iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story covers labor-leaning politicians in the upcoming midterm elections: www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/4rQ5Khu Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

theguardian.com

Revenge of the labor movement: Democrats with union backgrounds aim to retake Congress

Meet the candidates with labor ties vying for Senate and House seats in midterm races. Most of the nominees are Democrats as the party looks to rebuild support among working-class voters

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Join the UCLA IRLE and labor movement leaders for a live panel discussion on how labor organizations are defending immigrant rights at a critical moment. RSVP: ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Oct. 16, 2026 10-11:30 am PDT - Labor and immigrant rights panel with David Huerta, President of SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West (USWW), Bernie Burnham, President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, and Kurt Petersen, Co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

For more on first contracts, join the IRLE and @uclalabor.bsky.social this Wednesday for an expert panel unpacking new research on ratification rates for California unions. RSVP here: ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

No contract, now what? In a new article, Kit Smemo, professor and labor historian, explains the Faster Labor Contracts Act. Learn more about what the bill means for workers and why it earned support on both sides of the political aisle in the full article below. irle.ucla.edu/2026/09/21/f...

irle.ucla.edu

The Faster Labor Contracts Act, Explained

Learn more about what the Faster Labor Contracts Act means for workers and why it earned support on both sides of the political aisle

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

In our first State of the Unions webinar, a worker-organizer with @sbworkersunited.org shared this inspiring message. Join the UCLA IRLE and @uclalabor.bsky.social for PART II revealing why securing a first union contract can take so long. RSVP at irle.ucla.edu/webinar

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

ONE WEEK! You won't want to miss this conversation on why a first union contract can take so long. RSVP: ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Join veteran organizers for a timely discussion on the history and future of immigrant worker justice on October 9. Learn more: irle.ucla.edu/2026/09/11/m... RSVP: ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

TOMORROW! Don't miss this timely conversation with organizers, researchers and legal experts. RVSP here: ucla.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

KEY FINDING #4– CA is a national hub of strikes and worker protests, even as direct action types shift. Workers launched fewer strikes in 2025 than in previous years, yet engaged in many other forms of protest in response to issues at work and in their communities. Learn more at bit.ly/SOTU-25

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

KEY FINDING #3– After winning a union, many workers wait extended periods for a first contract. Half of bargaining units formed in California in 2024 had not ratified a first contract by the spring of 2026. Learn more at bit.ly/SOTU-25

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

KEY FINDING #2– Federal labor regulation slowed significantly under Trump. Union elections in the private sector dropped by more than 22%, while the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) more than doubled its backlog of unresolved cases. Learn more at bit.ly/SOTU-25

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

UCLA IRLE's "State of the Unions" KEY FINDINGS thread🧵 KEY FINDING #1– California unions grew in 2025, adding more than 100,000 workers and increasing the share of the state’s workforce represented by unions to 16.7%. Learn more at bit.ly/SOTU-25

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Join labor experts and organizers for an illuminating panel discussion on workers’ prolonged fights to secure a first union contract 💪📝 “State of the Unions Part II: The Fight for a First Union Contract” 🕐September 23, 12 - 1:30 pm PST 📍Virtual RSVP at irle.ucla.edu/webinar/

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Reposted by UCLA IRLE

Toby Higbie @thigbie.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Just in time for Labor Day, our new report looks at California unions in the first year of Trump II. Union membership held up despite a dysfunctional NLRB and California remained a center of union activism in the U.S. Plus, case studies of local union campaigns from across the state.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Introducing “State of the Unions: California Labor in 2025.” The UCLA IRLE’s newest report provides the latest data on union membership, organizing activity, and worker direct action in California. Read at bit.ly/SOTU-25

State of the Unions: California Labor in 2025 report cover

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

COMING SOON – State of the Unions: California Labor in 2025 Join the UCLA IRLE for a discussion with labor experts and organizers on how California workers built power in 2025 despite challenges from the Trump administration. 🕗 9/9/2026 - 12-1:30 pm PST RSVP at irle.ucla.edu/webinar/

