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About

Launched in the fall of 2013, the NLLI grew out of a partnership between the AFL-CIO, The Worker Institute at Cornell, and top labor educators from Harvard, Rutgers, Berkeley, Oregon, UALE, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign, and the Rockwood Leadership Institute. The vision of the Initiative is to address the strategic challenges facing the labor movement in the 21st century. The Initiative helps top labor leaders acquire and refine the knowledge, skills, and qualities needed to lead in a time when unions and working people are subjected to coordinated and well-funded attacks. The Initiative provides a space for unions, worker justice organizations, and labor educators to learn innovative approaches to the challenges of developing the critical core of leaders our movement needs.

Purpose

The purpose of the National Labor Leadership Initiative (NLLI) is to create a community of leaders dedicated to their individual and mutual learning and development, the strengthening and transformation of the organizations they lead, and the building of a broad progressive movement that empowers working people in a rapidly changing world.

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Program

Program Structure

The NLLI curriculum consists of three 5-day intensive retreats spread out over one year.

 

Leadership class
Find out more

Apply

Learn more about apply to the National Labor Leadership Initiative.
 

 

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Videos

NLLI Facebook Live Interview Montserrat Garibay

National Labor Leadership Initiative Facebook Live Series: "How are NLLI Leaders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis." Jennifer Beuthin interviewing Montserrat Garibay, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Texas AFL-CIO, Wednesday, July 15th.
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NLLI Facebook Live Interview Montserrat Garibay

NLLI Facebook Live Interview Siobhan Vipond

National Labor Leadership Initiative Facebook Live Series: "How are NLLI Leaders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis." Jennifer Beuthin interviewing Siobhan Vipond, Secretary-Treasurer, Alberta Labour Federation. Wednesday, July 8th, 2020.
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NLLI Facebook Live Interview Siobhan Vipond

NLLI Facebook Live Interview Mark Lauritsen

National Labor Leadership Initiative Facebook Live Series: "How are NLLI Leaders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis." Kathleen Mulligan interviewing Mark Lauritsen, International Vice President of UFCW, NLLI Alum Year 2, May 19th, 2020.
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NLLI Facebook Live Interview Mark Lauritsen
I would highly recommend this program to anybody that's a union leader. I'm coming up on my 40 years in the union and I've been a union leader for 25 of those years working for families and union members, and I can’t say that I've went to a better program. So with that I would highly recommend it.
Ed Navarro, Regional Director, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers

The Worker Institute is hiring!

Cornell Worker Institute is hiring!
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The Worker Institute is hiring!

Happy New Year from the Labor Leadership Program’s Team!

The Labor Leadership Program’s Team at the Worker Institute at Cornell ILR wishes everyone a happy and healthy 2022.
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Happy New Year from the Labor Leadership Program’s Team!

NLLI Online Convening: Labor's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic

On March 31, the Worker Institute convened alumni of the National Labor Leadership Initiative to explore responses to the COVID-19 crisis.
Screenshot of NLLI Online Convening
NLLI Online Convening: Labor's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Faculty and Staff

  • Senior Extension Associate

  • Program Coordinator

  • Director of the National Labor Leadership initiative

Kathleen Mulligan is the Director of Labor Leadership Programs, and Co-Director of the National Labor Leadership Initiative, at Cornell University’s ILR School.

  • Senior Extension Associate

Contact

For more information about the National Labor Leadership Initative, please contact Sherrie Morales at sm92@cornell.edu or 212.340.2827.

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