his issue has two major components: 1) a focus on how some organizations are using public standards and resources to help individuals achieve success; 2) technical assistance on how to do economic research on the World Wide Web.

In the first grouping, the lead article in this set looks at how unions have partnered with the George Meany Center in “Bringing Higher Education to Workers” through the creation of the National Labor College. The second article, “Community to Union, Union to Community” summarizes the presentations by both the Alameda Corridor Jobs Coalition and the Laborers’ International Union of North America at the April 2001 WAI national conference. Both organizations seek to set high standards and utilize public resources to achieve their goals for worker and community success. The article by the Center for Community Change explores how community organizations through coalitions are addressing low wage worker issues in both policy and programs. “Funding Facts” provides direct technical information on the USDOL/ETA H-1B program that unions like the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have used to help workers succeed.

The second component (on web-based research) is based upon another 2001 conference presentation: this one by economic researcher Joe Cortright. Economic research has been a critical element in the development of sector based strategies for unions and communities. The article is chock-full of useful web sites. Also, be sure to check Updates and Web Watch on the back page.