For students who wish to work as researchers in unions and at social justice organizations, understanding how to mine data on corporate America is key. Students now have the opportunity to gain such skills through an intensive, hands-on, weeklong course at Cornell University on Strategic Corporate Research. The June 10-15 session in Ithaca, N.Y., is co-sponsored by Cornell and the AFL-CIO Center for Strategic Research. Registration deadline is May 17, 2012.

This is an exciting time to be part of the union movement and there are many ways to join us. Strategic researchers, for example, play a key role in helping unions gain a clearer understanding about corporate structure and finance and in finding ways to win against those who would deny us justice on the job and in our communities. 

An annual research summer school co-sponsored by the AFL-CIO and Cornell University has served as an effective stepping stone for students of all ages who are interested in working as union researchers. In its first 10 years, the program has placed hundreds of participants in research jobs at unions across the country. 

The summer school this year is June 10-15 in Ithaca, N.Y. The application deadline is May 17. Scholarships are available to individuals, based on need, if taking the course for credit. Access the application and obtain other information here, or contact Kate Bronfenbrenner at 607-254-4749 or scrsummer@cornell.edu.

Want to build on the momentum in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere by joining the fight for workers’ rights? Now’s the time to sign up for a course in strategic campaign research, writes Charles Taylor, coordinator for the AFL-CIO Center for Strategic Research recruitment program.