Publications

The State of the Student Worker at the University of Washington 

This mixed methods report delves into the experiences of student workers who attend the University of Washington and their relationship with work. Student workers — those who balance the demands of higher education with employment (enrolled in at least six credits and have a paid position on- or off-campus) — are just one population that lacks sufficient research and support when considering their unique position as both students and workers. Improvements to their academic and working conditions cannot be made without first understanding why they work, how work affects them, and what they want to see changed. Read the full report here.

Building Futures: Pre-Apprenticeship in Construction and Beyond

In this report, we explore the role of pre-apprenticeship in creating more equitable pathways for underrepresented workers in the construction industry - specifically workers who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, and gender non-conforming. Our research includes employment data for Washington state and its construction industry, information and data related to underrepresented workers’ experiences, and survey findings from 12 pre-apprenticeship organizations and 30 pre-apprentices in the Puget Sound region. Read the full report here.

Lattes and Labor: Perception and Consumption of Starbucks at UW

Many across the country, and here in Seattle, have been stunned at the number of labor violations tied to Starbucks since a wave of unionization started in Buffalo, New York, in December 2021. While Starbucks is not unique in opposing unionization, its long-time contractual relationship with the University of Washington (UW) and its headquarters being located in Seattle offer opportunities for direct community engagement with Starbucks, as well as organizations that have relationships with the coffee and beverage company.

In collaboration with a coalition of student groups supporting Starbucks workers at the UW, the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies (HBCLS) research team developed a survey to better understand how students, staff, and faculty feel about Starbucks, how often and why they purchase Starbucks on and off campus, and how aware they are of union campaigns at Starbucks and the company’s anti-union behavior. Read the full report here.

Puget Sound's Fight for $15: Family Experiences and Policy Impacts of Increasing the Minimum Wage

This report presents a broad range of research related to the minimum wage in Puget Sound. It summarizes and reflects on that research as a contribution to the ongoing debate around the benefits and costs associated with increasing the minimum wage to $15. The research profiled in this report identifies important political strategies for minimum wage policy changes, highlights nuanced perspectives on the implementation and enforcement of wage policy, and underscores the impacts of minimum wage legislation on working people and their families. Read the full report here.

Power in a Pension: Labor, Private Equity, and the Climate Crisis

Despite alarming findings by the United Nations and others that climate change signals "code red for humanity," private equity firms continue to acquire fossil fuel assets and expand long-lasting infrastructure. And many labor pensions continue to invest in private equity. This report assesses private equity's role in exacerbating the climate crisis and its use of labor's retirement capital. Read the full report here.

Health and Workplaces: Working Conditions and Public Health

While always an urgent issue, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has brought the impact of work on our physical and mental health into sharper focus. Inequities in workplaces and working conditions continue to be prevalent, with low-wage workers often needing more than one job to make ends meet. This report examines some of the issues and conditions impacting workers’ health and safety - and proposes ideas to better understand and support impacted workers. 

The four projects included in this report cover workers across a variety of industries, workplaces, and labor arrangements or statuses, including gig or temporary work and full-time union-represented workers. All four projects, conducted by researchers at UW, address how conditions of employment have far-reaching impacts. Read the full report here.

Regional Partnerships for Immigrant Integration and Workforce Development in the City of Seattle and King County

Bridges Center Research Director, Rachel Erstad, in partnership with Washington Labor Education Research Center's Labor Policy Researcher, Muhammad Javid, developed and conducted interviews and surveyed labor and workforce development leaders in Seattle and King County for this report, which was published by Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) and authored by Glenn Scott Davis.

The report focuses on the challenges and opportunities immigrant and refugee communities are experiencing, especially regarding secure and quality career opportunities. Immigrants and refugees are valued community members with increasing representation in our regional workforce.

Read the full report here.

Wage Equity Among Social Services Workers

This study, by a team of UW researchers, including Harry Bridges Center Faculty Associate Jennifer Romich and former Bridges Center Director Kim England, finds that nonprofit social services workers in Seattle are grossly underpaid compared to other sectors.

In fall and winter 2022-2023, researchers at the UW School of Social Work assembled and collaborated with a group of national and international scholars to investigate the extent of the inequity compared with other public and private sector jobs. The study included different methodologies and analytic approaches to investigating wage inequities and reviewed factors that have suppressed wages in the non-profit human services sector over time, including race and gender discrimination, wage penalties for caring labor, and decisions made by federal and local policymakers. Read the full report here.