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About the Institute

About us

The Worker Institute at Cornell engages in research and education on contemporary labor issues, to generate innovative thinking and solutions to problems related to work, economy and society. The institute brings together researchers, educators and students with practitioners in labor, business and policymaking to confront growing economic and social inequalities, in the interests of working people and their families. A core value of the Worker Institute is that collective representation and workers’ rights are vital to a fair economy, robust democracy and just society. Learn more about all of our offerings.

Worker Institute

Core Offerings

The Worker Institute serves as a hub for policy research, publication, and training for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and activists engaged in the public debate to reduce economic inequality.

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Student Engagement

Student Engagement

The Worker Institute is committed to engaging Cornell ILR undergraduate and graduate students through our courses, research fellowships, graduate programs and other professional development opportunities.

 

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Learn more about our work with students.

In the News

Media Mentions

Women farmworkers who built their own fight against sexual assault cope with Chavez allegations

AP News
“I can imagine when she was trying to co-create this union with him, how much it would have cost her to speak up,” said Patrica Campos-Medina, executive director of ILR’s Worker Institute, commenting on allegations of sexual abuse within the United Farm Workers movement.
Women farmworkers who built their own fight against sexual assault cope with Chavez allegations

Gary LaBarbera, president of the NY Building and Construction Trades Council, speaks on the suicide 'epidemic'

The Chief
Gary LaBarbera says the Building and Construction Trades Council was “especially lucky” to have worked with Arianna Schindle and Jeff Grabelski, both from ILR’s Worker Institute, when developing a new peer support network aimed at improving construction workers’ mental health.
Gary LaBarbera, president of the NY Building and Construction Trades Council, speaks on the suicide 'epidemic'

New York construction council launches peer support network to combat worker suicide

New York Construction Report
ILR’s Worker Institute is mentioned as a partner in the development and delivery of the curriculum for the new Building Trades Peer Support Network, which aims to train approximately 1,000 workers in the NYC construction industry as peer supporters, in order to improve mental health and reduce suicide rates.
New York construction council launches peer support network to combat worker suicide

‘It’s not weak to speak’: NYC construction unions launch mental health initiative

Construction Dive
ILR’s Worker Institute, which is a partner in the new Building Trades Peer Support Network, contributed to the network’s approach by confirming that peer-to-peer interventions work better for improving construction worker mental health than top-down interventions.
‘It’s not weak to speak’: NYC construction unions launch mental health initiative

Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York Launches Peer Support Network to Prevent Suicide

LaborPress
ILR’s Worker Institute is mentioned as a partner in the new Building Trades Peer Support Network, which aims to improve construction workers’ mental health by training approximately 1,000 workers throughout the trades and across job sites in New York City as peer supporters.
Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York Launches Peer Support Network to Prevent Suicide

ILR, Unions Offer NYC Construction Workers Innovative Emotional First Aid

Cornell Chronicle
The ILR School’s Worker Institute and unions have launched an innovative peer support initiative to destigmatize mental health and reduce suicide in New York City’s construction industry.
ILR, Unions Offer NYC Construction Workers Innovative Emotional First Aid

Blog: Latest News and Events

Read more stories from the Worker Institute Blog

Welcome to the 2026–2027 Cohort of the Union Leadership Institute (ULI)

On July 14, Labor Leadership Initiatives at ILR welcomed the 2026–2027 New York State AFL-CIO/Cornell University Union Leadership Institute (ULI) cohort.
ULI Class of 2026-2027
Welcome to the 2026–2027 Cohort of the Union Leadership Institute (ULI)

TPS We Are Home Report

The report entitled We Are Home; TPS Workers Belong Here, written by Patricia Campos-Medina and Natalia Navas, examines the experiences of Central American TPS workers in New York state and finds these TPS holders overwhelmingly view New York and the United States as their home.
TPS Report Launch
TPS We Are Home Report

Collective Representation as a Response to Worker Precarity in the Green Jobs Economy

Collective Representation as a Response to Worker Precarity in the Green Jobs Economy, hosted by ILR School’s Worker Institute in partnership with the Climate Jobs Institute, highlighted the need for community-driven approaches in developing high-quality green energy jobs and infrastructure.
Two technicians wearing hardhats, talking on solar rooftop
Collective Representation as a Response to Worker Precarity in the Green Jobs Economy

Lois Gray Innovation Initiative 

Lois Gray, ILR School faculty member

 

The Lois Gray Innovation Initiative was founded by labor pioneer Lois Gray to generate innovative thinking and solutions to problems related to work, economy, and society.

The Lois Gray Innovation Fund provide financial incentives for collaboration between resident and extension faculty in relation to priority programs of The Worker Institute.

It ensures faculty, researchers and students have the opportunity to fulfill the institute’s mission of advancing worker rights and collective representation.

Explore the initiative