Advancing a Worker-First Agenda
In partnership with unions, workers, students, faculty, and policymakers, the UCLA Labor Center changed working people’s lives.
From deeply-engaged research capturing the frontline experiences of low-wage workers, to fellowships that gave our young people hands-on paid organizing experience, to statewide collaborations that have expanded labor education and shaped worker-first policies—this year proved that we are at our strongest in solidarity with one another.
In this historic year for not just our organization, but workers across the globe, we could not be more proud of sharing our annual accomplishments with you: the community of labor partners who make this work possible.
Over the last year,
the UCLA Labor Center had:
Impactful, cutting-edge research is at the core of the UCLA Labor Center’s mission to advance worker justice. By utilizing a research justice framework that centers workers’ everyday experiences, this past year’s initiatives and publications provided crucial evidence-based analyses that informed sound labor and economic policies, lifted industry standards, and created jobs that are good for communities.
Read more about this year’s broad array of publications, which includes analyses of the meatpacking and food processing, restaurant, retail, cannabis, and nail salon industries.
The UCLA Labor Center believes that a public university belongs to the people, and in 2024, this belief shaped our approach to providing accessible quality education. By hosting robust fellowships, engaging curricula, and community-engaged courses, our schools-to-movement pathways give students in California and across the nation diverse, life-changing opportunities to grow into leaders of the labor movement.
Read more about the 2024 Dream Summer Fellowship, Labor Summer Fellowship, Freedom Fellowship, as well as our James Lawson Jr./Dolores Huerta Nonviolence Project, Young Worker Initiative, and more.
We leverage our university resources to build strong movements and communities. We continue to serve as thought partners, technical assistance providers, and strategic communications to uplift worker conditions and stories.
Read more about our movement-building support, which spanned the Opportunity for All campaign, the Asian American Racial Justice project, the opening of six new UC labor centers, and more.
Our work would not be possible without our community partners. Thank you to the following organizations, funders, and donors who are essential to making the Labor Center thrive:
| AAPI Data AFL-CIO Solidarity Center AFSCME United Domestic Workers AFT 1521 Aliento Education Fund Amalgamated Transit Union American Federation of Teachers Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance – Los Angeles Chapter Black Alliance for Justice Immigration Borderlinks Building Skills Partnership Buy Your Values California Building Trades Council California Coalition for Worker Power California Domestic Workers Coalition California Federation of Teachers California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative California Immigrant Policy Center California Labor Commissioner’s Office California Labor Federation California Teachers Association California Transit Works California Workforce Development Board Center for Immigration Law and Policy Center for Policy Initiatives Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño Centro de Entrenamiento y Liderazgo Para Trabajadores Child Care Providers United Chinese Progressive Association City University of New York (CUNY) Undocumented and Immigrant Student Programs CLEAN Carwash Worker Center Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights College Track Comite Obrero Fronterizo-CFO Community Power Collective Convivir Democracy at Works Institute (Brooklyn NY) Earthlodge Center for Transformation Echo Park Immigration Center Garment Worker Center Gender Justice LA Gig Workers United Equality CA Empowering API First Gen Empower FREE ALAS Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network Hospitality Training Academy IATSE Local B192 Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Immigrant Legal Resource Center Inclusive Action for the City Inland Empire Black Worker Center Institute of Popular Education of Southern California International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 11 International Longshore & Warehouse Union John Jay Immigrant Student Success Center Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance LA-Orange County Building & Construction Trades Council |
Labor Commissioner’s Office Liga Obrera Mexicana Malikah Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy Los Angeles Black Worker Center Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Los Angeles Worker Center Network Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund Miguel Contreras Foundation Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project National Domestic Workers Alliance National Employment Law Project National Skills Coalition Neighborhood Ministries Nuestras Manos Orange County Organized Power in Numbers Organizing Rooted in Abolition Liberation and Empowerment Pacific Gateway Pilipino Worker Center PowerSwitch Action Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration Public Law Center Restaurant Opportunities Center of Los Angeles Rideshare Drivers United San Diego Black Worker Center San Diego Imperial County Labor Council SEIU 2015 SEIU 721 SEIU Locals 99 SEIU UHW-West SEIU United Service Workers West Silicon Valley De-Bug SEIU California SINACTRAHO Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras del Hogar Somos Familia Valle Southern California Association for Non- Profit Housing Southern California Black Worker Hub Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health Starbucks Workers Union The Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund Trabajadores Unidos/ Workers United Undocumented Student Network Unión Nacional de Trabajadores por Aplicación UNITE HERE Local 11 United Auto Workers United Farm Workers United Food and Commercial Workers #770 United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council United for Respect United Nurses Association of California United Steelworkers United Teachers Los Angeles United We Dream USC Equity Research Institute Warehouse Workers Resource Center Woori Juntos Worker Education & Resource Center Worksafe Young Worker Education Project |
Thank you to all the fiscal year 2024 Labor Center supporters, and a special thanks to funders listed below who supported at the $1,000 or more level.
| AAPI Equity Alliance American Center for International Labor Solidarity California Department of Cannabis Control California Community Foundation California Department of Industrial Relations California Labor Federation California Workforce Development Board Cathay Bank Foundation Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement Dubchansky Family Foundation ECMC Foundation |
Ford Family Foundation James Irvine Foundation Kellogg Foundation New America New World Foundation Rosa-Luxemburg Foundation Rosenberg Foundation The California Endowment The California Wellness Foundation Weingart Foundation |
Support Our Work
For more than 60 years, the UCLA Labor Center has advanced quality employment and education for all. With a history of fostering innovative collaborations between students, faculty, workers and community partners anchored in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, our approach to research justice, leadership development and narrative change promotes worker justice, racial and economic equity, global labor solidarity and immigrant rights. We accomplish our work in direct partnership with our community and supporters.
