Johnnie Kallas, M.S. ’20, Ph.D. ’23 is now an assistant professor at the University of Illinois School of Labor and Employment Relations. During his time at the ILR School he developed a national strike database.

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Kallas keeps labor on track

As a high school student, Johnnie Kallas, M.S. ’20, Ph.D. ’23, had a “quirky” interest in the labor movement.

Grandparents on both sides of his family were union members. His maternal grandmother was a teacher on Long Island, and his paternal grandfather worked at a Manhattan post office. “From stories my parents told me, it seemed the economic security brought by unions was important in a lot of ways,” Kallas said.

Attending a steelworkers' education conference “fueled my interest even more, not only in unions and the labor movement, but also in income inequality and power relations at work. It was a transformative experience.”

Now, through the Labor Action Tracker, Kallas transforms how others learn about labor.

Read the full story on the ILR website. 
Sandi Mulconry is a freelance writer for the ILR School. 

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