Rethinking Employee Retraining: Lessons from the 1980s

We asked Neil Johnson-Rogers to introduce readers to some of his findings, published in the new issue of Labor , about the vaunted autoworker retraining programs from the 1970s and 1980s. The essay takes us through programs that were touted as solutions to the misery brought by disinvestment and a …

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21 Aug 2026

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Rethinking Employee Retraining: Lessons from the 1980s

Author: Neil Johnson-Rogers Source: lawcha.org

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03 Nov

Future Skills: How Trade Unions Shape Vocational Education

01:00 · Pacific Time (PT) · Online

Who determines the knowledge and skills the labour market will need tomorrow? Should vocational education be the sole responsibility of the state and employers? What role can trade unions play in shaping the future of work and professions? Join our webinar, “Future Skills: How Trade Unions Shape Vocational Education.” The webinar will be held in English, with simultaneous interpretation into Ukrainian. Vocational education is not only about preparing young people for their first jobs. It also gives workers opportunities to gain new skills, improve their qualifications and adapt to changes in the labour market. In Norway, trade unions actively take part in shaping vocational education and skills development policy. Cooperation between the state, employers and trade unions helps align the needs of the economy with workers’ interests. We will discuss: • How Norway’s vocational education and workforce training system is organised • The role of trade unions in shaping skills and competence development policy • How tripartite cooperation between the state, employers and trade unions works in vocational education • How to ensure that vocational training meets the real needs of the labour market • Why lifelong learning and upskilling matter for protecting workers’ interests • How trade unions can influence access to and the quality of vocational education This topic is especially important for Ukraine. The war has significantly changed the labour market: some sectors face severe skills shortages, others need new competencies, and thousands of workers have had to change occupations or adapt to new conditions. At the same time, Ukraine’s reconstruction, economic modernisation and European integration will require new approaches to vocational education and workforce training. But who will decide which skills are needed? And will workers and their trade unions have a voice in shaping this policy? Vocational education is not only a response to employers’ needs. It is also an investment in people, their opportunities, professional development and future. That is why trade unions must be full participants in shaping policy in this field. Join the discussion on how cooperation between trade unions, employers and the state can help build a vocational education system that meets today’s challenges and prepares workers for the future. Time: 12:00–13:30 MSK (UTC+3), November 3, 2026. Working language: English

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Rethinking Employee Retraining: Lessons from the 1980s

Publications

Rethinking Employee Retraining: Lessons from the 1980s

Upcoming events

Future Skills: How Trade Unions Shape Vocational Education

Defending rights.Building power together.

Contribute to the School of Collective Action

Defending rights.
Building power together.