Ken Morris Center

Mission:
The Ken Morris Center for the Study of Labor and Work is dedicated to promote positive labor relations in the workplace and develop potential leaders who possess the analytic, interpersonal and organizational skills to respond to human needs in an era of rapid social change.

Vision:
The Ken Morris Center for the Study of Labor and Work will provide and support opportunities to develop future workforce and promote business ethics.

Additional Information:
For additional information on the Ken Morris Center, contact its director and associate professor in the department of Organizational Leadership, Dr. Szufang Chuang at [email protected].

Mr. Ken Morris was instrumental in formulating policy and securing funding for labor education at Oakland University. His passion was the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the labor movement. Morris was the president of UAW Local 212 (1948-1955) and an elected UAW International Executive Board member (1955-1983). He helped the UAW fight for the rights of working people to have a safe working environment and better life, regardless of their ethnic background or gender. Some of his historical events (as shown in the banner graphic at the top of the page) include:

• Being interviewed on the WDET radio station, a Detroit radio station owned by the UAW, in the late 1940s. Mr. Emil Mazy was Secretary Treasurer of the UAW and was a great friend to Morris and the Morris family. Morris followed in Mazy's footsteps as the President of the Briggs local, Local 212.  Mr. Guy Nunn ran WDET for the UAW and was essentially the UAW's public relations fellow.
• Receiving many awards during his career. When he received Workmen’s Circle Award for Social Progress in 1954, the announced press release read: “Morris is being cited for his leadership in democratic trade unionism in the face of organized gangsterism, for his advocacy of the participation of union rank and file political action, and for his effective contribution to the elimination of group discrimination.”
• Facilitating John F. Kennedy's campaign in Pontiac, Michigan on Labor Day, 1960.
• Standing with Mrs. Elanor Roosevelt at a function in Washington, D.C. around 1962 accompanied by great friend of the labor movement, Governor G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams (1948-1960).
• Being appointed as one of the original members of the Oakland University Board of Trustees (1971-1991) and to several terms on the Michigan Unemployment Commission by Governor William Milliken, and then Governor James Blanchard. He was an expert in the area of unemployment compensation. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Morris to the National Commission on Unemployment Insurance.
• Celebrating his 90th birthday with his two sons Greg and Bob Morris in 2005 at Ford Field watching their beloved Detroit Lions.
• Being active in community affairs and serving on various boards and committees in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. He passed away in 2008 in his sleep, four weeks after his wife, Doris Morris, died. He was 92 years old and a well-respected labor leader.

The Ken Morris Scholarship is given to undergraduate students who are majoring in Human Resource Development (HRD) or minoring in HRD or Employment Systems and Standards (ESS) at the Oakland University. The scholarship will honor students who demonstrate their outstanding academic and practical accomplishments within the study of labor and work from the standpoint of the employee, facilitation of the success of the American worker, labor union, and/or community service. An evaluation committee will select the awardee based on student application, GPA, and written statement. The scholarship amount may vary from year to year.

The below three aligned academic programs are all at the undergraduate level:

• Employment Systems and Standards Minor
• Human Resource Development, B.S.
• Human Resource Development Minor

Book Recommendations

• Built in Detroit: A Story of the UAW, a Company, and a Gangster
  • In this book, Bob Morris explores the rise of the (UAW) in the 20th century, focusing on its struggles against corporate resistance and violent opposition. The book highlights key figures like Walter Reuther, the union's legendary leader, and the ruthless gangster Richard "Little Dick" Cantrell, who was hired to suppress labor organizing efforts. Through a blend of history, politics, and true crime, Morris paints a vivid picture of how Detroit’s auto industry became a battleground for workers' rights, ultimately shaping the modern labor movement.
  • Bob Morris. (2014). Built in Detroit: A Story of the UAW, a Company, and a Gangster. iUniverse. (ISBN-13: 978-1475994360) 

Employee & Labor Relations

• National Labor Relation Act | National Labor Relations Board
• Employer/Union Rights and Obligations | National Labor Relations Board
• How Companies Benefit from Partnering with Unions | Society of Human Resource Management | 2022
• What Is a Collective Bargaining Agreement? | Society of Human Resource Management | 2024

Employment Law & Regulations

• Comprehensive Review of AI Workplace Law and Litigation as We Enter 2025 | Fisher Philips | 2025

Leadership and Ethics

• Creating Value Through Labor-Management Partnerships at Work | U.S. Department of Labor | 2023
• Lead from Anywhere | Association for Talent Development | 2024

Workforce Management & Development

• AI-Based Worker Monitoring Must Comply with FCRA| Society of Human Resource Management | 2024
• Employers Train Employees to Close the AI Skills Gap | Society of Human Resource Management | 2024
• Workforce of the Future Playbook | Association for Talent Development | 2024

Human Resource Strategic Planning

• HR as Strategic Planning Facilitator | Society of Human Resource Management | 2020
• Practicing the Discipline of Workforce Planning | Society of Human Resource Management | 2025