With Labor Day just a few weeks away, we pause to reflect on the enduring and ongoing contributions of workers and the labor movement. Time and again, workers in the US have demonstrated incredible resilience and an unwavering commitment to building a better country. However, work has changed dramatically over the last few decades. Globalization, technological advancement, demographic changes, the rise of the financial sector and service industries, economic recessions, and a global pandemic have transformed our economy and our jobs.
Despite these transformations, our labor laws have not changed much. In fact, many of our foundational worker protections, which deliberately excluded occupations held by large numbers of women and people of color, come from laws passed nearly 100 years ago. And even with good laws on the books, enforcement is often under-resourced to meet the challenge. As a result, many workers today are struggling, ensnared in a system that often fails to protect their fundamental rights. Wage theft, substandard pay, dangerous and discriminatory workplaces, threats to worker organizing, child labor, and even forced labor are much too common. These conditions undermine our shared ideals of equity, justice, and opportunity — a theme we explored through a series of conversations on the history and future of US labor law.
With legislative progress at the federal level often at a standstill, addressing these issues presents a significant challenge, and workers’ rights advocates must explore alternative avenues. In a new toolkit, “An Organizer’s Guide to Executive Action,” Mary Beth Maxwell, executive director of Workshop, provides valuable insights and strategies from her experience in the federal government. We are excited to welcome Mary Beth and colleagues — former executive branch officials and worker organizers — for a conversation next month on seizing the moment for worker rights.
As their work shows, progress is not just possible — it’s happening. A new wave of worker organizers is pushing for change, while many state and city governments have taken the lead in passing new worker protections. This month’s Job Quality Newsletter delves into the challenges and opportunities of protecting workers in today’s economy. Join us in recognizing workers this Labor Day — not just by showing our gratitude, but by committing ourselves to ensuring all jobs are good jobs, and that workers have the rights they need to be economically secure, healthy, and able to exercise their voices and organize.
Webinar – Seizing the Moment on Worker Rights: A Toolkit for Organizers and Practitioners
Join us on September 4 from 2 to 3:15 p.m. EDT for the highly anticipated webinar, “Seizing the Moment on Worker Rights: A Toolkit for Organizers and Practitioners.” Co-hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and Workshop, this event will feature a panel of experts who will share insights and strategies for leveraging executive action to advance worker rights amidst today’s political challenges. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable guidance and tools for driving meaningful change in worker rights. Register now to secure your spot!
Additional Reading: Toolkit: An Organizer’s Guide to Executive Action
Video Series – The History and Future of US Labor Law: Conversations to Shape the Future of Work
In 2022, we launched a five-part event series titled, “The History and Future of U.S. Labor Law: Conversations to Shape the Future of Work.”
The series explores the evolution of US labor laws, their impact on job
quality, and the ongoing challenges faced by workers. Experts from all backgrounds and industries reflect on historical advancements and discuss strategies for ensuring equitable opportunities and dignity in the future of work. As we prepare for our next conversation on September 4, we encourage you to (re)watch these recordings below:
Part I: Worker Power and the National Labor Relations Act 
Part II: The Rewards of Work: Lessons from the Fair Labor Standards Act
Part III: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Fulfilling the Promise of Equal Opportunity
Part IV: The Occupational Safety and Health Act:
The Past and Futureof Workers’ Well-Being
Part V: A Workers’ Bill of Rights: What We Want and
How to Get There
Highlight Reel:
Celebrating and Reimagining Worker Rights
Blog – Lessons and Leadership To Foster Economic Justice for Illinois Workers
In this blog, Alison Dickson, a Job Quality Fellow and senior instructor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, emphasizes the crucial role of education in addressing wage theft and workers’ rights violations. Through the University’s Labor Education Program (LEP), Dickson and her colleagues educate over 2,000 workers annually on labor laws, workplace justice, and collective bargaining, while developing resources like the “Workers’ Rights for Workforce Development” curriculum. Learn more about LEP’s initiatives aimed at improving job quality and advocating for better labor practices across Illinois here.
Additional Reading:
We still need an inclusive economic policy, 60 years after the Equal Pay Act of 1963
