26th Annual Summer Institute:
Bread & WILD Roses
June 22-24, 2012
Wheaton College, Norton, MA
Continuing in the tradition of the 1912 textile workers' strike in Lawrence, Mass., where thousands of diverse workers, mostly women, speaking dozens of languages, united to fight for justice.
Read the recap of the 2012 Summer Institute.
Thanks to all our Summer Institute donors & supporters!
WILD is an inspirational educational program that provides women with the leadership vision, confidence and skills to become more effective leaders and organizers in the Massachusetts labor movement. The program begins with dinner on Friday, June 22nd, and continues through the weekend with workshops on leadership development, understanding racism, and a variety of skill-building workshops. There are also opportunities to network with other labor sisters and have a lot of fun! The Institute ends at 3pm on Sunday, June 24th.
Leadership Workshops
The leadership workshops (attended by all participants) are designed to help you advance your leadership in the labor movement and are offered in two levels. In Leadership A, for women new to leadership or to WILD, each participant will develop an assessment of her leadership skills, identify personal leadership goals and learn tools to meet those goals. In Leadership B, for those who have attended Leadership A or are more experienced leaders,
participants will focus on engaging and recruiting members, and developing the leadership of others.
En español: Desarrollo de liderazgo
Em português: Desenvolvimento de lideranças
Skills Workshops
Becoming a Union-Building Steward. Using a collective approach to solve workplace problems, this workshop will teach legal rights of stewards, how to win grievances and enforce the contract, and how to get others involved to build the union.
Moving a Legislative Agenda. How are laws made? What is the role of unions and community groups? With some current case studies, we’ll engage in a fun interactive workshop to experience the process of passing a bill into law.
Is it OK to trade your health for a paycheck? Take action for a safe and healthy job! In this workshop you will learn: how to document health and safety hazards at work, what your rights are, and strategies for securing safe and healthy jobs.
The Occupy Movement & the Economy. We will explore the problems identified by the Occupy movement - income inequality and a political system that benefits the wealthiest 1% - and the innovative ways the Occupy movement organizes for change, plus where we go from here and how to get involved in this movement.
How to Assert Your Rights When Alone in the Workplace. Gain new tools for asserting your rights in your workplace, negotiating with your employer, and practicing assertive behavior. This workshop is especially useful for women in isolated work situations, such as domestic workers and PCAs. (trilingual)
Organizing for Immigrants’ Rights. If you have documents or not - you have rights! Learn how to defend your rights and how you can join the struggle for just immigration laws. (bilingual)
One-on-One: Organizing by Building Relationships. The basis of engaging people in our unions and community organizations is building relationships through face-to-face conversations. We will explore and practice this model of organizing. (bilingual)
Talleres de destrezas en español
Workshops de habilidades em português
Information & Costs
Tuition: $220 per person for a double room, meals and materials. ($30 extra for a single room)
Childcare: On-site childcare is provided with prior registration, for a cost of $60 for the first child and $30 for each additional child.
Scholarships: Limited financial assistance is available on a sliding scale if applied for in writing by June 8. Please call 617-426-0520. Download the scholarship application here.
Cancellation policy: If you are unable to attend for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible. Substitutions are encouraged! If you do not notify us at least ONE WEEK before the Institute (June 15th), you (or your union/organization) will be responsible for all costs.
Questions? Please contact Emily at 617-426-0520 or emily @ wildlabor .org