A university-based labor education program provides training to unionists, emphasizing the skills needed by workers and their representatives in order to promote their rights to health and safety on the job. The article describes two examples of this training approach. The first example is a training program for video display terminal (VDT) operators which prepares them to take a leadership role in advancing policies to regulate working conditions for VDT users. The second is a program designed to improve the quality of safety, or "tailgate" meetings in the construction industry by promoting an approach that encourages active worker participation in identifying potential hazards and developing solutions. The methodologies used to achieve action-oriented outcomes are described.

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I never learned much about unions in my training as an occupational health nurse. so I'I'e had to learn on the j ob." TI is is a common sentiment voiced by occupational health nurses. In reality, there are many things occupational health nurses must learn on the job that were never taught in school. However. the many occupational health nurses intervie wed in the preparation of this article believed understanding how to work with union s is so critical that it needs to be integrated into more education programs for occup ational health nursing. This article presents elements to enhance education for occupational health nursing, including an explor ation of the range of different ways occupational health nurses work with labor unions ; background information about