Why learning about labour history matters—and how a Work & Labour Graduate Diploma can help.
If you’ve ever walked into a workplace that felt safe, fair, and inclusive—thank the labour movement. Paid weekends, the minimum wage, parental leave, health and safety protections, the 40-hour work week—none of these were gifted. They were won through strikes, organizing drives, and political pressure, often in the face of harsh opposition. The right to unionize and bargain collectively came only after workers across Canada stood together to demand change, from factory floors to Parliament Hill.
The Graduate Diploma in Work & Labour at Carleton University is one of the few programs in the National Capital Region focused specifically on labour and union work. The program’s interdisciplinary approach addresses how labour intersects with issues like gender, race, colonialism, globalization, and the evolving impact of technology, preparing students to critically analyze and engage with the complex realities shaping work today. Through courses emphasizing research, policy, and advocacy skills, students gain practical tools to lead change in unions, workplaces, and communities. Its hybrid format offers flexibility for working professionals and new learners alike, making it accessible to those balancing career and study.
As a graduate student in the program, you’ll learn of some of the defining moments in Canada’s labour history. The 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, for example, is one of the largest and most significant strikes in Canadian history. More than 30,000 workers walked off the job for six weeks to demand decent wages, safer conditions, and the right to collective bargaining. The strike was met with police crackdowns and arrests, but it sparked national conversations and laid the groundwork for many of the rights we now consider foundational.
Decades later, the 1976 National Day of Protest saw over a million Canadian workers rise up against a law that would cap wages. It was a massive, coordinated general strike—an act of solidarity and resistance that shook the country and demonstrated the power of workers when they act collectively.
Even closer to home, the National Capital Region has long been a hub for labour organizing: from postal workers fighting for fair schedules and safety, to public
service workers demanding respect and accountability from their employers. The victories we celebrate today are the result of people who understood that work—and the way we organize around it—shapes every part of society.
If you’ve ever wondered how to build stronger unions, fight inequality, or just better understand the struggles that shaped your job, this program is worth considering. If you work in policy, labour relations, or human resources, or if you are a labour leader, activist, union staff, this program was made for you. Or maybe you know a young person passionate about fairness and change—this could be a place for them to grow.
Applications for Fall 2025 are open until August 1.
Learn more: https://carleton.ca/politicaleconomy/graduate-diploma-in-work-and-labour/
Questions? Email: peco@carleton.ca
Let’s keep our history alive—and build what comes next.