UC Merced Community and Labor Center

Workers rights—weekends, minimum wages, paid leave, social security, and so on—exist today because WORKERS organized, fought, and even died for them.

This Labor Day, protect and honor those workers show your support for the rights of immigrants, workers & unions everywhere.

The UC Merced Community and Labor Center’s Labor Summer 2026 has officially come to a close!

Congratulations to our 2026 Labor Summer Internship Cohort! Now in its ninth year, Labor Summer continues to build worker power and develop the next generation of labor leaders in California’s Central Valley.

A special thank you to our incredible Host Sites for mentoring, supporting, and guiding this year’s interns. Together, we’re investing in the future of the labor movement.

Congratulations to our Faculty Director, Dr. Edward Flores, for being honored by the Pacific Sociological Association’s Distinguished Contribution of Sociological Praxis Award!

As the founding Faculty Director of the Community and Labor Center, Dr. Flores’ administrative leadership and applied research continues to advance UC Merced’s mission of a public-serving institution.

Read more:
https://news.ucmerced.edu/news/2026/uc-merceds-flores-honored-work-community-and-labor-center

We’re officially halfway through Labor Summer! The UC Merced Community and Labor Center interns have been working alongside workers and leaders at their Central Valley host organizations, learning, organizing, and building worker power! ☀️💪🏽

Oralia Maceda, who leads our Farmworker and Community Partnerships work and a member of the Indigenous Front of Binational Organizations (FIOB), met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo for an historic milestone. Maceda serves on the National Council of Indigenous Peoples, whom Sheinbaum met with to sign a call for consultation on the Rights of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples. This framework recognizes the contributions of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican workers and communities by asserting all their rights be recognized by the Mexican government.

Labor Summer 2026 has officially kicked off!☀️✨

Now in its 9th year, this UC-wide program welcomed 14 UC Merced interns for a week-long intensive orientation, equipping them to partner with organizations across the Central Valley.

Over the next seven weeks, these interns will work alongside leaders and community organizations, gaining hands-on experience in organizing, advocacy, and advancing social and economic justice.

NEW REPORT | The Merced High-Speed Rail Survey examines community preferences on one of the state's largest climate investment programs - High Speed Rail. This is the first representative survey of residents impacted by the High-Speed Rail.
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NUEVO INFORME | La Encuesta sobre el Tren de Alta Velocidad en Merced examina las preferencias de la comunidad respecto a uno de los programas de inversión climática más grandes del estado: el Tren de Alta Velocidad. Esta es la primera encuesta representativa de los residentes afectados por el Tren de Alta Velocidad.

🔗Full report:https://clc.ucmerced.edu/sites/g/files/ufvvjh626/f/documents/the_merced_high_speed_rail_survey_2.pdf

This Friday, May 1st Join us in front of the Fresno City Hall at 11:30am and stand alongside farmworkers, nurses, warehouse workers, and workers from every sector.

Every worker in the Central Valley and around the world deserves dignity and respect.

Students- participate in our Worker Rights Road to MayDay Week of Action to get info on how you can join us and reserve a seat on the MayDay bus to Fresno!

🔗Link to sign up! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSUkO4mfFBUdG0rDrEevTH0Kne4oy53aO1tHJMdIRUF-0DuQ/viewform

Workplace Readiness Week - The Road to International Workers’ Day starts next week, April 27–May 1! ✨

Calling all Bobcats! Join the Community & Labor Center for a week of exploring worker rights, labor history, career pathways, and more.

End the week in solidarity by joining fellow Bobcats and community members at the May Day 2026 rally in Fresno - Bus transportation available!

🔗 https://forms.gle/e3YMb9BTdRhw25Tp7