UC Berkeley Web Feature
Institute of Industrial Relations gets new name
BERKELEY – The Institute of Industrial Relations at the University of California, Berkeley, has a new name: the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE).
"California academics are leaders in many areas, such as analyzing living wage and minimum wage policies, the impact of "big box retailers", workforce demographics, new trends among labor unions, and "smart" urban and regional planning," said Institute Director Michael Reich, also a UC Berkeley professor of economics. "IRLE is very well-poised to advance the study not only of organized labor and its role in society, but also newly emerging fields."
University of California labor programs began 60 years ago when former UC President Clark Kerr founded and became the first director of the Institute of Industrial Relations at UC Berkeley. The same year, a similar institute was created at UCLA, and 20 years later, the Center for Labor Research and Education was established - one at each institute - to carry out service and outreach activities with union and community partners.
UCLA's center is also changing its name to the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.
"IRLE has a very strong presence on the UC Berkeley campus and we are also part of a statewide network of academics spanning all UC campuses," Reich said.
More information about IRLE is on the institute's website.