13 Feb
“I love to learn!” Not surprising words from a man who has dedicated his life to education. Nathan Saunders is President of the Washington Teachers’ Union, which represents 4,000 active and 2,500 retired public school teachers. He is responsible for contract negotiations, ensuring proper working conditions, and serves as the voice for public school teachers in DC.
He is also a proud supporter of National Labor College’s (NLC) labor-focused educational offerings. Saunders received his Master’s Degree in Legal and Ethical Studies with a concentration in negotiation and conflict management from the University of Baltimore through a partnership with NLC. Saunders has been involved with NLC since he graduated from the Harvard Trade Union program in 2008.
Very few programs are really designed for working people. NLC offers that advantage.
NLC Education Relied On Daily
According to Saunders, many of his daily challenges are about how to encourage his members to vote and act in their best interest. He wants his members to realize that the labor movement and unions were birthed out of collective communities and that the “me, myself, and I” attitude cannot be what prevails.
“We change the negative attitudes through education. I constantly rely on the education I received through NLC. The challenges aren’t as threatening to me as they’d be if I did not have my labor perspective education to fall back on. We are facing a war, but we can win. National Labor College afforded me the tools to do the job and is the premier place to be in order to deliver on the skills you acquire,” said Saunders.
Saunders said an NLC education is a good choice because it’s a good investment and is an accredited institution. Financially, NLC is more affordable for working people than either a public or private college. The skills are transferable whether you’re learning HR-related content or contract negotiation.
“NLC provides a very unique product – it’s one of the only places in the United States where you can get an education from labor’s perspective. It is convenient – the schedule is designed for the worker. Very few programs are really designed for working people. NLC offers that advantage. I found the program interesting and I loved it – graduating second in my class. NLC’s common sense approach to education is what got me to where I am today,” said Saunders.