National Labor College

Private coeducational labor college in Silver Spring, Maryland, US (1969–2014)

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National Labor College

Type| Private coeducational labor college
Active| 1969–2014
President| Paula Peinovich

Academic staff

| 6 full-time [1]
Undergraduates| 1,364 [2]
Location|

Silver Spring

Maryland

Affiliations| AFL–CIO
Website| nlc.edu

The National Labor College was a college for union members and their families, union leaders and union staff in Silver Spring, Maryland. Established as a training center by the AFL–CIO in 1969 to strengthen union member education and organizing skills, NLC became a degree-granting college in 1997 and in March 2004 gained accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.[2][3] Until the college closed on April 26, 2014,[4] it was the only college of its kind in the United States.

In July 2014 the Amalgamated Transit Union purchased the National Labor College campus. The ATU plans to expand its long-standing union education and activism program to the newly acquired campus.

## History

[edit]

In 1969 AFL–CIO President George Meany founded a labor studies center under the direction of Fred K. Hoehler Jr. to promote education and training opportunities for union leadership and rank-and-file members. The Executive Council of the AFL–CIO determined an educational and training center held an important role in the organization's effort to further develop trade unionism, and decided to locate a permanent campus for the pursuit of labor studies.[5]

On November 6, 1974, AFL–CIO President George Meany dedicated the George Meany Center for Labor Studies, located on the former campus of Xaverian College. The property was purchased from the Xaverian Brothers by the AFL–CIO for $2.5 million in 1971. At the dedication, Meany remarked that the purpose of the institution was to help union officials "make a better contribution to our people and to our nation."[5][6] The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Labor Studies was offered in partnership with Antioch College (later Antioch University) through the 1990s.[7][8]

In 1997 under the leadership of AFL–CIO President John J. Sweeney, the center received authorization to grant baccalaureate degrees by the State of Maryland Higher Education Commission and became an independent institution of higher learning and renamed the National Labor College. By 2004, National Labor College had become fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.[5]

The National Labor College published Labor's Heritage, a scholarly journal of labor history, until 2004.[9]

In the fall of 2006 the new Lane Kirkland Center opened on the National Labor College campus, to provide upgraded facilities, and to greatly expand the college's hosting capabilities. At the time, the college hoped to promote the Kirkland Center as "America's union hall".

In 2009, the college entered into a partnership with Penn Foster Education, a career college subsidiary of the Princeton Review in order to develop a distance education program. The program was ended by the college in November, 2011, because of the slow growth of the program and the financial difficulties of the Princeton Review.[10] The college intended to use the facilities developed under this program to build its own program of distance education.[10] The losses from the joint program were in part responsible for the 2012 decision to close the college's campus and function in online education only.[11]

## Facilities

[edit]

With a 47-acre (190,000 m2) campus located in Silver Spring, Maryland, a 72,000-square-foot (6,700 m2) academic and conference center, and hotel quality residence halls, the college provided classroom, meeting spaces and dining services.[12]

In 2012, the college announced its intention to sell the campus and relocate to offices in the Washington, DC area and have an online presence only. Plagued by roughly $30 million in debt—primarily from building the conference center—the college depended heavily on the sale of the campus to remain open. National Labor College was on the verge of selling its campus when the deal fell through in June 2013. The AFL–CIO stated it did not have enough money available to provide a bridge loan.[1][11] After the college closed, the campus was sold.

