Visit to border wall at Friendship Park | |
In August, UCLA College announced that Abel Valenzuela Jr. — professor of labor studies, urban planning and Chicana/o and Central American studies and now former director of UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment — will serve as interim dean of UCLA’s division of social sciences. Valenzuela began his appointment on September 1. Read more here. | |
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UCLA IRLE is pleased to announce that Tobias Higbie – professor of labor studies and history and longtime leader at our institute – has been appointed as UCLA IRLE director. Higbie began his appointment on September 1.
Read more here.
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UCLA IRLE welcomes the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative (EMRI) to the institute!
The new research initiative, led by Ana-Christina Ramón, will explore equity and access issues affecting entertainment industry workers and track the viewing habits of increasingly diverse audiences. The EMRI will continue to produce the Hollywood Diversity Report series and expand its scope of research. Read more here.
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On Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and the UCLA Labor Center brought together over 60 union leaders, community organizers and worker activists for a weekend of information-sharing and solidarity-building with worker and community-led campaigns for immigrant and migrant worker justice in San Diego and Tijuana. Read more here. | |
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Events held on both sides of the border highlighted the need for action on urgent and unresolved issues relating to immigrant and migrant workers’ rights including: racialized violence enacted by law enforcement in border communities, family separations due to deportations and visa backlogs, protections for undocumented students and workers, the need for resources and training to help workers have better lives on both sides of the border and more.
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The UCLA Labor Center and APALA hosted a session of the Racial Justice Workshop Summer Series on August 3, focused on building political power through civic engagement, political education and voter mobilization.
They also hosted the last session of the Racial Justice Workshop Summer Series on August 17. The workshop focused on emerging developments around immigration reform and continued efforts to fight for immigrant workers’ rights.
This series is made possible with generous funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, California Department of Social Services, and Cathay Bank Foundation.
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Inspired by the UCLA Labor Center’s approach to labor research, education and union and community engagement in Los Angeles, the University of Querétaro (UAQ) just opened the doors of a new labor center, Centro Laboral UAQ, by hosting an inaugural forum that convened over 130 labor representatives from the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Mexico to consider the impacts and future of Mexico’s recent labor reform. To support the inaugural event, UCLA Labor Center staff members moderated panel discussions at the forum focused on topics analyzing the role of labor and academic alliances and worker centers in labor organizing at the convening. Read more here.
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The UCLA Labor Center podcast, Re:Work, released a new episode. In 'Here Comes Mau', Mauricio Juarez shares his journey from working in the silver mines in Taxco, Mexico to working in fast-food in San Diego in his sixties, and joining the Fight for $15. Mauricio brings attention to what it's like for fast-food workers to endure record temperatures in addition to navigating challenging work conditions amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit bit.ly/33mau to access the podcast and our research on the fast-food industry.
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In August, the UCLA Dream Resource Center celebrated the conclusion of Dream Summer 2022. 62 fellows graduated this year from the fellowship! Over the summer, the fellows played critical roles in social justice, immigrant rights and labor movements across the U.S. In the near future, the UCLA Dream Resource Center will share more about how Dream fellows have been involved in social justice work. Learn more about Dream Summer here.
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Congratulations to the CARE at Work Freedom Fellows for completing the 10-week Freedom Fellowship program! We celebrated their hard work and achievements during our virtual graduation.
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UCLA LOSH (Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program) | |
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The UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH) and the State Compensation Insurance Fund will be hosting a free virtual 3-hour course for small businesses and nonprofit organizations to develop and implement a health and safety program at their workplace that meets the requirements of Cal/OSHA’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) standard.
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Date & Time: Tuesday, September 13, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Online via Zoom
To Register: Complete the registration form here.
Questions? Contact us at loshinfo@ucla.edu.
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Undergraduate students participating in the Labor Summer Research Program (LSRP) shared their final presentations on August 17. The presentations were the culmination of a 6-week research intensive offered by the UCLA Labor Studies program in collaboration with the UCLA Labor Center, in which students investigate the conditions for the workforce at the intersection of attending school. Read more here.
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UCLA Labor Center Research Director Saba Waheed spoke with KCRW on the unionization effort at the Medieval Times Dinner. Waheed spoke on the anti-union rhetoric often heard within small businesses because of the tendency to rely on “closer relationships.”
CalMatters spoke with UCLA Labor Center Project Director Victor Narro on the issue of wage theft at car washes. Narro describes how some workers are only paid through tips or per car and oftentimes were asked to work off the clock.
Poor working conditions at fast food restaurants have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Guardian discussed a new California measure which would give workers more power and protections, citing a UCLA Labor Center report that finds workers lack paid sick leave and economic security.
UCLA Labor Center Project Director Gaspar Rivera-Salgado spoke with the Fresno Bee on President Biden’s support of a California bill that would allow farm workers to vote by mail in union elections. Rivera-Salgado describes how this is political pressure for Governor Newsom to come through for farm workers.
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Black Worker Summit 2022: United to Build Black Futures: On Friday, September 16 UCLA CARE at Work will host an event where stakeholders and Black Workers collaborate for the justice and equity solutions required to improve Black futures. Register here.
Labor Studies Open House: On Tuesday, October 4 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., UCLA Labor Studies will host an in-person open house at the Bruin Reception Room in Ackerman Union! Learn about the labor studies major and minor and meet faculty, staff, alumni and fellow students! Food will be provided. Please RSVP by Sunday, September 25.
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California governor signs landmark law for fast food workers | Associated Press, September 5, 2022
In this piece, Don Thompson analyzes AB 257, a California measure that will ensure fast food workers more power and protections. Signed on Labor Day, the measure creates a 10-member Fast Food Council that will set minimum standards for wages, hours, and working conditions in the industry. The minimum wage will increase up to $22 an hour next year. Despite opposition, recent reports from the UCLA Labor Center demonstrate the urgent need for this bill as many fast food workers are victims of health and safety hazards at work and economic insecurity which were heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.
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From the Memory Work Los Angeles Files | |
Memory Work Los Angeles is a project of UCLA IRLE. We bring the past to the present to highlight the diverse experiences and perspectives of working people in southern California, the changing world of work, and the continuing struggle for equality. | |
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In September 2006, UNITE HERE Local 11 organized what was likely the largest act of civil disobedience in Los Angeles history. Union members, faith leaders, elected officials and community allies joined in a large march to protest low wages at corporate hotels along Century Blvd outside of Los Angeles International Airport.
Under the leadership of María Elena Durazo, Local 11 built worker committees in every workplace they represented and mobilized members for highly visible public actions that put pressure on hotels and politicians to negotiate good contracts for workers. In one of those public actions, housekeepers marched with a 60-foot-long quilt documenting their workplace injuries. Learn more here.
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We hope you enjoyed This Month at IRLE edited by Lesly Ayala.
Media inquiries for the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment and its labor experts can be sent to vanessacodilla@ucla.edu.
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Read previous IRLE Newsletters here.
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