards, to kindergarten through 12th grade teachers nationwide. They will include such areas as the history, organization, activities, and issues affecting the labor movement

and the political, economic, and cultural aspects of workers and their unions. It is governed by a Board of Directors and funded by contributions and government grants.

The ALSC will be located in the Kate Mullany House at 350 Eighth Street in Troy, New York, which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997 and dedicated by the First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on July 15, 1998. There is currently legislation before Congress to make the Mullany

House a National Historic Site. Kate Mullany, a young Irish Immigrant and daughter of a widowed mother, became the leader of the first women's union in the nation and the first woman to hold office in a national union. At the age of 24, Mullany organized 200 women and became the first president of the Troy Collar Laundry Workers Union. In February 1864, the collar workers went on strike demanding a 25 percent increase in wages - and won. In 1868, she became assistant secretary of the National Labor Union

under William Sylvies. There are a wide variety of curriculum materials for teachers of virtually every subject and grade level including historical events, music, art, literature, biographies and contemporary issues, among others, that will be accessible on the web site through direct downloads and dozens of links.

The ALSC will also sponsor workshops, courses, conferences and other events to acquaint teachers with the curriculum and related materials.

The goal of the ALSC is not to indoctrinate or proselytize, but provide students with an opportunity to explore the many facets of a very complex and important part of out nation's history and contemporary life. Teachers are encouraged to use a variety of research and inquiry approaches as they select their pedagogical strategies.

Board of Directors

Honorary Chair John J. Sweeney President AFL-CIO
Chair Kathleen Donahue Vice President NYS United Teachers
Vice Chair Dr. Susan Schurman Rutgers
Secretary Robert Haynes President Mass. AFL-CIO
Treasurer Dr. William Scheuerman President, National Labor College
Executive Director Paul F. Cole Sec-Treas NYS AFL-CIO


Members

Rachel Bernstein History Professor New York University
Paul Bray Attorney
P. Thomas Carroll Director Hudson-Mohawk Industrial Gateway
Jan Conti Training Director NYS United Teachers
Dr. Clete Daniel Labor History Professor Cornell University
Fred Glass Communications Director CA Federation of Teachers
Thomas Y. Hobart, Jr. President Emeritus New York State United Teachers
Denis Hughes NYS AFL-CIO
Dr. Thomas Juravich Director Umass Amherst Labor-Relations Ctr
Mike Keenan President Troy Area Labor Council
Hank Landau NYS Building and Construction Trades
Edward J. McElroy Secretary-Treasurer American Federation of Teachers
George Nee Secretary-Treasurer Rhode Island AFL-CIO
David Newby President Wisconsin AFL-CIO
Richard Strassberg Director Cornell University Kheel Center
Dr. Irwin Yellowitz President NYS Labor History Association

Contact Us
Information@labor-studies.org