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Worker Institute Blog

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The Worker Institute brings together researchers, educators and students with practitioners in labor, business and policymaking to address issues related to confronting systemic inequality and building a fair economy, robust democracy and just society. We will share opinion, analysis, research, data, insights and training from our faculty and staff. 

Events

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Join us: Equity in Focus: Building a Diverse, Inclusive Clean Energy Workforce

Join us on June 29, 2022 for the third webinar in a new series co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau and Cornell ILR Worker Institute. 
Union woman working on solar panels
Join us: Equity in Focus: Building a Diverse, Inclusive Clean Energy Workforce

In-person NYC Workshop: Gender Based Violence and Harassment: The Union’s Role in Prevention, Intervention and Cultural Change

Join us in NYC on June 15 and 21, 2022. The resurgence of the #MeToo movement, resurgence in anti-transgender legislation across the country, and the continued impacts of the pandemic have challenged unions to take on issues of gender-based violence.
Workshop NYC
In-person NYC Workshop: Gender Based Violence and Harassment: The Union’s Role in Prevention, Intervention and Cultural Change

The Sound Of Solidarity: Labor’s Family-friendly Music Festival Returns

Suffolk AME, the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and more than 20 other Labor unions from throughout New York will band together in solidarity to bring the charitable Mayday Music Festival back to Southaven County Park on Long Island this May 14th, 2022.
People Dancing
The Sound Of Solidarity: Labor’s Family-friendly Music Festival Returns

News

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The Worker Institute is hiring!

Cornell Worker Institute is hiring!
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The Worker Institute is hiring!

2022 Migrations Awards Include Grant for Worker Institute Faculty on Central American Workers with Temporary Protective Status

The 2022 Migrations Awards include a Justice Futures Team Research Grant awarded to Patricia Campos-Medina and more for their project, “Displaced and Uprooted: Stories of Belonging, Central American TPS Workers' Defiant Struggle for their Right to Stay Home in the U.S.”
Patricia Campos Medina with TPS Worker
2022 Migrations Awards Include Grant for Worker Institute Faculty on Central American Workers with Temporary Protective Status

A Message from Worker Institute Leadership for International Workers' Day

A message from Worker Institute leadership, Patricia Campos Medina, Executive Director, The Worker Institute and Risa Lieberwitz, Academic Director, The Worker Institute for International Workers' Day, 2022.
Nail Salon Workers and Starbucks Organizing
A Message from Worker Institute Leadership for International Workers' Day

Reports and Publications

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New study documents low wages and precarity of nail salon workers in New York State despite recent legislation

“Unvarnished: Precarity and Poor Working Conditions for Nail Salon Workers in New York State,” highlights the challenges of raising standards in the nail salon industry and also calls attention to the role of worker organizing and advocacy in driving industry change.
Nail Salon Worker
New study documents low wages and precarity of nail salon workers in New York State despite recent legislation

A New Report from The Worker Institute Outlines a Climate Jobs Agenda for Maine

A new report released today by climate and labor experts at Cornell University examines the intersecting crises and then offers a series of “climate jobs” recommendations for Maine.
Maine lighthouse
A New Report from The Worker Institute Outlines a Climate Jobs Agenda for Maine

Labor Action Tracker

In 2021 the ILR School began tracking the scope of labor unrest in the United States. Today, the Worker Institute and Cornell ILR School released the first ILR Labor Action Tracker Annual Report, which presents key findings on work stoppages for 2021.
map of United States with strike locations marked
Labor Action Tracker

WI in the News

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When the pendulum of justice moves backward, your generation must resist it | A 2022 commencement essay

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In an open letter to the Class of 2022, Patricia Campos-Medina, executive director of the Worker Institute, says "You must be comfortable with the tension that exists between going along to get along or challenging the status quo."
When the pendulum of justice moves backward, your generation must resist it | A 2022 commencement essay

Podcast: Organized Labor Sees Promise in Transition to Clean Energy

Lara Skinner, Director of Labor Leading on Climate Initiative Cornell University ILR School spoke with The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy the University of Pennsylvania on a podcast: "Organized Labor Sees Promise in Transition to Clean Energy.
Podcast: Organized Labor Sees Promise in Transition to Clean Energy

