Common Sense Economics Training Materials
Common Sense Economics (CSE) is a flexible organizing tool put together by the AFL-CIO and built in the shape of a curriculum for mass education. CSE is intended to be shared, modified and flexible. It’s designed for all workers (union or nonunion) to understand why this economy is not working for working people and that the economy is not inevitable, but is shaped by policy. The tool’s main goal is to immediately connect people to action and put workers in the driver’s seat to start changing the direction of this economy.
There are five modules that look at important topics through an economic lens:
- Short Core Module
- Globalization
- Immigration
- Women and Families
- Young Workers
- This list of basic labor terminology can be helpful to help orient new members. Even though you’ve distributed the glossary, it’s still a good idea to avoid using too much labor-specific language when talking with any member unless you are sure they are familiar with the terms.
The United Association for Labor Education (UALE) is a national organization of labor educators working towards progress, growth and hope for the labor movement. Publishes the Labor Studies Journal, coordinates Union Women’s Summer Schools, hosts an annual conference and provides online resources (including links to all labor programs at universities and unions).
Zinn Education Project. Teaching a People’s History, Zinn Education Project’s labor page, an extensive collection of labor-history related educational tools and resources.
The Labor Film Database: films, videos and film festivals that focus on work, workers and worker’s issues.
Laborarts.org Presents powerful images to further understanding of the past and present lives of working people. Photographs, paintings, sculpture, other fine art and artifacts.
American Rights at Work informs the public about the struggle to win workplace democracy. Numerous projects and publications include a workers’ rights clearinghouse, monitoring the NLRB, and many online resources.
Students Against Migrant Exploitation (S.A.M.E.) educates and empowers students and youth alike on issues that affect migrant workers. A project of the Agricultural Workers Alliance and the UFCW Canada.
The Retail Action Project (RAP) is an organization of retail workers dedicated to improving opportunities and workplace standards in the retail industry. A community labor partnership between RWDSU/UFCW and the Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES).
Union Communication Services, Inc., publishers of communications and educational tools for today’s union leaders. Publishers of the Steward Update and other tools for union activists.
Labourstart.org An online news service providing the international trade union movement with information about labor campaigns around the world.
Labor Unions & the Internet– A guide of useful web sites for labor union members.
Labor History Links Bibliographies, research portals, digitized collections of primary sources, labor terms and quotes and links to online labor history guides.
Jobs with Justice is a national network of local coalitions that bring together labor unions, faith groups, community organizations, and student activists to fight for working people.
The Labor Project for Working Families builds alliances between unions, advocacy and community groups to advance and implement family-friendly workplace policies such as family leave, paid sick days and worker-controlled flexibility.
United for a Fair Economy raises awareness that concentrated wealth and power undermine the economy, corrupt democracy, deepen racial divides and tear communities apart. Numerous projects and resources.
The Food Chain Workers Alliance is a coalition of worker-based organizations whose members plant, harvest, process, pack, transport, prepare, serve, and sell food, organizing to improve wages and working conditions for all workers along the food chain.
The Labor Heritage Foundation provides online resources, including a database of labor artists, and a catalogue of labor music, film, books, posters, buttons and note cards.
The National Immigration Law Center (NLC) protects the rights of low income immigrants and their families, including many programs focused on protecting immigrant workers’ rights to organize unions.
The National Employment Law Project (NELP) promotes policies and programs that create good jobs, strengthen upward mobility, enforce hard-won worker rights and help unemployed workers regain their economic footing.
Unemployedworkers.org An online campaign and information portal to serve, engage and inform jobless workers. A project of NELP.
Labor Notes is a media and organizing project and a network of union leaders and activists. Their website has many of the articles published in their monthly magazine, as well as other publications and tools.
The Center for Popular Democracy promotes equity, opportunity, and a dynamic democracy in partnership with innovative community-based organizations, local and state networks, and progressive unions across the country.
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) improves the lives of day laborers in the United States.
The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) informs and empowers individuals to seek solutions that ensure broadly shared prosperity and opportunity.
Interfaith Worker Justice fights for economic and worker justice with more than 70 affiliated organizations and over two dozen worker centers.
The Center for Community Change builds the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to have a significant impact in improving their communities and the policies and institutions that effect their lives.