Cornell's ILR School Hosts Union Days Event Series

Multipart program features book talk, film screening, keynote, and panel discussion on labor issues

Apr. 7, 2026 at 5:40am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic labor-themed object such as a picket sign or worker's glove, repeated in a tight grid pattern, capturing the vibrant energy and visual impact of the Union Days event series.The Union Days event series at Cornell's ILR School brings together diverse voices to explore the evolving landscape of labor rights and worker advocacy.Ithaca Today

The ILR School at Cornell University is hosting its annual Union Days event series throughout April, offering the community opportunities to engage with labor leaders and learn about current labor issues. The series includes a book talk, documentary film screening, keynote address, and panel discussion, all free and open to the public.

Why it matters

The Union Days program provides an important platform for the Cornell community to explore the complex and evolving landscape of labor rights, immigration, racial justice, and the challenges facing low-wage workers. By highlighting diverse perspectives from union leaders, scholars, and advocates, the series aims to foster greater understanding of the critical role of organized labor in addressing systemic inequalities.

The details

The Union Days event series features several key components: a book talk with Professor Bill Gould, LLB '61, on his career and family history; a screening of the documentary 'Without Shade, Without Rest' examining health and safety issues for farmworkers in Florida; a keynote address by union leader Safanya Searcy on lessons from the labor movement; and a panel discussion on low-wage work, inequality, and policies shaping today's labor landscape, featuring authors of the book 'Legalized Inequalities: Immigration and Race in the Low-Wage Workplace'.

  • The book talk with Professor Bill Gould is scheduled for April 9 at 4:30 p.m.
  • The documentary film screening of 'Without Shade, Without Rest' is set for April 14 at 4:30 p.m.
  • The keynote address by Safanya Searcy will take place on April 20 at 4:30 p.m.
  • The panel discussion on 'Legalized Inequalities' is scheduled for April 24 at 2 p.m.

The players

Bill Gould

Professor of law emeritus at Stanford Law School, known for his work in labor law and mediation, including his role in ending the 1994-95 Major League Baseball strike.

Safanya Searcy

A union leader who will share insights from her career, which has spanned running union organizing campaigns to teaching others how to lead those campaigns.

Kate Griffith

The Jean McKelvey-Alice Grant Professor of Labor-Management Relations at the ILR School.

Shannon Gleeson

The Edmund Ezra Day Professor at the ILR School.

Patricia Campos-Medina

Executive director of the ILR School's Worker Institute.

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What they’re saying

“I look forward to Union Days every year.”

— Alex Colvin, Kenneth F. Kahn '69 Dean and the Martin F. Scheinman '75, MS '76, Professor of Conflict Resolution

What’s next

The Union Days event series is free and open to the public, providing the Cornell community with opportunities to engage with labor leaders and gain a deeper understanding of current labor issues throughout the month of April.

The takeaway

The Union Days program at Cornell's ILR School serves as an important platform for exploring the complex and evolving landscape of labor rights, immigration, racial justice, and the challenges facing low-wage workers, fostering greater understanding of the critical role of organized labor in addressing systemic inequalities.