State of the Unions 2025 - Part I: California Workers fight federal threats to organizing rights

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Over the weekend, the IRLE and UCLA Labor Studies welcomed 200 researchers from labor and allied social movements to campus for the annual Strategic Labor Research Conference. Catch up on highlights from the fourth annual SLRC here: irle.ucla.edu/2026/08/13/s...

irle.ucla.edu

UCLA Strategic Labor Research Conference 2026 Highlights

The UCLA IRLE’s annual conference equipped 200 researchers and organizers with winning campaign strategies and strengthened networks

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story explains how the end of TPS could impact workers and families: www.npr.org/2026/07/28/n... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/44Yejfu Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

npr.org

Thousands of TPS holders could face deportation as work permits are set to expire

Work permits for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians are set to expire, after the Trump administration stripped them of temporary protected status.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story brings in depth coverage of how Trump's cuts are impacting workers: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/19/u... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/4wkce9J Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

nytimes.com

Trump Gutted Civil Rights Agency, Stifling U.S. Scrutiny of Workplace Bias (Gift Article)

A little-known federal office spent decades investigating potential discrimination by government contractors — until it was stopped by the Trump administration.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story recaps worker wins during the World Cup: jacobin.com/2026/07/stad... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/4wEscuU Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

jacobin.com

LA Stadium Workers Won the Right to Strike Over ICE

Wielding the leverage of scheduled World Cup matches, concessions workers at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles won the right to strike if ICE poses a threat to their safety. The victory comes amid other Wor...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story covers Democrats' diverging strategies heading into midterm season: www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/u... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/4aO47JU Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

nytimes.com

In Trump’s Second Midterm, Democrats Are Looking for Fighters (Gift Article)

Attitudes in the party have shifted, Democrats say, with a growing appetite for outsider candidates vowing to overhaul the system. Some worry that the trend could be costly in November.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

#PowerFromThePast - Did you know Los Angeles hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1994? This video shed light on the working class reality underpinning the glamor and glory of the tournament. Watch here: vimeo.com/198767134?fl... View more Los Angeles working class labor history: memorywork.irle.ucla.edu

vimeo.com

On Any Day: A Visit to Four LA Neighborhoods (1995)

The Tourism Industry Development Council (TIDC, later known as the LA Alliance for a New Economy, LAANE) takes visiting journalists on a tour of Los Angeles working class neighborhoods.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

UCLA LOSH (@uclalosh.bsky.social) addresses urgent issues impacting workers’ wellbeing through its research and education programs. Catch up on LOSH's initiatives supporting at-risk groups, including young workers and those involved in fire clean-up: irle.ucla.edu/2026/07/07/l...

irle.ucla.edu

UCLA LOSH promotes worker health and safety for all

Learn more about the transformative impact of the UCLA Labor Occupational Health and Safety program (LOSH) on worker wellbeing in California and beyond

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

📣 UCLA IRLE’s Spring 2026 quarterly newsletter is out now Read the full newsletter at 🔗 bit.ly/IRLEQuarterly Sign up to receive our next newsletter 📥 bit.ly/IRLEsign_up

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story covers the lasting impact of Trump's deportation campaign: capitalandmain.com/one-year-on-... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/4w5H1X7 Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

capitalandmain.com

One Year On, Los Angeles Is Still Living with the Fallout of the Raids

New analysis and firsthand accounts reveal the toll of the crackdown on immigrant communities in L.A. County and beyond.

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Reposted by UCLA IRLE

UCLA LOSH @uclalosh.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

APPLY TODAY! We’re looking for a WRUC Program Specialist to support LOSH staff in course coordination, training activities, and development of education materials under our hazmat and environmental health worker training grant. View the full job description and apply here: bit.ly/4vtaDOc

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

The latest installment of the Hollywood Diversity Report is out now! Learn more about the lastest Hollywood diversity trends by reading the article below, or visit socialsciences.ucla.edu/hollywood-di... 🗞️ newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/hol...

newsroom.ucla.edu

Not so golden: Diversity losing its shine for streaming studios – but not audiences

The path to mainstream success is shrinking for filmmakers of color and women, according to UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report.

