Quarterly newsletter from the UC Berkeley Labor Center.

JUST UPDATED! The California Green Economy Public Funding Tracker provides information on open funding opportunities focused on clean energy, manufacturing, climate change, and workforce training from California state agencies.

Enrique Lopezlira testified at the March 11, 2026, hearing of the California Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee on “A Year in Review: 2025 Federal Policy Impacts on California’s Labor Market.” View video and slideshow.

Testimony of Josh Sonnenfeld before the California State Environmental Quality Committee at a hearing on Environmental Impacts of and Considerations for Refinery Closures.

Miranda Dietz testified before the California Senate Budget Committee on the potential impacts of federal and state cuts to Medi-Cal. View video and slideshow.

“Some folks will find coverage through their employer or a family member’s employer, but there will be a lot more uninsured,” Dietz said. And county health systems — clinics — are one place uninsured people turn to for help when they get sick.

Janus “has allowed some unions to have more ongoing conversations with represented workers,” said Brenda Muñoz, the executive director of the UC Berkeley Labor Center. “Because they have to be able to demonstrate the value of being part of a union.”

Many workers, especially tech workers, are not in unions. Lisa Kresge detailed how non-unionized workers are often kept in the dark about the technology their employer is using or rolling out, or may not even know what technologies are being deployed behind the scenes.

Join us in 2026! Announcing the dates of our new year of Leadership Development courses: Power and Participation in Negotiations, Skills to Win, our all new training Power Structure Analysis, and Lead Organizer Training!

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 workers organizing for first contracts. It it draws from Rules to Win By: Power and Participation in Negotiations by Jane McAlevey and Abby Lawlor to stimulate a robust conversation about collective bargaining.