Events

Strategies for Building Worker Power

Date: June 13, 2019

A growing body of research shows the systematic erosion of workers’ bargaining power over the past 40-plus years is at the root of wage stagnation for working people and rising inequality. If policymakers wish to address these issues, they must look to policies that build up worker power.

The Economic Policy Institute, National Employment Law Project, and Jobs with Justice invite you to a June 13 symposium to discuss how to proactively reclaim worker power, featuring panels and speakers discussing the range of policies and practices workers and advocates are pursuing to give people a greater say over their own workplaces.

Light refreshments will be served. Your RSVP will help us prepare.

What: A symposium of panels and speakers discussing ways to strengthen and build worker power.

Who: Welcome remarks by Thea Lee, President, Economic Policy Institute (EPI); Chris Owens, Executive Director, National Employment Law Project (NELP); and Erica Smiley, Co-Executive Director, Jobs with Justice

Keynote by Sharon Block, Executive Director, Labor and Worklife Program, Harvard Law School

Strengthening the right to unionize and collectively bargain:

  • Nikki McKinney, Labor Policy Director, HELP Committee
  • Lynn Rhinehart, Senior Fellow, EPI
  • Steven Kreisberg, Director, Research and Collective Bargaining, AFSCME
  • Moderated by Celine McNicholas, Director of Government Affairs | Labor Counsel, EPI

Building worker voice beyond collective bargaining:

  • Elizabeth Nicholas, Staff Attorney for Worker Justice, The Center for Popular Democracy
  • Erica Smiley, Co-Executive Director, Jobs with Justice
  • Marcela Diaz, Executive Director, Somos un Pueblo Unido
  • Shaun Richman, Program Director, Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies at SUNY Empire State
  • Moderated by Judy Conti, Government Affairs Director, NELP

When: Thursday, June 13
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern

Where: The Economic Policy Institute
1225 Eye St. NW, Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20005

RSVP for the event here

Watch the livestream here:

Members of the media please RSVP to news@epi.org.