The new study contributes to a growing body of research that finds these courses improve student performance and help students navigate college life./ Graphic by Tina Ly

With grant support from the UCLA Bedari Institute, we released a new report, “Kindness Lessons: How Mindfulness and Spirituality Improve College Life, Student Activism and the Academic Experience,” which finds how courses focused on spirituality, mindfulness and wellness can help students improve their academic performance, daily relationships and work-life balance. Read the report release here.

Our ReWork team closed AAPI Heritage Month with a new research brief on the experiences of nail salon workers during COVID-19. Read the study here: Working Under COVID-19: Experiences of Nail Salon Workers in California, New York, Pennsylvania & New Jersey.

We celebrated AAPI Heritage Month with SEIU 1199 and Asian Americans Advancing Justice with an evening of collective learning, support and cross-racial solidarity featuring Labor Center Director Kent Wong.

Labor Center Director Kent Wong joined University of Washington Tacoma students for an online seminar exploring the power of revolutionary nonviolence and the life and service of Rev. James Lawson, Jr. Learn more. 

Labor Center Director Kent Wong was presented a R.I.S.E. Award (Recognizing Inspiring Individuals Who Elevate and Empower) by Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman (Nithya for the City) and Councilmember John Lee for AAPI Heritage Month! Watch here.

Re:Work, the UCLA Labor Center podcast, concluded its miniseries on the life and legacy of civil rights icon Reverend James Lawson Jr., with the release of a new episode, "Soul Force, Part II." Listen here.

The Re:Work podcast was featured on UCLA's list of what to read, watch, and listen to during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Thanks to the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the UCLA Labor Center and Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) launched a timely initiative focused on anti-Asian violence and racial healing. This month we released a social media campaign on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) labor history, AANHPI labor leaders, and key facts about the impact of unions for AANHPI workers.

CARE at Work is proud to have had Chris Smalls, the President of the Amazon Labor Union, join the We Gon’ Be Alright Class for a conversation about modern organizing strategies and practices. Rooted in his courageous story of persistence and resilience, Smalls explained his path towards becoming an organizer and the lessons learned from building Amazon’s first labor union. 

Smalls stressed the need for more young people in today’s labor movement. “We need to make labor unions cool for this upcoming generation. As time changes and new industries enter the market, we have to ensure that workers at all levels are respected and well-protected.”

In partnership with UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Black Voice News and San Diego Association of Black Journalists, CARE at Work led a virtual Black Worker Data Training last month in May focused on training media reporters and journalists how to access research data about the status of Black workers and how the media can utilize this information for future news stories relating to Black workers.

The POWER in Workforce Development team presented their recent study on worker centers at the California Workforce Association's WORKCON conference to elevate worker centers' role in redefining workforce development.

The UCLA Dream Resource Center (DRC) welcomed immigrant rights activist Ju Hong as the new DRC director. With over a decade of experience in the immigrant rights movement and a commitment to justice, Ju Hong has a wealth of knowledge that will strengthen the DRC’s mission to empower immigrant youth and allies to be at the forefront of social justice movements.

As an alum of the DRC’s Dream Summer fellowship, Hong is happy to return to his roots at the DRC. "I was privileged to be part of the first cohort of Dream Summer fellows in 2011. Since then, I have been actively involved in the immigrant rights movement, organizing the community and advocating for immigrant rights issues. I am honored to return to the UCLA Dream Resource Center and serve as the new director. I look forward to training and supporting the next generation of immigrant youth leaders across the country,” he said. Learn more about Hong here.

LOSH’s 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training relaunched on May 23, 2022 after more than a two-year hiatus. This training was provided in-person at Women In Non Traditional Employment Roles (WINTER) in Commerce for WINTER’s construction pre-apprenticeship job training program participants. The participants accomplished a 10-week pre-apprenticeship training successfully and graduated on May 27. Graduates will soon be placed to work in various unions and embark on their career journey into the construction trades. 

On June 2, the Human Resources Round Table (HARRT) held a book talk featuring: ​​“The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work. In this book, Dr. Laurie Weingart and her co-authors provide evidence-based research on how less-challenging tasks and a disproportionate amount of 'non-promotable work' are performed by women. Dr. Weingart shared ways to mitigate these disparities, including strategies for women to “say no” and more importantly how management and HR departments can re-design work to ensure that promotable and non-promotable tasks are distributed evenly. Learn about the book here.