## George Meany Memorial Archives

[edit]

From 1993 until 2013, the college was home to the George Meany Memorial Archives, the official and acting archives of the AFL–CIO.[13] The archive is estimated to have a value of $25 million and contain more than 40 million artifacts.[14] The archives include the papers of numerous labor leaders, the official records of all AFL–CIO proceedings since the founding of the AFL in the 1880s, the archives of numerous union and federation publications, and the records of the departments of the AFL–CIO. The archives contain extensive correspondence relating to past AFL–CIO international activities during the Cold War which remain classified by most national governments.[citation needed]

On October 1, 2013, the collection was transferred from the National Labor College to the University of Maryland Libraries, where university archivists are preserving the archive to make them more readily available to the public. Records of the National Labor College are also available in the Special Collections at University of Maryland.[14]

## National Workers Memorial

[edit]

The National Workers Memorial, dedicated on April 28, 2010, was erected on the college's campus to honor the memory of workers killed or fatally injured on the job, or in service to the labor movement.[15] After the sale of the campus, the college intends to relocate the memorial to an appropriate location.[11] Australia established a National Workers Memorial, a memorial with a similar intent, in its national capital, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, in 2013.[16]

## Closure

[edit]

On November 12, 2013, the National Labor College Board of Trustees directed Peinovich and the college's officers to develop a plan to close the college due to the institution's ongoing financial difficulties. In an open letter three days later to the college's community of students, alumni and supporters, Peinovich announced that the college closure would likely take many months and emphasized that there would be a "teach-out" plan to allow enrolled students to receive their degrees.[1][17] The Labor College signed teach-out agreements with SUNY Empire State College, Thomas Edison State College, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Illinois, and Rowan University that allowed NLC students to receive their degrees by earning credit at those five institutions.[18] The college held its last commencement and a closing convocation on its Silver Spring campus on April 26, 2014.[19] The final NLC commencement, for those enrolled in the 'teach-out', occurred on Saturday, January 30, 2016, at the Conference Center at the Maritime Institute (formerly known as MITAGS).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Rivard, Ry. "A Small College's Demise". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
2. ^ a b "Quick Facts about the NLC". National Labor College. 30 September 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.http://www.nlc.edu/quick-facts.html
3. ^ "About the NLC". National Labor College. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
4. ^ "NLC in Transition". National Labor College. 30 September 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2014.http://www.nlc.edu/sample-page/about-us/
5. ^ a b c "Campus History". National Labor College. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
6. ^ "AFL-CIO Labor Study Center Dedicated in Silver Spring," by J.Y. Smith, The Washington Post, Nov 7, 1974, pg. C14.
7. ^ "Goodbye to a Labor Institution". WBNB News. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
8. ^ "National Labor College History". 4 October 2013.
9. ^ "Labor's Heritage". Civic Media Center. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
10. ^ a b Goldie Blumenstyk, "National Labor College Ends Joint Venture With For-Profit Partner" Chronicle of Higher Education [1]
11. ^ a b c Mytelka, Andrew. "Key Labor Archive May Be Inaccessible After Labor College Sells Campus". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
12. ^ "Campus History". National Labor College. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
13. ^ "The George Meany Memorial Archives Library". National Labor College. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
14. ^ a b Hottle, Jenny. "AFL-CIO archive donation largest in University of Maryland library history". The Diamondback. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
15. ^ Michael Laris (April 28, 2010). "National Workers Memorial to be dedicated in Silver Spring". The Washington Post.
16. ^ "National Workers' Memorial". Australian Government Department of Employment. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
17. ^ "An Important Message for the NLC Community". National Labor College Blog. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
18. ^ "National Labor College Teach-out Officially Approved and Ready to Roll!". National Labor College. March 8, 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
19. ^ "May 2014". National Labor College. April 30, 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Organized labour portal

* The National Labor College (archived website)
* George Meany Memorial Labor and Unions Archives

* v
* t
* e

AFL-CIO

Governance|

| Presidents|

* George Meany (1955–1979)
* Lane Kirkland (1979–1995)
* Thomas R. Donahue (1995)
* John J. Sweeney (1995–2009)
* Richard Trumka (2009–2021)
* Liz Shuler (2021–present)

|

Departments|

* Building Trades
* Maritime Trades
* Metal Trades
* Professional Employees
* Transportation Trades
* Union Label

Constituency groups|

* A. Philip Randolph Institute
* Alliance for Retired Americans
* Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
* Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
* Coalition of Labor Union Women
* Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
* Pride at Work
* Union Veterans Council

