California Senator Maria Elena Durazo

I Love the Dodgers

Maria Elena Durazo is a California state senator representing Los Angeles. The seventh of 11 children born to migrant farm worker parents, she is a giant of the California labor movement, having led Local 11 of UNITE HERE and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Before joining the panel at a Zócalo event in Sacramento called “What Is a Good Job Now for Fairness in the Workplace?”—presented in partnership with The James Irvine Foundation—she spoke about picking cotton, her Volkswagen convertible, and her political hero.

October 27, 2023

All’s Not Yet Fair in California Workplaces

At Last Night’s Event ‘How Can Workers Make Sure They’re Treated Fairly in the Workplace?,’ Panelists Called for More Collaboration for Better Protections

by Sarah Rothbard | October 19, 2023

California workers’ rights are bolstered by some of the country’s strongest labor legislation, mandating higher minimum wages in many sectors, increased sick days, and other protections. But around the state, …

My Boss Owes Me Over $12,000

A Bay Area Restaurant Worker Recounts His Fight Against Wage Theft

by Eder Juarez | October 18, 2023

This piece was published alongside the Zócalo/Irvine Foundation program “How Can Workers Make Sure They’re Treated Fairly in the Workplace?” Read the Takeaway of …

Why Corporate America Needs to Listen to Workers’ Voices

When Companies Raise Pay Without Empowering Employees, Morale and Democracy Both Suffer

by Rick Wartzman | September 4, 2023

Like many frontline workers across the country, Denise Kohr saw her pay at Amazon increase over the past year; as for her say, not so much.

“They don’t want to hear …

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