Security officers are more likely to be underpaid and undertrained for the work they’re expected to do. Part of the reason is the prevalence of contracting in the industry, which is associated with lower wages.

Enrique Lopezlira appeared on KQED Forum to discuss our new report finding security guards face a high risk of injury and death on the job and are more likely to be underpaid and undertrained for the work they’re expected to do. @seiu.org www.kqed.org/forum/201010...

The Challenges and Dangers Security Guards Face | KQED

Airdate: Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 10 AM More than 1.3 million people work as security guards in the United States, making the job one of the most commonly-held in the country and one that outnumber...

kqed.org

Today, NYC's Aland Etienne Safety & Security Act is enacted, named in honor of the security officer who was killed trying to shut down his building's elevators during a gunman's attack. The law increases minimum pay & benefits for private security guards. abc7ny.com/post/345-par...

One year later, NYC remembers Detective Didarul Islam and victims of Midtown office shooting

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch led a first anniversary memorial ceremony honoring Detective Islam and the other victims of the July 28, 2025, shooting.

abc7ny.com

Who are the security officers in the U.S.? Results from our study may surprise you. @seiu.org laborcenter.berkeley.edu/underpaid-un...

The idea for the Displaced Oil and Gas Workers Fund grew out of the abrupt 2020 closure of the Marathon Refinery in Contra Costa County, when Marathon gave employees just 60 days’ notice and prohibited them from transferring to their other refineries. www.kqed.org/science/2001...

California’s Displaced Oil and Gas Workers’ Fund Is a Lifeline. Now Advocates Say It’s Time to Expand | KQED

With more industry closures looming, labor leaders are urging lawmakers to expand the safety net that has helped more than 600 workers transition to new careers.

kqed.org

In our latest video, the team at North Bay Jobs with Justice shares exactly why hosting our interns is a win-win for their organization and the future of the labor movement! 🌟

Our new report examines the security guard workforce across the country—and argues that improving job quality in security is a matter both of economic justice and of public safety. laborcenter.berkeley.edu/underpaid-un...

We congratulate Lisa Kresge, the new Director of our Technology and Work Program! Outgoing Director Annette Bernhardt will continue to support the program and our partners in her new position as the Labor Center’s Senior Tech Policy Advisor. laborcenter.berkeley.edu/the-labor-ce...

The Labor Center congratulates Lisa Kresge, new Director of the Tech and Work Program

Former Senior Researcher Lisa Kresge is the new Director of the Labor Center’s Technology and Work Program. Outgoing Director Annette Bernhardt will continue to support the program and our partners in...

laborcenter.berkeley.edu

"Berkeley researchers found that 22% of low-wage workers rely on Medi-Cal, nearly four times the rate of higher-wage workers. Taxpayers absorb the consequences." www.sacbee.com/opinion/arti...

California is finally asking who should really pay for Medi-Cal | Opinion

A new state law won’t charge companies yet, but it could provide dedicated dollars to help low-wage workers in the vital Medi-Cal program..

sacbee.com

Kaiser Permanente nurses who answer advice and triage calls say their duty of care for patients is being increasingly threatened by workplace surveillance. calmatters.org/economy/tech...

Kaiser nurses say technology is making their jobs — and patient care — worse

Call center nurses at Kaiser Permanente said workplace surveillance tools and AI prioritize speed and cost savings over quality and safety.

calmatters.org

We're hiring a program coordinator to work with our Leadership Development team. Learn more! Spread the word! Apply! laborcenter.berkeley.edu/job-opening-...

Job Opening: Program Coordinator, Leadership Development Program

The UC Berkeley Labor Center seeks a Program Coordinator to support its Leadership Development program.

laborcenter.berkeley.edu

The choice of California to apply work requirements to state-funded Medi-Cal recipients “doesn’t really live up to the rhetoric from state officials about trying to implement H.R.1 in the least harmful way possible,” Miranda Dietz said. www.eltimpano.org/english/heal...

Health care shakeup hits immigrants

For immigrants in California, access to care is narrowing once more. El Tímpano reports from three corners of the Bay Area on what's changing — and who's affected.

eltimpano.org

Enrique Lopezlira and other experts discuss why the U.S. middle class feels stuck, despite earning more than ever. san.com/cc/americans...

Americans are earning more than ever. So why does the middle class feel stuck?

Americans earn more than ever. But a middle-class lifestyle requires more money, and more work, than ever.

san.com

Uber driver Duane Mitchell explains the public cost of the rideshare industry, and why everyone should support unionizing efforts. @capitalandmain.bsky.social capitalandmain.com/california-r...

After a week-long orientation, Labor Summer 2026 interns are ready to get to work!

Federal Medicaid cuts coupled with budget deficits in California means close to 3 million Californians will lose health care over the next two years. “The need for health insurance and healthcare is not going anywhere,” Miranda Dietz said. calmatters.org/politics/202...

California billionaires are spending big to kill a tax meant to fund health care

A California union wants to tax billionaires to fund healthcare. The initiative has drawn fierce opposition from Newsom and Silicon Valley moguls.

calmatters.org

Pitfall of job training in emerging fields: “There’s this fine calibration required where employers need the workers for the projects, they can’t start training the workers when they need them. But workers can’t train and then wait around.” —Betony Jones. www.latimes.com/california/s...