Allied organizations|

* International Labor Communications Association
* Solidarity Center
* Working for America Institute

Allied groups|

* American Rights at Work
* International Rescue Committee
* Jewish Labor Committee
* Labor and Working-Class History Association
* Working America

Programs|

* AFL–CIO Employees Federal Credit Union
* National Labor College

Affiliated unions|

* AAAA
* AGMA
* AGVA
* GIAA
* AEA
* AFGE
* AFM
* AFSA
* AFSCME
* AFT
* ALPA
* APWU
* ARA
* ATDA
* ATU
* AWIU
* BAC
* BCTGM
* BRS
* CSEA
* CWA
* AFA
* IUE
* NABET
* PPMW
* TNG Locals
* FLOC
* GMPIU
* IAFF
* IAM
* NFFE
* TCIU
* IATSE
* IBB
* IBEW
* IFPTE
* ILA
* Ironworkers
* IUANPW
* IUEC
* IUOE
* IUPA
* IUPAT
* LIUNA
* NPMHU
* MEBA
* PASS
* NALC
* NATCA
* NFLPA
* NNU
* NTWA
* NWSLPA
* OPCMIA
* OPEIU
* Printers & Engravers
* SAG-AFTRA
* SIU
* SEIU
* CIR
* NAGE
* NCFO
* Workers United
* SMART
* TWU
* UA
* UAW
* UFCW
* DWAW
* RWDSU
* UMWA
* UNITE HERE
* USW
* UURWAW
* UWUA
* WGAE

State federations and
central labor councils|

* California (Los Angeles, South Bay)
* Florida
* Indiana
* Maine
* Massachusetts
* New York (New York City)
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* Washington State (King)
* West Virginia

See also|

* American Federation of Labor
* Congress of Industrial Organizations
* Directly affiliated local union

* v
* t
* e

Colleges and universities in Maryland

Public
institutions|

| Univ. System of MD|

* Bowie State University
* Coppin State University
* Frostburg State University
* Salisbury University
* Towson University
* University of Baltimore
* University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
* University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
* University of Maryland Eastern Shore
* University of Maryland Global Campus
* University of Maryland, Baltimore
* Dental
* Graduate Studies
* Law
* Medicine
* Nursing
* Pharmacy
* Public Health
* Social Work
* University of Maryland, Baltimore County
* University of Maryland, College Park
* University System of Maryland at Hagerstown
* Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine

|

* Morgan State University
* National Intelligence University
* St. Mary's College of Maryland
* Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
* United States Naval Academy

Private
institutions|

* Capitol Technology University
* Goucher College
* Hood College
* Johns Hopkins University
* Loyola University Maryland
* Maryland Bible College & Seminary
* Maryland Institute College of Art
* McDaniel College
* Mount St. Mary's University
* Yeshivas Ner Yisroel
* Notre Dame of Maryland University
* St. John's College
* St. Mary's Seminary and University
* Stevenson University
* TESST College of Technology
* Washington Adventist University
* Washington College

Community
colleges|

* Allegany College of Maryland
* Anne Arundel Community College
* Baltimore City Community College
* College of Southern Maryland
* Community College of Baltimore County
* Carroll Community College
* Cecil College
* Chesapeake College
* Frederick Community College
* Garrett College
* Hagerstown Community College
* Harford Community College
* Howard Community College
* Montgomery College
* Prince George's Community College
* Wor–Wic Community College

Defunct
institutions|

* Asbury College
* Baltimore International College
* Baltimore College
* Baltimore Hebrew University
* Calvert College
* Chevy Chase Junior College
* Cokesbury College
* Eastern Christian College
* Hagerstown Business College
* Kee Mar College
* Maryland Military and Naval Academy
* Mount Hope College
* Mount Saint Agnes College
* National Labor College
* National Park Seminary
* New Windsor College
* Newton University
* St. Charles College
* Saint Joseph College
* Sojourner–Douglass College
* Washington Medical College
* Woodstock College

Authority control databases |

* ISNI

|

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