Internships
Labor Studies Internship
The UC-Riverside Labor Studies program was designed to educate students about issues affecting workers and the history and current state of the labor movement. To enrich students' understanding of the issues facing working-class people and the labor movement, the program offers internships with local labor and community organizations. Upper-division students in any major who are in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation) are eligible to enroll in this course (LABR 198-I). Through this internship course, students gain first-hand experience working with the community and can explore possible career opportunities. Completion of a 4-unit internship is required of all Labor Studies minors, but you do not have to minor in Labor Studies to complete the course.
What kinds of organizations can I work for?
Internships are with unions or community organizations in the local area that serves workers and/or working-class people (low to moderate-income). While students are encouraged to find internships that suit their interests and availability, all internships must be approved by the Labor Studies advisor. Most internships will not be paid.
How do I get credit for the Labor Studies Internship?
Students can gain course credit for their internship through LABR 198I or an equivalent course. Students are advised to seek approval for their internship from the Labor Studies advisor before they begin to ensure that they have room in their schedule for this course, have upper-division status, and in good academic standing. Its best to also find a good organization to work with prior to completing the online enrollment form.
Please contact the Career Center at careerinternship@ucr.edu for assistance with the course enrollment process. For further information and the 198-I course enrollment form, see:
https://careers.ucr.edu/students/internship#how_do_i_receive_academic_credit.
After you identify a good host organization to work with, you need to complete the Internship Request form for 198-I.
For more information and/or to seek advice on enrolling in the LABR 198-I: Labor Studies Individual Internship course, please contact a Labor Studies coordinator at laborstudies@ucr.edu
Potential Internship Site Supervisors:
The following people and organizations expressed interest in supervising Labor Studies internships. You may also choose to work with another labor union, non-profit community organization, or public sector organization as long as it addresses issues affecting working-class people. To obtain advice on gaining approval for potential host organizations, please contact the Labor Studies coordinators at: laborstudies@ucr.edu
NOTE: INTERNSHIPS CAN BE CARRIED OUT REMOTELY OR IN-PERSON UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTIFIED (PLEASE WORK OUT THE BEST ARRANGEMENT WITH YOUR SITE SUPERVISOR AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW COVID-19 RELATED SAFETY PROTOCOLS AT ALL TIMES).
Organizations that are located on or near the UCR campus:
AFSCME 3930/United Domestic Workers
UDW represents in-home supportive service workers and home-based child care providers who provide care to our most vulnerable citizens of California: the elderly, disabled, and children. Union membership is very diverse. The care providers and their clients frequently face cutbacks in services and jobs because of state budget cuts. Volunteers might assist in phone banking members to keep them informed about events and issues, participate in events and rallies, and/or get involved in mobilizing and registering voters, especially around election times. Spanish, Vietnamese, and/or Farsi language ability is a plus but not required. The office is located less than 2 miles from campus (about 7 minutes away from the UCR campus if traveling by car and about 25-30 minutes away from the UCR campus if traveling by public transit and walking).
Website: http://www.udwa.org/
Contact: Manuel Reyes
E-mail: mreyes@udwa.org
Office Address: 1445 Spruce Street, Suite A, Riverside, CA 92507
Phone: 714-425-2242
American Federation of Teachers Local 1966
The American Federation of Teachers Local 1966 represents lecturers and librarians at UCR. This union helps to protect and improve their employment and working conditions, which also helps to improve the quality of higher public education and student learning conditions at UCR. They are currently seeking a student intern to help with their social media and public outreach.
Website: https://ucaft.org/content/uc-aft-local-1474-riverside
Contact: James Anderson
Email: james.k.anderson@ucr.edu
CALPIRG is a statewide student org started here at the UC's in the 70's to make social change. We're the group that ran the campaign to get California to commit to 100% clean electricity- a huge victory in the fight against climate change. We also banned plastic bags in our state to protect the oceans and helped turn young people out to vote at record-breaking historic levels during the 2020 elections. Our mission is to take on issues that the majority of the public agrees on, that we have the solutions to, but we aren’t implementing because of powerful special interests. We were started by students in 1971, who wanted to take on the big issues of their generation and be actively involved in important decisions on the local, statewide, and national level. Students have been at the forefront of social change throughout history, from civil rights to voting rights to protecting the environment. That’s because young people have a lot at stake and also know the world can be better and have the drive and vision to push for a greener, healthier, and more meaningful future. This year: We're working to tackle climate change, textbook affordability, and more!! Join us as a volunteer or intern to make a difference, learn skills, and work with great people.
Internships: https://calpirgstudents.org/get-a-campus-internship/
Contact: Rebecca Leung
Email: rleung@calpirgstudents.org
Phone: (310)-480-4353
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CALPIRGStudent
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalpirgUCR
https://calpirgstudents.org/chapters/uc-riverside/
Chicano Student Programs
We create a positive environment for Chicano/Latino students at UCR by offering supportive services and programs that encourage academic success and retention. We provide service referrals when necessary, and serve as a resource for advocacy, as well.
