Historically, organized labor and management have been perceived as adversaries. It is the Kalamazoo Area Labor-Management Committee’s position that labor and management have many common goals of vital interest.

Wednesday, January, 16, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street,  Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker:  Luigi "Lu" Battaglieri, Executive Director, Michigan Education Association

Topic: Tax policy, Economic development and Funding for schools (TEF)

Meeting Sponsor: Blue Cross Blue Shiel of MI

In the new, knowledge-base global economy, investing in public education - our human capitol - provides a greater return to our economic prosperity than tax cuts and subsidies.

Tax structure, Economic development and school Funding are interrelated and critical to the long-term viability of our system of public education.

It is our responsibility to guarantee that all children have the equal education and economic opportunity needed to achieve the American dream.

To that end, we must work toward:

• A fair, sensible and stable tax system.

• A level economic playing field for all businesses, large and small.

• Adequate, equitable funding for public education.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at Mayor's Riverfront Park,  251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker:  Kristi Carambula

Topic: Early Childhood, Great Start Collaborative

Meeting Sponsor: KEA and UAW 2150

Early Childhood Development will be in the spotlight at KALM’s February meeting.  Kristin Carambula, Administrator for Great Start Early Childhood Programs will be the featured speaker.  Join us as Ms. Carambula gives a presentation on the work to be done to elevate the health and socio-economic standing of our youngest citizens.  The good news is that Kalamazoo County has been designated as a Great Start Collaborative county. That funded effort, originally designed by Governor Granholm to address early childhood needs, prompted a statistical study in 2006 that gleaned the quantitative and qualitative information reflected in this assignment.  The next steps will be to identify gaps in services for families with young children in at-risk situations and then to strategize the local funding needed to begin to target those critical gaps.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at  Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker:  Patti Thompson, Director of Benefit Services

Topic: City of Portage Wellness Program

Meeting Sponsor: HelpNET

With increasing financial challenges, what are area employers doing to help control their costs?   The City of Portage has implemented a Health Management Program.   Patti Thompson, the author and Director of the City of Portage Health Management Program will describe this initiative and share the results after just one year since implementation of the program.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.  at at  Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker:  John Beck, Associate Director, MSU School of Labor & Industrial Relations

Topic: Program on Innovative Employee Relations Systems (PIERS)

Meeting Sponsor: KALM

There never has been a more important time to use the power of joint labor/management work in partnership to take on the challenges that face Michigan. Whether we are facing the specter of manufacturing decline, the crunch of hard‑pressed public sector budgets, or the rising expectations of all parties connected to our enterprises, we can build on the labor/management relationship to optimize our results in everything from more cooperative bargaining to wall‑to‑wall redesign of our workplaces. The Program on Innovative Employment Relations Systems (PIERS) at Michigan State University is dedicated to working with Michigan employers, communities, workers and their unions to increase the control that the parties can bring to all aspects of their relationships, their day to day running of the workplace, and to the strategic goals we all must be taking on to mutually create a more desirable future for Michigan. 

Our guest speaker is John Beck, Associate Professor in the School of Labor and Industrial Relations at Michigan State University. He joined the faculty of the School as an assistant professor in September of 1991. He currently serves as associate director of the School, primarily in charge of two of the School's outreach units, the Labor Education Program and the Program on Innovative Employee Relations Systems (PIERS). Prior to joining the staff of the School, John spent five years as the Education and Research Director of the United Paperworkers International Union. In that role, He devoted much of his time to the Union's efforts in the areas of joint labor/management cooperation and workplace innovation.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 (from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.  at at  Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker: Michigan Works!

Topic: Michigan Works! Business Services

Meeting Sponsor: Michigan Works!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Annual KALM Picnic at Kindleberger Park, Parchment, MI

Wednesday, September 17, 2008, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at W.E. Upjohn Institute, 300 S. Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo

Guest speaker:  George Erickcek, Regional Economist, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment

Topic: Economic Update

Wednesday, October 15, 2008, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. t  Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker:  Ken Holtyn, President, Holtyn & Associates LLC

Topic: Worksite Wellness Programs & Trends - What Works & What Doesn't

Wednesday, November 19, 2008, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. at  Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Guest speaker:  To be announced

Topic: To be announced

Wednesday, December 17, 2008 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. t  Mayor's Riverfront Park, 251 Mills Street, Kalamazoo, MI

Annual Business Meeting

KALM holds two major events each year which draw record crowds and full participation.

Annual Student Collective Bargaining Institute

Kalamazoo Area Labor-Management Committee’s membership is comprised of representatives from union leadership, company presidents and human resources directors, presidents of councils, educators, state and federal mediators and other community leaders interested in promoting positive labor relations in the Kalamazoo area.

KALM sustains itself through a membership fee structure and contributions. Monetary contributions and in-kind donations are welcome and assist in expanding KALM’s programs.