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Reposted by UCLA IRLE

@LAhistory @lahistory.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Happy International Archives Day! This year's theme is #ArchivesForJustice: Rights, Memory & Futures. A few photos from the Justice for Janitors campaign in 1989, courtesy of the @lapubliclibrary.bsky.social: tessa2.lapl.org/digital/coll... #JusticeforJanitors #InternationalArchivesDay

A b/w photo of janitors rallying at 5th and Flower in their effort to gain union contract with building janitorial contractors. A speaker stands in the middle of a large group of janitors holding "Justice for Janitors" signs. Photograph dated February 10, 1989

A b/w photo of a group of janitors marching south on Figueroa from 5th. They are wearing t-shirts that read "Justice for Janitors." A couple of marchers hold up a large sign that reads "Century Unfair." Photograph dated February 10, 1989.

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Reposted by UCLA IRLE

Toby Higbie @thigbie.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

If you're in L.A. June 10, I'll be on a panel on the "Future of History in the Age of A.I." at @wendemuseum.bsky.social with Saadia Gabriel, Cindy Anh Nguyen, and David Myers. Join us to discover whether history will still matter when we achieve AGI. wendemuseum.org/event/ai-his...

wendemuseum.org

The Future of History in the Age of A.I. - Wende Museum

What will history look like in the age of AI? Who will decide what is true? Whose memory survives, and whose is lost?

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Earlier this month, UCLA Labor Studies hosted a panel on life-or-death protest rituals performed by precarious workers in South Korea. Read about the risks and rewards of high-stakes protests here: irle.ucla.edu/2026/05/26/k...

irle.ucla.edu

“Hope is something we make”: solidarity and care in the South Korean labor movement

UCLA Labor Studies chair Jennifer Jihye Chun and Ju Hui Judy Han presented their book Against Abandonment: Repertoires of Solidarity in South Korean Protest

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story celebrates UPTE's historic organizing campaign: upte.org/news/2100-uc... Read more news you missed: conta.cc/49PVOfZ Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

upte.org

2,100 UC tech workers launch the largest tech organizing drive in U.S. history — UPTE-CWA 9119

More than 2,100 tech workers at the University of California have built majority support to join UPTE , making it the largest tech organizing drive in United States history . We’ve petitioned the ...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

#PowerFromThePast Organized by the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness in 1977, members gather in defense of welfare rights at the “Hold the Line Caravan.” View more labor history at memorywork.irle.ucla.edu

Organized by the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness in 1977, members gather in defense of welfare rights at the “Hold the Line Caravan.” In this photo, the director, Bob Erlenbusch, delivers a speech calling to protect access to public assistance for those in need against a proposal aiming to cut benefits and restrict eligibility.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story covers AFSCME 3299's historic contract win (@afscme3299.bsky.social) : www.latimes.com/california/s... Get more labor news here: conta.cc/4dKdBaJ Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

latimes.com

'We won!' UC service workers get tentative deal for big raises, averting threatened strike

UC strike is averted as AFSCME Local 3299, representing 40,000 technical patient care workers and service staff, reaches a tentative agreement that it says won major raises and caps on healthcare prem...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Sponsored by the UCLA Department of Labor Studies, @uclalabor.bsky.social, Jewish Partnership for Los Angeles, the Jewish Labor Committee, @lavoice.bsky.social, UFCW Local 770 and @unitehere.org Local 11.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Join us for a panel on Jewish labor activism in Los Angeles at the UCLA Labor Center on May 28, 2026! The conversation brings together educators, labor leaders and community partners to discuss the history and future of Jews in the labor movement. RSVP here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

There is still time to apply to the 2026 Strategic Labor Research Conference! 🗓️ Applications close this Friday, May 15. This week, we’re spotlighting three research strategy workshops led by experts. 🔍 🚨 Applications DUE May 15 📝 Apply and learn more: irle.ucla.edu/research/ucl...

