Young Worker Project

The Young Workers Survey was conducted as a partnership with the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC) and the UCSC Center for Labor and Community. Students from UCSC and Cabrillo College collaborated to administer this survey to 18-34 year olds living or working in Santa Cruz County to assess the well being and aspirations of young people in the County. From March 2024 to July 2024, we collected over 2,200 survey responses from young workers across Santa Cruz county with a team of over 50 undergraduate students in collaboration with local unions (SEIU local 521 and Cabrillo College Federation of Teachers), Cabrillo Community College and community organizations. We asked workers about their support for unions, working conditions, rent burden, civic engagement, and unpaid care work. The goal of this survey is to inform policymakers and community service practitioners about the health, housing, educational and workforce development needs of young residents in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. With this information, we hope to stimulate productive discussions around how young people in the region can achieve economic stability and dignity in the workplace, pursue educational goals, lead healthy lives, contribute to environmental restoration, and exercise leadership within their community.

One finding of the survey is that a majority of young workers are unsure about whether they would join a union, which indicated a need for further research and public education. We are conducting a follow-up qualitative study to learn more about motivations for union membership, factors that contribute to attitudes about unionization, more detailed information about working conditions, as well as gendered and racialized expectations of unpaid care work and barriers to civic engagement for emerging adults. To complete this follow up study, we are recruiting a subsample from the young workers survey based on responses to survey questions. Through this follow-up study, we will gain region-specific information about attitudes toward unionization, gaps in knowledge about unions, and opportunities for intervention. 

Research Team

Grad Student Researcher Veronica Hamilton Photo

Veronica Hamilton

Graduate Student Researcher

Veronica is a Ph.D. candidate in social psychology and a graduate student researcher for the Center for Labor and Community, working on the young workers survey.

Veronica’s research explores objectification of low-wage workers in the service industry and the psychological consequences of dehumanizing treatment at work. Her dissertation assesses working conditions at Starbucks and unionization as a possible humanization process.

Veronica is a delegate to the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council for UAW 2865 and has previously served as the Santa Cruz unit chair for UAW 2865.

Zoë Koenigsaecker photo

Zoë Koenigsaecker

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 4th year Psychology and Sociology Major, Latin American and Latino Studies minor. I am interested in pursuing research that focuses on the influences of Christianity in the U.S. Prison Industrial Complex, particularly in reference to sex, autonomy, and queerness. I am also interested in workers’ rights, housing justice, abolition feminism, sexual harm, and access disparities through the lens of community-engaged research and activism.

I joined the Young Workers’ Project to gain experience with qualitative research in a lab that connects with my community to produce findings that can be used to inform and protect the young workers of Santa Cruz County.

Pilar Cortes Photo

Pilar Cortes (She/Her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 4th year Intensive Psychology Major. My research interests are broad but include parent/child interactions, bilingualism, and labor. I joined the Young Workers Project because I was interested in exploring the social and psychological factors that affect people’s well-being, especially in the workplace.

I am excited to be part of this research team, as I believe this opportunity will enhance my knowledge of research processes and strengthen my experience in psychology while contributing to a meaningful project that addresses real-world issues.

Research Assistant Kariel Torres photo

Kariel Torres

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 3rd year Community Studies Major. My interests in research have changed a lot, but I have obtained a natural inclination towards the social sciences and epistemology of people and behavior. I love learning about living conditions, their opinions, and how communities interact with the world around them. 

As a full-time first-generation student majoring in Community Studies, I have a strong passion for learning about the workforce and its relationship to young residents of California counties. Supporting a project that aims to document its needs and learn about the attitudes towards these subjects seemed like a worthwhile project, and the team that has launched this project was an additional bonus.

Research Assistant Lindsay Roots photo

Lindsay Roots

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 4th year Sociology Major at UCSC! I am extremely interested in researching gender equity, queerness, access to mental health care (particularly for youth), labor, poverty in the United States, access to housing, and social justice movements.

I joined this lab because I had worked on the Young Workers Survey in the Winter and Spring of 2024, and I am so thrilled for this chance to gain experience in qualitative research while continuing to work on the Young Workers Project! I am passionate about justice and agency for workers!

Research Assistant Daniel Hohe photo

Daniel Hohe

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am an Intensive Psychology Major in the UCSC class of 2025. My research interests revolve around adolescent identity development and the ways in which others can facilitate positive development.

I am very excited to be a part of this project because it is an incredible opportunity to get valuable, hands-on research experience while interacting with my community in order to improve the working conditions of the area. Being that I had worked on the earlier stages of this project, I knew that the work environment created by people such as Miriam Greenberg, Steve McKay, and Veronica Hamilton would allow me to further develop my passion for research and become a better researcher. I’m looking forward to further engaging my community and seeing the impact of this study!

Robert Esquivel Photo

Robert Esquivel

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 4th year Psychology Major. I am interested in research that focuses on mental health and the struggles of people in marginalized communities. I am also interested in furthering my understanding of social issues such as systemic inequality, discrimination, and lack of access to resources.

I joined this Lab to become more informed of these issues through research and to gain experience in qualitative research. I am very excited to be a part of this project and work with such inspiring and talented individuals.

Anna Zigmund-Ramm Photo

Anna Zigmund-Ramm

Undergraduate Research Assistant

I am a 3rd year Psychology Major set to graduate in 2026. I’m passionate about the labor movement and advocating for fair treatment and rights in the workplace.

I joined the Young Workers Project to develop my research skills and explore qualitative methods. I’m interested in community psychology and conducting research to contribute to the expansion of knowledge and social change, ultimately aiming to make a meaningful impact in the community.

Last modified: Feb 12, 2025