In California’s ‘Lithium Valley,’ students are training for jobs that don’t yet exist

In the Imperial Valley, colleges created training programs in response to a promised lithium industry. Students are still waiting for jobs to arrive.

latimes.com

Hear from UC Berkeley Labor Center senior trainer Beatriz Herrera on how Labor Summer helps build out the labor movement pipeline ... and why she loves working on the Labor Summer program. @workingeastbay.bsky.social @seiu521.bsky.social @northbayclc.bsky.social

Labor Summer 2026 kicks off this week! Hear from @northbayclc.bsky.social, one of this year’s host sites, about why they’re excited to work with our student interns. Stay tuned for more from the interns themselves this week and throughout the summer. @workingeastbay.bsky.social @seiu521.bsky.social

We're hiring! See our job opening for a Research & Policy Associate in our Low-Wage Work Program. Apply by July 3 for full consideration. laborcenter.berkeley.edu/job-opening-...

Job Opening: Research & Policy Associate, Low-Wage Work Program (Assistant/ Associate/ Full Specialist)

The UC Berkeley Labor Center seeks applications for a Research & Policy Associate in the Low-Wage Work Team.

laborcenter.berkeley.edu

Historic cuts to Medicaid and low-cost California health insurance could leave 4.6 million residents with no coverage. A new report from the UC Berkeley Labor Center says the working poor, older workers and undocumented workers could bear the brunt. news.berkeley.edu/2026/06/10/t...

The number of uninsured Californians could nearly double by 2030, says new report - Berkeley News

Historic cuts to Medicaid and low-cost California health insurance could leave 4.6 million residents with no coverage. A new report from the UC Berkeley Labor Center says the working poor, older worke...

news.berkeley.edu

Enrique Lopezlira on Charlotte airport worker wages: “Low wages drive high turnover and turnover is a safety problem. A less experienced workforce is less familiar with security and safety procedures.” www.charlotteobserver.com/news/busines...

Charlotte airport workers call for transparency as lease negotiations continue

Workers have called for better working conditions and wages over the past several months.

charlotteobserver.com

“Over the decades, Medi-Cal has really undergone a significant transformation. It’s shifted from a program that primarily served the disabled and indigent and elderly folks to one that largely supports folks that work in low-wage industries.”—Tia Orr www.latimes.com/politics/new...

Column: California is teetering on a healthcare cliff, but few are paying attention

Between federal and state cuts to healthcare programs, millions of Californians may lose coverage. But it doesn't have to happen.

latimes.com

New brief: As a result of federal and state policy decisions made in 2025, we project that 4.6 million Californians under age 65 will be uninsured by 2030—an increase of 2.2 million—and the uninsured rate will nearly double to 14.7%. laborcenter.berkeley.edu/over-two-mil...

Over two million more Californians projected to lack health insurance by 2030

As a result of federal and state policy decisions made in 2025, we project that 4.6 million Californians under age 65 will be uninsured by 2030—an increase of 2.2 million—and the uninsured rate will n...

laborcenter.berkeley.edu

Our new brief examines the disproportionately low rates of job-based health coverage for low-wage California workers, the costs to the state and nation, and possible policy options, drawing on lessons from other states. laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inequities-i...

Inequities in job-based health coverage for California low-wage workers

This brief examines the disproportionately low rates of job-based health coverage for low-wage California workers, the costs to the state and nation, and possible policy options, drawing on lessons fr...

laborcenter.berkeley.edu

Economics researcher ⁠Kassandra Hernández⁠ from the ⁠UC Berkeley Labor Center⁠ explains how ⁠low wages and poor training put security guards – and the public – at risk⁠. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s... @seiuca.org

The Last Show with David Cooper

Comedy Podcast · Updated Daily · Welcome to The Last Show with David Cooper, We are the final word for the curious mind. We sit at the intersection of

podcasts.apple.com

“Instead of waiting for workers who are already vulnerable to report wage theft, we’re taking a more proactive co-enforcement approach by partnering with trusted worker centers and community organizations to help with reporting.” —LA County Supervisor pasadenanow.com/main/la-coun...

Betony Jones provides important, well-documented, and comprehensive information on how the Biden administration’s clean energy strategy used labor standards to ensure that workers and communities share the benefits of industrial policy. onlabor.org/why-prevaili...

Why Prevailing Wages Matter for Abundance ✦ OnLabor

We’ve seen some important post-mortems of the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda, a massive industrial policy effort aimed at leveraging public and private-sector investments to expand...

onlabor.org

Apply by 5/8: Power & Participation in Negotiations, our 2-part zoom training in June based on Jane McAlvey & Abby Lawlor's book Rules to Win By. Learn the “why” & “how” of moving towards high-power, high-participation negotiations. @noshortcuts.bsky.social laborcenter.berkeley.edu/workshop/pow...

Power and Participation in Negotiations

This two-session workshop will focus on the “why” and “how” of moving towards high-power, high-participation negotiations. It is designed for unions at all stages of contract negotiations, including w...

laborcenter.berkeley.edu

Jessie Hammerling: The Biden policies took the urgent need to address our energy challenges & turned it into an opportunity for the country’s economy as a whole, and in a way that also supports good job quality and worker outcomes and addresses inequities. workshift.org/green-jobs-a...

“Green Jobs” Are Just Good Jobs Now

Despite the Trump administration’s rollback of incentives for the green energy transition, job training programs are growing at community colleges—with strong demand from states and employers.

workshift.org