STATE OF THE
WORKER SUMMIT

Yvonne Wheeler
President of the LA County Labor Federation

“While corporations are reaching record profits, workers are being left behind, and this must change. Workers were essential during the pandemic and remain essential afterward, which must be reflected in our investment in workers, their wages, and their protections.

To move California forward, we need policies that safeguard workers' rights and provide opportunities for “upskilling” and investment in workers. Organized labor continues to face resistance from certain industries, making it harder to secure living wages, benefits, and safe working conditions. However, the resurgence of union efforts, particularly among young people, gives us hope.”

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Karim Webb
Entrepreneurial Activist and
Principal, Webb Investments

“I always knew that the only difference between me and some of my peers was that my parents provided every opportunity I qualified for and could participate in—opportunities that others didn’t have access to. The only real difference between us was the birth lottery. 

Radical inclusivity cannot simply be an attitude that says, "We welcome you to the table." It must declare, "We need you at this table, and this discussion will not work without you."

Having everyone at the table means that every time there is a business development conversation, labor needs to be present. Likewise, whenever labor is having a discussion, business must also be at the table. These conversations need to happen collectively.”

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Saba Waheed
Director, UCLA Labor Center 

“For domestic workers, carwash workers, and others in the most precarious positions, it is essential to educate them about their rights and the benefits they should be accessing.

Programs like the Domestic Workers Education and Outreach Program and the California

Outreach Program are pivotal. Currently, there is a required week-long training in high school to teach students about their workplace rights will help cultivate a consciousness of being a worker early on, ensuring they are well-prepared for the workforce.”

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Jeffery Wallace
President and CEO, LeadersUp   

“It’s important to debunk the false narrative that people from marginalized communities are liabilities when, in reality, they are assets. The potential of these communities has largely been untapped because they lack access to the resources and opportunities that could shift their trajectory and ensure they have a fair shot at achieving the American Dream.

Our goal is to lead a movement that turns the tide of the economy by anchoring to values that normalize safety, promote equitable opportunity, and distribute and share power—these being the key elements to a more inclusive economy. 

If we want to shift from surviving to thriving, we must fundamentally rethink how we invest in our most valuable asset: people. America, one of the largest economies in the world, was built on the foundation of free labor. It’s time to take action to right-size our economy, and we can begin in California.”

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Dr. Fernando Guerra
Professor of Political Science,
Loyola Marymount University

“The government holds tremendous resources and has the capacity to make significant investments that benefit society. The goal is to make government more responsive to individuals, ensuring it meets their needs effectively and equitably.

One of the most pressing issues affecting the poor is affordable housing—not public housing that segregates, limits, and isolates—but social housing that integrates and promotes inclusivity. The City of Los Angeles government has built multi-billion-dollar capital projects, such as those by the Department of Water and Power. Using a similar model, we can develop social housing.

Historically, we have allowed government to take an activist role in many areas, but rarely on social issues. The L.A. government works remarkably well when it partners with capital and capitalists. Now, let’s make it work for the poor.”

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Jim Araby
Strategic Director, UFCW Local 5

“Our economy has undergone a restructuring that has affected people’s ability to build wealth and fully engage in the democratic process needed to shape the future we envision. The summit serves as a platform to harness collective power and drive the necessary change.”

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Alfred Fraijo Jr.
Founder and CEO, Somos Group

“This Summit is the first of what we hope will be many such events to address some of the critical issues of our time. We felt the state of the worker was the place to start because it lies at the root of so many other critical issues: wealth inequality, housing insecurity, lack of educational opportunity...the list goes on.

The Summit seeks to address some of the questions that arise from these fundamental issues, a process that we hope will begin the journey back to a culture that puts the worker at the center of discussions about the economy and building abundance for everyone.

Major government interventions — the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Affordable Care Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — have sought to level the playing field for working Americans but have not transformed the structural dynamics that inhibit the creation of decent-paying jobs, jobs that can permanently transform workers' lives and the American economy.

The time for tinkering around the edges is past. It will require a movement, This is a moment of tremendous challenge, but also one of great opportunity.”

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