National Labor College

If you want to upgrade your union skills, check out the National Labor College in Silver Springs, Maryland. The College offers a variety of programs from free one-hour online classes to Certificate and Bachelor's Degree Programs. If you find a program that you are interested in, be sure to check with the 4C's. If there is a cost associated with it, training funds may be available from the union.

Here's a brief outline for some of the courses of study:

• Free (1 hour) Online Courses: Several courses are offered ranging from the "Basics of Multimedia" to "Images of Labor in Art."
• Union Skills Courses: One week classes cover topics such as grievance handling, negotiating contracts, and communication skills.
• Certificates: Earn a certificate after taking four online courses (12 credits). The fully online program lasts for 10 weeks. Pick a major, such as Labor Safety and Health or Union Administration. A new certificate program for Green Workplace Representatives is in the works.
• B.A. Degrees: A flexible program where much of the work is done online with one-week of on-campus instruction per semester. Majors include Labor Studies, Labor Education, and more.