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UNO's New Labor Institute Leader Focuses on Nebraska's Future

In his first year of leading the William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies, Jim Begley, director, is facing Nebraska’s workforce challenges with a new slant and head-on.

  • published: 2022/04/12
  • contact: Jennifer Knight - College of Public Affairs and Community Service
  • email: jenniferknight@unomaha.edu
Jim Begley
Jim Begley's plans are large. They are tailored to fit in with meeting UNO’s workforce development mission, as well as offering top education opportunities to the state’s labor unions.

He is taking a big step forward on these plans, starting with the re-vamped Nebraska Works! Conference in early April.

“We want robust discussions happening at the conference. We want labor unions to speak with and hear from businesses, and vice versa. We want to have them talking with each other as equal partners,” he said.

In addition to this open discussion at the conference, Begley has other goals including developing e-learning methods for the state’s labor unions and potentially offering UNO credit courses in labor studies. The Institute currently offers non-credit classes for labor union members. Begley hopes to expand these offerings as well. These courses cover topics such as collective bargaining, grievance handling, labor history, and leadership training and skills.

We want robust discussions happening at the conference. We want labor unions to speak with and hear from businesses, and vice versa. We want to have them talking with each other as equal partners."

 Jim Begley, director, William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies

Housed within the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, the William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies has been part of the University for more than 40 years. The Institute was originally developed by the state legislature, which found UNO to be the best home for it. Begley is the second director of the institute.

Tell us about labor unions in our state. About 8.8% of our workforce in the State of Nebraska works in unions. The number has been declining, but the popularity and support is growing according to Gallup polls. For example, in 2021, the approval rating for unions was 68%, and amongst millennials it was 77%. There is a dichotomy of high approval ratings, but a decline in numbers; and yet labor unions do bring democracy and higher paying jobs into the workplace.

How does this labor studies institute fit in with UNO, an institution of higher education? We will continue to inform others about the institute and to facilitate solid discussions and education about important labor issues. For any wage earner — union or not — we are facing critical issues that need to be discussed and understood. The Institute provides a community service for Nebraskans.    

We are also contemplating some credit courses that focus on labor studies. We will be looking at developing e-learning modules on the history of labor unions and organized labor. We would like to have those modules as a foundation of learning; an efficient way of teaching the value of organized labor.

Any conclusions on Nebraska and our workforce? The jobs are here. In fact, our state needs to hire 50,000 workers every year to keep up with those going into retirement. We need both skilled tradespeople and educated professionals to fill those jobs to make our city and state even more inviting and prosperous. When we educate about the values that unions bring to our society, we are providing Nebraskans with information about their right to bring meaningful democracy into our workplaces, which helps wage earners attain the American Dream.

Begley started in July 2021 and comes to WBILS with experience in human resources with the City of Omaha. He holds an MPA from UNO. Welcome to the CPACS team, Jim!