LERA 78th Annual Meeting
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National LERA Member | Non-member |
|---|---|
| Early Bird Rates (February 15 - March 26) | |
| Full Meeting - $385 Student/Apprentice - $231 Emeritus - $270 1 day - $250 |
Full Meeting - $605 1 day - $470 |
| Standard Rates (March 26 April 10 - May 2) | |
| Full Meeting - $473 Student/Apprentice - $284 Emeritus - $331 1 day - $307 |
Full Meeting - $693 1 day - $527 |
| Late Rates (May 3 - May 23) | |
| Full Meeting - $561 Student/Apprentice - $337 Emeritus - $393 1 day - $365 |
Full Meeting - $781 1 day - $585 |
| Onsite Rates (May 24 - May 31) | |
| Full Meeting - $650 Student/Apprentice - $390 Emeritus - $455 1 day - $423 |
Full Meeting - $870 1 day - $643 |
The LERA Hotel is the Royal Sonesta, located at 35 S 7th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA. The discounted room rate of $169 is available through April 30, 2026, or until the room block fills up.
| Wednesday, May 27, 2026 |
|---|
EventThank you for your patience as we finalize the special events. We anticipate offering one tour option on Wednesday that will be open to all interested attendees, with no capacity limit and a modest registration fee to cover transportation. The tour is expected to take place in the afternoon, with a tentative departure from the hotel around 1:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, May 28, 2026 |
|---|
|
LERA Opening Plenary
|
Public Policy Luncheon PlenaryTaking place from 12 - 1:30 pm Description |
Joint Universities' Welcome ReceptionTaking place from 4:45 - 6:15 pm
|
Meet the Neutrals Spotlight EventTaking place from 6:30 - 8:30 pm This event requires a separate registration in advance of the conference. Please visit: raycorollary.org/lera2026 for more information and to register. The event is designed to spotlight the qualifications and career highlights of a featured group of neutrals in the labor and employment law field, who will be introduced to selectors attending the conference. The Ray Corollary Initiative, Inc. (RCI) is hosting this event as part of the RCI’s mission to identify and utilize all of the available talent in the dispute resolution field. Specifically, the RCI seeks to provide opportunities for those who select ADR professionals and for qualified professionals who have not had the same exposure as more established neutrals, to meet, connect, and overcome some of the difficulties that exist in forming new business relationships. This event is not intended for senior, well-established arbitrators and mediators. Food and drinks will be provided. Moderator: Chris Heagarty, Ray Corollary Initiative |
| Friday, May 29, 2026 |
|---|
Annual Labor Breakfast: A Conversation with Minnesota Labor LeadersTaking place from 7:45 - 8:45 am Sponsored by the Labor Education Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the AFL-CIO |
| Saturday, May 30, 2026 |
|---|
LERA Annual Presidential Address and LuncheonTaking place from 12 - 1:30 pm Moderator: Beverly E. Harrison, Program Committee Chair and Arbitrator/Mediator
Featured Speaker: John W. Budd, LERA President and University of Minnesota
|
LERA 28th Annual PhD Student ConsortiumTaking place from 9 -11:45 am The LERA 28th Annual PhD Student Consortium co-chairs Alex Busch, MIT Sloan; Stefan Ivanovski, Cornell University; Jianxuan Lei, University of Minnesota; Sumati Thusoo, Rutgers University have organized a program aimed at PhD Students in the field of LER titled "Navigating Power, Precarity, and Possibility in Labor Scholarship: Careers, Communities, and Research in a Changing Global Context"! The consortium will meet from 9 - 11:45 am, Saturday, May 30, 2026. To register for this event, you must first register for the LERA 78th Annual Meeting, and indicate on the registration form that you plan to attend the PhD Student Consortium. The 2026 consortium is sponsored by contributions from: Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations |
LERA 8th Annual Jr. Faculty ConsortiumTaking place from 3:15 - 4:30 pm The LERA 8th Annual Jr. Faculty Consortium co-chairs, Johnnie Kallas, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Arrow Minster, San Francisco State University; and Shannon Potter, Laval University, have organized a program especially for Jr. Faculty! The consortium will meet from 3:15 - 4:30 pm, Saturday, May 30, 2026. To register for this event, you must first register for the LERA 78th Annual Meeting, and indicate on the registration form that you plan to attend the Jr. Faculty Consortium. The 2026 consortium is sponsored by contributions from: University of Minnesota, Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies |
General Membership Meeting and Awards CeremonyTaking place from 4:45 - 6:15 pm Come hear brief reports from the LERA committees and then help celebrate the LERA 2026 Award Winners! |
Bridging the Divide: The Practitioner Hub
Real-World Strategy, Organizing, and Workplace Solutions
The 2026 LERA Annual Meeting brings together diverse perspectives across the field. For those working directly in labor and employment relations, the Practitioner Hub highlights a curated path through the program focused on real-world application.
This is where research meets practice, and where ideas are translated into strategy.
A Conference Within the Conference
If you are navigating organizing campaigns, bargaining tables, workplace policy, or workforce challenges, this hub is designed to help you focus on the sessions most relevant to your work.
If you are participating in this meeting as a session chair, paper presenter, a panelist, a speaker, a discussant, or poster presenter, there is information that you will need to reference throughout the next several months, and after the meeting is complete.
For complete details, visit: https://leraweb.org/participant-information-2026
|
Program Committee Chair: Beverly Harrison, JD, Arbitrator/Mediator and LERA President-Elect Practitioner Vice Chair: Meeta Bass, Arbitrator/ Mediator Academic Vice Chair: Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Brandeis University Members:
|
Ex-officio Members of the Program Committee:
Administrator: Emily Smith, LERA (non-voting) |
|
Regional Events Team Lucas Franco, LIUNA Great Lakes Region (Chair) |
|
LERA Sustaining Sponsors
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
LERA Major University Sponsors
Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor RelationsUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Labor & Employment Relations
Rutgers University, School of Management and Labor Relations
The Industrial Relations Section at Princeton University
University of Minnesota, Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies
Pennsylvania State University, School of Labor and Employment Relations
Michigan State University, School or Human Resources and Labor Relations
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institute for Work and Employment Research
Florida International University, College of Business
Wayne State University, Labor@Wayne
Iron Sponsors
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals
Bronze Sponsor
Sponsor
University of Rhode Island College of Business
Diversity and Inclusion Sponsors
Exhibitors
Cornell University Press
Announcements
Register for the LERA 78th Annual Meeting, May 28-31, 2026 in Minneapolis, MN
Submit a proposal for the 2027 LERA@ASSA, January 3-5, 2027 in Washington, DC
Congratulate the 2025 LERA Award Winners!
Not in our system yet? Complete this form to receive LERA announcements
Chapter Events
© Labor and Employment Relations Association
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Labor and Employment Relations
504 East Armory Avenue • 121 LER Building, MC-504 • Champaign, IL 61820 • USA
PH: 217-333-0072 • FX: 217-244-6500 • EM: [email protected] • @LERassn
