Fifer, Brandon
My life has not changed considerably after attending HTUP.
My life has not changed considerably after attending HTUP.
I am a researcher in the social sciences with a key interest in labor. I am a professor at the University of Louvain, senior tenured fellow of the Belgium National Fund for Scientific Research, and a senior research associate of the Labor and Worklife program at Harvard Law School. I am currently the President of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Belgium.
I attended the HTUP in Fall 1981, staying at Morris Hall on the HBS campus; this was the last 13-week course on the HBS campus. For various reasons, chiefly commercial, the HBS was no longer interested in having unionists among them, especially when higher-paying MBA students could be their replacements.
The HTUP was such an amazing experience. I met so many labor leaders from around the world and learned from so many great instructors and presenters. I have used what I learned to better advocate for my members in the workplace, and in my social and political activities
Went from teacher to full time union rep. right after the 1981 TUP. Retired in 2012. Hope my classmates are still alive, happy, healthy and raising hell!
After graduation in 1990 I continued to work for AFSCME in NJ as a staff representative, servicing local unions from organizing to collective bargaining, grievance and arbitration handling, political action. Also became an instructor at Rutger’s University’s Labor Education Center. Held classes on preparing for collective bargaining, labor and politics, the legislative process, labor and music and film. Continued to serve as President of the Mercer County NJ CLC until 1998.
I combined my teaching career with my union career. I first was a local officer and PR&R Chair. Later I was hired by the State organization (Massachusetts Teachers Association) as a Regional Representative. Duties included contract negotiation, grievance matters and general union matters.
Thomas Costa is the Assistant Secretary of Unions NSW, the peak trades and labour council in NSW representing over 62 affiliated unions. As part of his role in the leadership team of Unions NSW, Thomas has responsibility for the management of the organisation’s communications and digital campaigns team. Thomas is also the lead for the peak’s industrial and research team and coordinates the movement’s strategic litigation strategy.
Currently serving 4th term as Vice President of Local 2 and Battalion Chief with the Chicago Fire Department in 36th year of service.
I retired ten years ago and began visiting some of the many places I’d dreamed about seeing while I was working. COVID put an end to that. Now I’m volunteering my time to Mary Washington Elder Study, a nonprofit organization in Fredericksburg VA that provides educational programs for people of retirement age.