New Report Outlines Equitable Climate Action Plan for Rhode Island

Climate Jobs Rhode Island and Cornell University recently released a report outlining a climate jobs action plan to put Rhode Island on the path to meeting the state’s climate targets and building an equitable renewable energy economy.
New Report Outlines Equitable Climate Action Plan for Rhode Island

Addressing Inequality

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Labor Standards Can Help Us Build Back Better

The Worker Institute's Labor Leading on Climate team examines the American Jobs Plan and explains why the built-in labor standards are critical to the proposal’s success.
Labor Standards
Labor Standards Can Help Us Build Back Better

What’s Ahead for Teachers?

A year after COVID-19 disrupted education, Dean Alex Colvin and Randi Weingarten ’80 will discuss the future of K-12 teaching.
A female teacher wearing a mask puts hand sanitizer on a student
What’s Ahead for Teachers?

Cunningham Facilitates LI Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Training

Zach Cunningham, Training and Education Extension Associate, delivers Climate Change and Offshore Wind (OSW) Training to LiUNA members on Long Island.
Union members listening to Offshore Wind training presentation
Cunningham Facilitates LI Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Training

Lifting Worker Voices

See all stories in Lifting Worker Voices

Profile of a Platform-Worker

Profile of a platform worker Espen Utne Landgraff, who lives and works in Oslo, Norway by journalist E. Tammy Kim.
Drawing of Espen Utne Landgraff by Molly Crabapple
Profile of a Platform-Worker

NLLI Facebook Live Interview Montserrat Garibay

National Labor Leadership Initiative Facebook Live Series: "How are NLLI Leaders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis." Jennifer Beuthin interviewing Montserrat Garibay, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Texas AFL-CIO, Wednesday, July 15th.
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NLLI Facebook Live Interview Montserrat Garibay

NLLI Facebook Live Interview Siobhan Vipond

National Labor Leadership Initiative Facebook Live Series: "How are NLLI Leaders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis." Jennifer Beuthin interviewing Siobhan Vipond, Secretary-Treasurer, Alberta Labour Federation. Wednesday, July 8th, 2020.
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NLLI Facebook Live Interview Siobhan Vipond

Cornell Union Leadership Institute Student Survives Covid-19

Gene Carroll, Co-Director of the NYS AFL-CIO/Cornell Union Leadership Institute (ULI) writes on an experience of a member of the current Institute class who contracted COVID-19
Robert Kelley
Cornell Union Leadership Institute Student Survives Covid-19

NLLI Facebook Live Interview Mark Lauritsen

National Labor Leadership Initiative Facebook Live Series: "How are NLLI Leaders Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis." Kathleen Mulligan interviewing Mark Lauritsen, International Vice President of UFCW, NLLI Alum Year 2, May 19th, 2020.
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NLLI Facebook Live Interview Mark Lauritsen

Interview with Zaborah Roane, a childcare professional for over 20 years

Zaborah Roane has worked as a childcare professional for over 20 years. She is a member of the NDWA and a leader of We Dream in Black’s Raleigh chapter, a project of the NDWA to empower Black domestic workers.
Zaborah Roane
Interview with Zaborah Roane, a childcare professional for over 20 years

Labor Solidarity and Racial Injustice

See all stories in Labor Solidarity and Racial Injustice

Opinion – All Undocumented Immigrants Deserve Citizenship – Not Just Essential Workers

Shannon Gleeson outlines the situation faced by undocumented workers, and discusses potential futures for them including pathways to citizenship and their relationship.
man wearing a mask and high-vis vest riding a delivery bike
Opinion – All Undocumented Immigrants Deserve Citizenship – Not Just Essential Workers

The Intervention White America Needs

Tristan Ivory, Assistant Professor, International and Comparative Labor, writes about the history that led to this moment and direct actions to address systemic racism and poverty.
Protesters hold a sign saying "Boiling Point" during protests against the killing of George Floyd.
The Intervention White America Needs

About Violence and Resistance

Risa L. Lieberwitz, Professor of Labor and Employment Law, writes about the meaning and history of violence and resistance.
Photos of Tributes to Eric Gardner and Michael Brown.
About Violence and Resistance

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