In the media
Young workers in Santa Cruz County may be poised to lead a ‘union boom’
By Allison Arteaga Soergel
A new study from UC Santa Cruz and UCLA found high rates of interest in unionization among young workers in Santa Cruz County, demonstrating the potential for increased worker organizing in the region. As part of the project, in spring 2024, students from UC Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College surveyed 1,947 Santa Cruz County workers, students, and residents between the ages of 18 and 34 who were not currently part of a union.
Forbes, Union Popularity Hits 70%, But Trump’s NLRB Move Threatens Labor
By Teresa Ghilarducci, Professor of Economics at The New School in New York City
New evidence suggests younger workers are more attuned to the benefits of unionization. Fortunately, researchers at the University Santa Cruz did such a deep dive in their January 2025 “Union-Curious Young Workers in Santa Cruz County” —-the first in a planned series of reports—-which reported 44% of young workers in Santa Cruz County would join a union if given the opportunity, 37% are union-curious, and only 19% would not join a union.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, The history of Labor Day is right now
By Teresa Ghilarducci, Professor of Economics at The New School in New York City
Most nations celebrate workers on May 1, so why is American Labor Day the first Monday in September? More mysterious is that May Day’s bloody roots are in the U.S. In 1889, May Day was declared “International Workers’ Day” by the International Socialist Conference to honor American labor leaders hanged for conspiracy for the deaths in the 1886 Chicago Haymarket Riots/Massacre during a rally for a 10-hour workday.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Unions benefit workers — and employers
By Veronica Hamilton, Graduate Student Researcher for the Center for Labor and Community, and Teresa Ghilarducci, Professor of Economics at The New School in New York City
Despite the significant risks of unionizing, including the threat of termination faced by one in five workers, the benefits of union membership, such as higher wages, better insurance, pensions, and a stronger voice in the workplace, make the effort worthwhile. This guest commentary highlights how union benefits extend beyond individual workers, elevating living standards and promoting workplace dignity across the economy.
News
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Making Tech Work for Workers
Making Tech Work for Workers Last Tuesday, several Social Sciences faculty and staff members attended Making Tech Work for Workers: A Statewide Conference on Labor, AI, and Building Power in California in Sacramento. Chris Benner (Institute for Social Transformation faculty director), Steve McKay (Center for Labor and Community faculty director), Zoe Zhao (Center for Labor…
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A Just Transition for Whom?
A Just Transition for Whom? On December 5, 2024, the Center for Labor and Community hosted a conversation with Dr. J. Mijin Cha (author of A Just Transition for All: Workers and Communities for a Carbon-Free Future, MIT Press) and Labor Notes’ Labor-Climate Organizer, Keith Brower-Brown. This event brought together academics, labor organizers, and workers from across the region to think…
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Center Launch Event 2023
On December 7, 2023, the Center for Labor and Community (CLC) held a reception to commemorate the official launch of this exciting new hub for labor-related research and activism at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Over sixty participants crowded the third-floor salon of the UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences on a chilly…