Website: https://csp.ucr.edu/
Contact: Estella Acuna
E-mail: estella.acuna@ucr.edu
Phone: 951-827-3822
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicanostudentprograms
Inland Empire - Union Workplace Organizing Internship
Labor Center - LA Trade Tech College
If you are interested in worker organizing, the Labor Center at Los Angeles Trade Tech College has openings for on-the-job organizing internships starting immediately in the Inland Empire. Interns will be assigned an experienced union organizer as a mentor. Interns must be working full or part-time in a non-union job and attend a minimum of 12 1-hour training sessions on workplace organizing. Additional requirements will be set by the intern and mentor.
Minimum requirements: An interest in worker organizing and being able to work while based in the Inland Empire. Ability to talk to and build relationships with other workers. Access to a car is helpful, but if you lack access to a car, assistance with transportation might be available upon request.
Contacts: Teresa Conrow or Mario Vasquez
Email: tconrow2@gmail.com, masquezvario@gmail.com
Phone: 310 827 2117 (Teresa) or 909 501-9232 (Mario)
Teamsters Local 2010
Teamsters Local 2010 is the Union of 14,000 hard-working employees throughout the University of California system. We are affiliated with the 1.4 million members of the Teamsters Union across the United States and Canada. Together we are building a strong Union with the power to win better wages, benefits, and working conditions. We strive to protect workers' rights through capable, determined labor representation. Join us in our fight for a better workplace and the preservation of the working and middle class
Teamsters Local 2010 Website: http://teamsters2010.org
Contact: Tanya Akel
E-mail: takel@teamsters2010.org
Phone: 213-407-2331
Women's Resource Center
The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) was founded in 1973. It is one of nine Ethnic & Gender (E&G) Departments at UCR. We value gender equity, inclusion, advocacy, accessibility, and student success. Each quarter we support at least two nonpaid interns. Interns will be expected to familiarize themselves with UCR resources, participate in WRC programs, help organize and execute WRC events, support students at the WRC front desk and student lounge, and select at least one of the WRC areas of concentration to focus on: Women’s Health, Parent Scholars, Student Empowerment, Community Engagement, or Campus Safety.
To successfully complete the WRC internship, students must identify a quarter long project that must be completed by Week 9.
Website: wrc.ucr.edu
Contact: Nina Ruedas, Director of the Women's Resource Center
E-mail: nina.ruedas@wrc.edu
Phone: 951-827-3464
UAW Local 4811
UAW Local 4811 is the Union representing over 48,000 workers at the University of California: 36,000 Academic Student Employees, 7,000 Postdocs, and 5,000 Academic Researchers.. The Union gives us the right and power to bargain with the University of California over salary, benefits, workload, grievance procedures, fair hiring processes, and other issues, allowing us to have a real say in our lives as academic student employees. Interns will work directly with Riverside Stewards on current campaigns which can include: expanding undergraduate membership, membership political education, UCR coalition work, and statewide projects. We hope to work and build upon the assets with which the intern(s) brings as well as provide opportunities for learning new skills about the student/labor movement.
Website (statewide): https://www.uaw4811.org/
E-mail: organize@uc-uaw.org
Organizations in or near Riverside and/or San Bernardino:
Inland Empire Labor Council
The Inland Empire Labor Council is the labor federation representing over 80 unions and over 300,000 union members in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. It is currently seeking an intern to help to find, collect, and compile historical information, images, and oral histories about the labor movement in the region for a public mural project and other related projects.
Website: http://www.ielabor.org/
Contact: Celene Perez
E-mail: cperez@ielabor.org
Phone: 909-565-3436
Office: 978 South Via Lata Suite 500 Colton, CA 92324
Facebook: https://mobile.facebook.com/ielaborcouncil/
Inland Empire Labor Institute
Founded in 2020, the Inland Empire Labor Institute (IELI) is the 501(c)(3) wing of the Inland Empire Labor Council, a regional AFL-CIO affiliate with 290,000 members across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The IELI partners with economic, social, and environmental organizations to prioritize the needs of workers in uplifting communities and families. We see labor unions as a key force for promoting workers' rights, economic justice, and democratic participation, and support regional development that is socially equitable, ecologically sustainable, and culturally diverse.
Website: https://ielaborinstitute.org/
Contact: Hillary Jenks or Athena Tan
E-mail: hjenks@ielaborinstitute.org or athena@pluginie.org
Phone: 951-500-1791 or 951-315-6779
Office: 978 South Via Lata Suite 500 Colton, CA 92324
Inland Empire Coalition for Immigrant Justice
The ICIJ is composed of over 35 organizations that serve the immigrant community in the Inland Empire. The IC4IJ currently focuses on advocacy, changing the narrative, and capacity building. Our coalition engages in policy advocacy, community organizing and education, and rapid response to ICE and border patrol operations. We are collectively changing the narrative of the one million immigrants who live, thrive, and are a foundational part of the fabric of the IE. We are building organizational capacity through leadership development, cooperation, support networks, and shared regional strategies. Lastly, the IC4IJ provides resources such as training, technical support, and grants to coalition partners to further support their efforts and mission in the region.
