The Worker Institute hosts the first fully virtual ILR Labor Roundtable.
“We want to thank you for coming, the future is yours, said Mikaiil Hussein, President, United Taxi Workers of San Diego. “There is a lot to do, especially helping communities of color, anything you need from us we are here for your guys.”
Hussein spoke on a Labor Roundtable panel for ILR students with Peter Zschiesche, Board Member, United Taxi Workers of San Diego. Together they fielded questions about how expectations in the workforce will be different for Gen Z than Millennials. They also spoke about organizing principles and giving workers the tools they need to succeed.
On Friday, December 4th, 2020 The Worker Institute hosted the 18th annual and first fully virtual ILR Labor Roundtable. Every year the Labor Roundtable brings a wide range of representatives in labor leadership, unions, and social justice organizations to engage in dynamic, in-depth conversations with students. Through these discussions with labor leaders, students gain exposure to current trends in the labor movement and the fundamental role that it plays in bringing about social change.
The 2020 Labor Roundtable was held in two separate sessions via Zoom. The morning session featured Peter Zschiesche, Board Member, United Taxi Workers of San Diego, Jordan Wells BSILR ’07, Staff Attorney, ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Cristina von Spiegelfeld, Senior Counsel, National Labor Relations Board (DC), Jeffrey Vogt JD ’99, Rule of Law Director, Solidarity Center, Gurchaten Sandhu, Non-Discrimination and Equal Pay Programme Officer, International Labour Organization, Fabiola Mieres, Technical Officer in Labour Migration, International Labour Organization, Mikaiil Hussein, President, United Taxi Workers of San Diego, Alma Henderson, Lead Counsel for Internal Governance, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Luis “Lucho” Gomez, Organizing Director, The New York New Jersey Regional Joint Board, Workers United, SEIU, Richard Edelman BSILR ’75, Partner, Mooney, Green, Saindon, Murphy & Welch, and Lupita Aguila Arteaga, Lead Organizer, Residential Division, SEIU Local 1 (Chicago).
The afternoon session featured Randi Weingarten BSILR ’80, President, American Federation of Teachers, Paul Schulman, Director of Finance, Fair Food Program/ Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Sean Sansiveri BSILR ’05, Business, Legal, Health & Safety, NFL Players Association Tamara Lunan, Organizer, United for Respect, Dave Katzman, Research and Communications, Transit Workers Union AFL-CIO Local 100 (New York City). Maria Garza, Senior Organizer, United for Respect, Cecilia Behgam, Strategic Researcher, Economic Power and Growth, AFL-CIO, Cordelia Anthony, President, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers and John Amman MS ILR ’90, Business Representative, IATSE Local 600, International Cinematographers Guild.
Labor leaders rotated through different break out rooms every twenty minutes, getting a chance to answer questions from all the attending students. Issues discussed included the impact of Covid-19 on the workforce, principles about workers’ organizing and how the workforce has changed from brick and mortar stores to virtual. Randi Weingarten President of the American Federation of Teachers spoke about the impact of the pandemic on both students and teachers.
The Labor Roundtable is planned jointly by the Worker Institute and the ILR Office of Career Services with input from student leaders, staff and faculty.