In May, labor studies students participated in Undergraduate Research Week, a week-long celebration of undergraduate research and creative inquiry at UCLA. Yannet Gastelum, who conducted her research project under the faculty guidance of Professor Janna Shadduck-Hérnandez, explored young workers' experiences in Los Angeles youth workplace programs and what they need to find fulfilling jobs that will advance their career development. Read about her work here.  

As part of our labor studies commencement 2022 coverage, we launched our annual stories series featuring our graduates including Sandra Serrano-Cañete who hopes to “push forward the next generation of students like her–a perfect blend of the values she holds near as an organizer and a mother." Read here.

Later this weekend and the coming weekend, we will continue to feature Labor Studies Class of 2022 content, follow along here.

Project Director Gaspar Rivera-Salgado spoke with Reuters about the 8.5% wage hike victory of the independent union in the Mexican city of Silao, SINTTIA, with General Motors. 

The Daily Bruin spoke with Director Kent Wong on the increase of union election petitions led by young people. Wong noted that the wins by Amazon and Starbucks workers coupled with the increase of economic inequalities heightened during the pandemic has compelled more workers to unionize.  

Project Director Victor Narro spoke with the LA Times on the decrease of immigration and its effects on California’s economy. Narro noted how the decrease in migration will cause a crisis in the service sector, especially in the caretaker industry. 

California is considering a bill, The Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (AB 257), that addresses the exploitation of fast food workers. In These Times discusses the need for this bill citing a UCLA Labor Center report on working conditions for fast food workers during COVID-19 and how this bill will make corporations liable for labor violations of its franchises.

SAFEGUARDING DEMOCRACY IN THE AMERICAS WEBINAR: As the Summit of the Americas is underway, UCLA Labor Center Project Director Gaspar Rivera-Salgado will be featured at an event titled: Safeguarding Democracy in the Americas: How to Strengthen the Inter-American Democratic Charter, on June 8, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. This conference will convene experts and senior leaders to discuss ways to strengthen the collective defense of democracy in the Americas, with President Gabriel Boric of Chile as the keynote speaker at 11:30 a.m.

Register here for the webinar event.

CELEBRATE LABOR STUDIES CLASS OF 2022: The 2022 Labor Studies Commencement will be held on Saturday, June 11 at 2 p.m. in Covel Commons, Grand Horizon Room. RSVPs are closed for the in-person ceremony, but we invite you to the livestream of the event. Register here.

RACIAL JUSTICE HEARING [June 24]: This month, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and the UCLA Labor Center are co-sponsoring a social media campaign (June 13-24) on anti-Asian violence, as well as a forum on racial justice and the role of workers and their unions to combat anti-Asian hate. The forum will take place at the AFL-CIO's national office in Washington DC on June 24. Follow and join the social media campaign: #StopAsianHate #1u #1uAAPI.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR: The POWER in Workforce Development at the UCLA Labor Center and the Los Angeles Worker Center Network will be hosting an exciting webinar on June 29 at 12 p.m. to take a deeper dive into the results of their newest study on worker centers and their approach to workforce development. Kindly register by June 24. Register here.

Union president on why care work is inextricably linked to challenges of climate change | The 19th, May 13, 2022 

Op-Ed: A new generation is reviving unions. The old guard could help | Los Angeles Times, May 23, 2022 

In this piece, renowned labor journalist, Steven Greenhouse summarizes the resurgence of labor organizing being led by young workers across the country and he calls on well-established unions to step up to meet these workers at this pivotal moment. Read here. 

These five workers left restaurant jobs in the pandemic. Where are they now? | Los Angeles Times, May 23, 2022 

Reporter Samantha Masunaga captured the stories of how the pandemic transformed the work lives of restaurant workers who had been accustomed to working in LA’s grueling restaurant industry. In the piece, workers recount how they have found great stability teaching and leading non-profit organizations and seeking alternate career paths. Read more. 

Housekeepers struggle as US hotels ditch daily room cleaning | Associated Press, May 22, 2022

This story dives into the struggles facing hotel workers across the nation as hotels forgo daily cleaning for rooms. Reporters interview several hotel workers whose reduced hours result in wage cuts, challenging workloads and health benefit cutbacks. Read more.

On this date, in 1990, Los Angeles police officers confronted and beat janitorial workers in the Century City office complex. This led to a city inquiry of the police and a settlement between the workers and their employers. Watch what occurred here.

To learn more about the history behind this day, we also invite you to revisit this piece via KCET: Justice for Janitors Day Marks 25th Anniversary in L.A.

We hope you enjoyed This Month at IRLE. Media inquiries for the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment and its labor experts can be sent to citlallichavez@ucla.edu.

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