Website: https://ic4ij.org/
Contact: Eddie Torres
E-mail: eddie@ic4ij.org
Phone: 951-464-5308
Office: 2441 N Sierra Way, San Bernardino, CA 92405
Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective
Founded in 2010, the Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective creates a safe space for immigrant youth to express themselves and achieve their full potential and their identity that intersects with being undocumented. Through grassroots organizing, our mission is to engage youth to gain equal access to higher education and professional development and to seek justice for the immigrant community by empowering those most impacted by unjust policies. As an undocumented youth-led grassroots organization, we are deeply committed to creating meaningful change within our community. Our programs address the unique challenges faced by immigrant youth, fostering an environment of growth, healing, and empowerment. From building a supportive community to engaging in civic action, our programs and services nurture, educate, and inspire.
Website: https://www.theieiyc.org/
Contact: Karina Zepeda
E-mail: programs@theieiyc.org
Phone: (951) 800-3006
Office: Riverside, CA
Just San Bernardino Collaborative
Just SB represents a range of organizations at various capacities involved in economic mobility, grassroots organizing and power building, community development, and racial equity work in San Bernardino and the broader Inland Empire region. With a mission to actively shape and advocate for an inclusive economic development model, Just SB is working to change the story and future of economic development in San Bernardino County and the larger Inland Empire region and to create more economic opportunity for San Bernardino working families by working together with residents in order to create a community-centered economy that truly benefits local residents.
Website: https://justsb.org/
Contact: Carolina Sanchez
E-mail: csanchez@justsb.org
Office: 1411 North D Street, San Bernardino, CA 92405
Pomona Economic Opportunity Center
The PEOC is a non-profit day labor organization whose mission is to provide an opportunity for day laborers to find safe work at a fair wage, to obtain new trades and skills that improve their employability and quality of life, and to improve the overall conditions for all immigrant workers.
The center organizes day laborers in Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, and San Bernardino. Spanish language ability & access to a car is required.
Website: https://pomonadaylabor.org/
Contact: Claudia Bautista or Alexis Teodoro
E-mail: claudia@pomonadaylabor.org or ateodoro@pomonadaylabor.org
Phone: 909-397-4215 (office) or 323-326-2175 (Alexis)
San Bernardino Community Service Center, Inc.
San Bernardino Community Service Center, Inc. is a community-based non-profit organization. Since 2001, we have specialized in providing application assistance, legal representation and educational information in immigration matters to low-income families in the Inland Empire. We are recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and have Accredited Representatives as well as Attorneys who can represent in immigration legal matters before the various agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Website: https://www.sbcscinc.org/
Contact: Laura K. Ruiz
E-mail: laura.r@sbcscinc.org
Phone: 909-885-1992
Office Address: 788 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino, CA 9240
Warehouse Worker Resource Center
This non-profit workers’ center provides legal and other services and resources for warehouse workers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties and their main office is located in Ontario (about 15 minutes west of campus, so access to a car is required). Many warehouse workers are temporary workers and Latino immigrants, about 40% of whom are women. Many are paid very low wages with unstable employment and some face unsafe and/or illegal working conditions. Spanish language ability is a plus but not required, but a strong commitment to social justice is required! If you are interested, please contact the e-mail address below and be available to work at least 5 hours per week. If you have a resume handy, please send it.
Websites: http://www.warehouseworkers.org/
Contact: Deogracia Cornelio
E-Mail: dcornelio@warehouseworkers.org
Phone: 818-223-7859
Office Address: 521 N. Euclid Ave. Ontario, CA 91762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarehouseWorkerResourceCenter
Organizations located in Los Angeles:
CLEAN Carwash Campaign
The CLEAN Carwash Campaign is committed to supporting carwash workers who are organizing to improve working conditions in the carwash industry in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. CLEAN's vision is building worker power and bringing the industry into compliance with basic federal, state and local laws. Carwash workers are some of the most exploited workers in Los Angeles, many earning as little as $35 for a 10-hour day of work and others earning tips only. CLEAN employs comprehensive strategies that incorporate worker organizing, community organizing, legal enforcement, policy advocacy and direct action to build the worker power necessary to achieve our mission.
Website: https://www.cleancarwash.org/
Contact: Flor Rodriguez or Andrea Gonzalez
E-mail: flor@cleancarwash.org or andrea@cleancarwash.org
Phone: 323-385-4396
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271259856218341/
Garment Worker Center
The Garment Worker Center (GWC) is a worker rights organization whose mission is to organize low-wage garment workers in Los Angeles in the fight for social and economic justice. GWC addresses the systemic problems of wage theft, unhealthy and unsafe working conditions, and the abusive and inhumane treatment faced by workers on the job.
Website: https://garmentworkercenter.org/
Contact: Marissa Nuncio
E-mail: marissanuncio@gmail.com
Phone: 213-748-5866; 213-453-9907
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GarmentWorkerCntr/