Workshop spotlight: Private Equity Research strategies with Aditi Sen

Workshop spotlight: Excel for Labor Research with Lauren Parker

Workshop spotlight: Mapping for research and organizing with Grace Regullano

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor movement news to your inbox every Friday. Our top story explains workers and unions' fight to get ICE out of the World Cup: www.latimes.com/sports/socce... Get more labor news here: conta.cc/3QSqyGI Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

latimes.com

SoFi Stadium workers threaten to strike if ICE isn't banned from World Cup games

Protestors marched to local FIFA organizing offices in Los Angeles on Friday calling for ICE to be banned from SoFi Stadium during World Cup games.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

#PowerFromThePast Labor leaders, community members and workers march in Downtown Los Angeles in support of hotel workers at the New Otani in 1997. Learn about the New Otani campaign and view more labor history on the Memory Work website: memorywork.irle.ucla.edu

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Last month, the UCLA Labor Center (@uclalabor.bsky.social) celebrated reopening its historic building as a nexus of community, organizing and worker education. Read more about the UCLA Labor Center’s transformative community impact and exciting next era: irle.ucla.edu/2026/05/06/l...

irle.ucla.edu

UCLA Labor Center welcomes the community home as it celebrates historic building reopening

Learn more about the UCLA Labor Center’s impactful research and educational initiatives advancing worker justice in the heart of Los Angeles

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Featuring Manny Lira and Yvonne Yen Liu (@yvonnegraphy.bsky.social) of SEIU 721 (@seiu721.bsky.social); Karla Zombro, and Arlene Martinez (@arlenemartinez.bsky.social)

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Announcing three sessions for the 2026 Strategic Labor Research Conference 📣 From analyzing ICE’s local consequences to uncovering hidden public subsidies, this lineup offers practical skills for researchers. 🚨 Applications close May 15 📝 Apply and learn more: irle.ucla.edu/research/ucl...

Deportation Economics - Participants will walk through the research methods used to document contractor relationships, examine how immigration enforcement activity connects to regional economic and employment outcomes, and explore policy levers, including disclosure requirements and contracting standards.

Power Analysis - Karla Zombro of California Calls will walk you through the power analysis framework and process. Power Analysis is a visual and interactive tool used to understand power relationships in our communities and workplaces so we can identify opportunities
to shift power and win.

Tracking Corporate Subsidies, Explosing Violations, Winning Better Deals - In this workshop, you will learn how to uncover the true costs of corporate subsidies and economic development deals, and how to turn that research into leverage for your
community.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

📰 IRLE's Weekly Labor Reads delivers a round up of labor news to your inbox every Friday. Happy May Day! Our top story gives you the rundown: capitalandmain.com/a-may-day-pu... Get more labor news here: conta.cc/42bfcQr Subscribe at: bit.ly/IRLE_LaborReads

capitalandmain.com

A May Day Push to ‘Shut It Down’ Takes Shape Across the Country

Unions join community groups in planning marches, walkouts and economic actions on May 1 as a show of worker power ahead of the midterm elections.

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Are you ready for May Day tomorrow? This week's #PowerFromThePast brings you a May Day memory from Los Angeles. Learn more about May Day and how we're honoring the date at the IRLE here: irle.ucla.edu/2025/04/28/m...

May Day marchers fill the streets in Los Angeles holding pro-immigration and labor signs in this colored photo dated between 1990 and 2005

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

There is still time to apply to the 2026 UCLA Strategic Labor Research Conference! Join for a day of dynamic workshops led by top experts. See the full lineup at the link below. 🗓️ Applications close May 15 💡 Apply and learn more: irle.ucla.edu/research/ucl...

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UCLA IRLE @uclairle.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Join this year's UCLA Strategic Labor Research Conference to learn from top experts including Kate Bronfenbrenner (@klbrenner.bsky.social) 📝 🗓️ Applications close May 15 💡 Apply and learn more: irle.ucla.edu/research/ucl...

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