The William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies has a statewide mission to serve the education and training needs of wage earners and their labor organizations.
The Institute achieves this by providing union leaders and members with crucial information and training to promote and defend meaningful workplace democracy in today’s changing economy and workplace. The Institute prioritizes outreach activities to citizens of the greater
Nebraska community to explain why labor unions exist, and how they were critical players in humanizing the modern employment relationship. Some key pillars of the Institute include:
The Institute believes that everyone who sells their intelligence, experience, and strength to earn a living deserves to have a meaningful say in determining their future quality of life.
We believe that education is as essential to labor leaders and members as it is to any other profession in today’s ever-evolving economy.
We believe that everyday wage earners and their unions should have access to quality educational programs through the University of Nebraska system—the same access to public resources that business and industry enjoys.
We look forward to partnering with you to move the needle on these crucial issues that effect our local community, our state, and our nation for labor leaders and members.
Feel free to connect with me as we blaze a new trail for the William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies at UNO. It would be an honor to work with you!
Sincerely,
Jim Begley, MPA
Director, William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies
University of Nebraska at Omaha
jamesbegley@unomaha.edu
About the director
Jim Begley received his Master in Public Administration and bachelor’s degree in political science from UNO. He grew up in a union household in Omaha and spent 15 years addressing labor and human resources issues for the City of Omaha.
Since 2012, he has been an elected member of the Metropolitan Utilities District Board of Directors in Omaha, advocating for the men and women of IBEW Local 1521. He is a member of the UNO Chapter of the American Association of University Professors, the faculty union at UNO.