UCLA IRLE | October 6, 2026

In 2026, the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) is proud to celebrate 80 years of advancing workplace justice, labor research and education. Since 1946, the UCLA IRLE has shaped labor policy and practice, sustained the vitality of unions and working-class communities and prepared researchers and organizers for impactful careers. 

Today, the IRLE  supports a robust group of research, education and public engagement programs including the UCLA Labor Center, the Department of Labor Studies, the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH) and the Human Resources Round Table (HARRT). The IRLE also hosts research initiatives including the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative (EMRI), the Memory Work Research Initiative (MWRI) and the Strategic Research Lab. 

To commemorate 80 years of impact, the IRLE has launched an interactive timeline tracing IRLE history alongside important moments at UCLA, in Los Angeles and in our global community. The timeline chronicles the IRLE’s resilient commitment to labor research and education as cultural and economic shifts have dramatically reshaped work and higher education over eight decades. Learn more at the IRLE’s 80th anniversary homepage. 

In 2026, the IRLE remains at the forefront of producing relevant, policy-informing research and equipping workers with the skills and information they need to confront the issues of the day. As we reflect on our past, we will engage the most urgent issues facing workers today and critically inquire the future of work in a changing world. 

Join the IRLE this fall for its “Meeting the Moment, Building the Movement” panel discussion series to honor its 80th anniversary. The virtual events will bring together veteran organizers and prominent labor leaders to reflect on the history, present and future of the interconnected labor and immigrant rights movements. 

Sign up for the IRLE’s general mailing list here. Subscribe to the IRLE’s weekly labor news digest here.