Strengthening the labor movement for a sustainable, inclusive economy.

In this report, we leverage recent innovations in analyzing tax data to shed new light on the prevalence and characteristics of independent contracting in California.

Hands-on service learning experience
Spring Break: March 23-25, 2022
Open to UCB Freshmen, Sophomores, Transfer Students
Registration deadline is March 17

Our chair from 1987 to 1994, Marty Morgenstern was an extraordinary and unparalleled champion of labor. His life is a testament to his belief in the value of public service, and his conviction that government can and should be a force for the common good.

We are currently accepting applications for the position of Director of Green Economy Program

Labor Summer alumni reflect on their experiences and how the internship has shaped their perspectives and professional growth.

This data tool tracks the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers in California, and how the state is recovering from these effects. The pandemic left millions of Californians out of work, and while the economy has begun to recover in recent months, some workers continue to struggle. This resource will be updated periodically, as new data becomes available, to allow users to monitor the progress of labor markets in the state. Last updated February 1, 2022.

In this paper we look at the use by construction workers and their families in the United States of five means-tested safety net programs. We find that 39% of families of construction workers are enrolled in one or more safety net program at a cost of almost $28 billion per year. In comparison, 31% of all workers have a family member enrolled in a safety net program. Three times as many construction workers as all workers lack health insurance (31% compared to 10%).

In construction, shady employment practices are becoming the norm. The impact goes far beyond the industry. When employers cheat their workers, the burden shifts to government to take care of working families.

This groundbreaking report provides a new and comprehensive set of policy principles for worker technology rights in the United States.

“Basically, these are largely untested technologies with virtually no oversight,” said Lisa Kresge, research and policy associate at the University of California, Berkeley Labor Center, who studies the intersection of technological change and inequality. “That’s unprecedented in the workplace.”