Delegates to the 2023 NewsGuild-CWA Sector Conference unanimously passed a resolution accepting an offer from the Nelson family to start a collective bargaining scholarship in Bruce’s memory. His family committed a $10,000 donation, and several locals and district councils have made donations or pledged to do so. Bruce trained hundreds of members, at sector meetings, district meetings and alongside workers at the bargaining table.
Consistent with Bruce’s deeply held belief that collective bargaining is an art or a craft which ideally should be learned through instruction, the scholarship will fund training through the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR), utilizing its labor training programs.
Online courses run September 9 through December 22, 2024. LINK
In-person courses in Buffalo, NY, run October 8-11, 2024. LINK
The deadlines to apply are August 9, 2024 (online) and September 8, 2024 (in-person).
Applicants will get a response at least one week after submitting an application. Recipients will be selected by retired TNG Director of Collective Bargaining Melissa Nelson, TNG’s General Counsel Barbara Camens and the three elected members of the NewsGuild-CWA’s Contracts Committee: Jon Schleuss, president; Marian Needham, executive vice president and Andrew Carillo, Region 6 vice president.
The scholarship will be used to subsidize collective bargaining training for NewsGuild-CWA elected officers, paid staff, stewards, bargaining committee members, and other NewsGuild activists in roles that support a local’s bargaining efforts. Training may be provided directly to individuals or, in some cases, may be set up as group training for locals or groups of locals. NewsGuild-CWA Locals can also apply to have an instructor train members and staff in-person at a central location.
Local and national NewsGuild officers and staff can nominate scholarship candidates. Individuals can apply directly with the endorsement of their local union. The participant’s local will be asked to pay the tuition fee and the national union will reimburse the local when the participant completes the course and submits a copy of the ILR training completion certificate. The scholarship grants cover tuition only; locals or individual participants will be responsible for any other related expenses.
Scholarship applications should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the class. Recipients will be selected by retired TNG Director of Collective Bargaining Melissa Nelson, TNG’s General Counsel Barbara Camens and the three elected members of the NewsGuild-CWA’s Contracts Committee: Jon Schleuss, president; Marian Needham, executive vice president and Andrew Carillo, Region 6 vice president.
Online labor Leadership Skills Certificate Program – (September 9 – December 22)
In-person Labor Leadership Skills Bootcamp (October 8-11)
APPLY HERE FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE
For more information, contact Jon Schleuss at jschleuss@cwa-union.org