Cornell University mobile logo
Worker with a mask in a restaurant

Events

See all Worker Institute Events

Lively Panel Launches Worker Institute’s New Prevailing Wage Report

Prevailing wage laws protect New Yorkers from a race to the bottom, panelists said during the launch of the new report by Cornell ILR’s The Worker Institute on Sept. 12.
WI Prevailing Wage event
Lively Panel Launches Worker Institute’s New Prevailing Wage Report

Union Days 2023

Union Days begin March 15 with "Unions on Campus," a presentation and panel discussion with members from different university worker organizations.
United Student Group
Union Days 2023

ULI Graduation February 2023

The Union Leadership Institute (ULI) graduation was held at the Cornell ILR NYC offices on Feb 10. Participants celebrated their accomplishments with family and friends.
ULI Graduation 2023 group pic
ULI Graduation February 2023

News

See all Worker Institute Latest News

Remembering the Triangle Fire

The Kheel Center, ILRies and Cornellians carry on the collective action legacy that grew from the Triangle Factory Fire disaster.
Cornell students at the Triangle Fire memorial
Remembering the Triangle Fire

SDA Delegates visit Cornell ILR

On Tuesday, September 5, Cornell ILR hosted a delegation of five Australian labor leaders from the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) at our NYC conference center. SDA is Australia’s largest private sector union, representing 210,00 workers in retail, warehousing, fast food and other related industries.
delegation post
SDA Delegates visit Cornell ILR

Labor Day 2023: ILR’s Worker Institute Reflects and Recommits

We at the Worker Institute are proud of our continued work to support union and worker justice leaders with research, training, and education. We seek to equip change-makers with the skills to challenge the increasing levels of income inequality and worker precarity.
Labor Day 2023 Image
Labor Day 2023: ILR’s Worker Institute Reflects and Recommits

Reports and Publications

See all WI reports and publications

Assessing the Impact of Prevailing Wage Benefits on Workers, Contractors, and the New York City Economy

This research report illustrates how PW laws might make union construction labor more cost effective than non-union construction labor for PW jobs.
PW image
Assessing the Impact of Prevailing Wage Benefits on Workers, Contractors, and the New York City Economy

Unpaid Care Work and Its Impact on New Yorkers' Paid Employment

To explore current patterns of unpaid caregiving and its impact on New Yorkers’ paid employment, the Worker Institute has published a policy brief sharing relevant findings from the 2022 Empire State Poll, carried out by the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).
home care worker
Unpaid Care Work and Its Impact on New Yorkers' Paid Employment

Equity in Focus: Job Creation for a Just Society

This report explores these themes and discusses how policymakers, practitioners, and advocates are addressing the inequities in three sectors: the child care economy, the clean energy economy, and the construction trades, as presented in the Equity in focus—Job Creation for a Just Society series.
Women working during the pandemic
Equity in Focus: Job Creation for a Just Society

WI in the News

See all Worker Institute News Stories

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

NJ.com logo
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

See all stories about addressing inequality

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

Custodian to National Union Leader: an ILRie’s Journey

An ILR student helped establish the United Auto Workers Local 2300, which now represents Cornell building maintenance and service workers.
Al Davidoff ’80
Custodian to National Union Leader: an ILRie’s Journey

ULI Alumni Shares His Leadership Path to Public Office

A spotlight on ULI alumni, Randy Brolo.
Randy Brolo - ULI alumni spotlight
ULI Alumni Shares His Leadership Path to Public Office

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.
Icon
Accessibility text goes here and is required
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.
Icon
Accessibility text goes here and is required
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

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

Subscribe to Email Updates