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For Immediate Release: March 20, 2025
The Department of Industrial Relations awards $570,000 to the Inland Empire Labor Council, AFL-CIO, to lead workplace education efforts.
Riverside, CA–The Inland Empire Labor Council, AFL-CIO (IELC) has been awarded a $570,000 grant from the Department of Industrial Relations’ (DIR) California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) 5.0 to expand workplace education initiatives. This marks the second time IELC has received funding from CWOP, reinforcing its leadership in worker outreach and education.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at IDEPSCA’s Central Office in Los Angeles, IELC’s newly appointed Special Projects Director, Gabriela Clatenco Martinez, accepted the award alongside representatives from the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), and Cal/OSHA. The event highlighted the state’s $25.2 million investment in workplace education efforts, with funding distributed to 89 organizations statewide, including nine in the Inland Empire.
“We are currently in a critical moment for workers’ rights. The California Worker Outreach Program (CWOP) grant is helping the IELC ensure worker voices are prioritized and heard. We want to see labor leaders in positions of power and decision-making spaces to ensure decisions are made with us. Our goal is to be able to educate workers on their rights, for workers to receive the respect they deserve, and to develop our next generation of labor leaders” said Gabriela Clatenco Martinez.
As regional co-leads for CWOP 5.0, the IELC and UCR’s Inland Empire Labor & Community Center (IELCC) will coordinate efforts among local organizations to enhance workplace protections, ensure language accessibility, and engage with vulnerable workers in high-risk industries.
Regional awardees include:
- El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center
- Warehouse Workers Resource Center (WWRC)
- Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, Inc.
- TODEC Legal Center Perris
- Way Resource Center
- Starting Over Inc.
- Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice
During CWOP’s previous cycle (CWOP 4.0), IELC successfully reached over 31,000 workers through digital and in-person engagement. A key highlight of that effort was the production of the All Workers Have Rights booklet, a pocket guide covering minimum wage laws, sick leave, retaliation protections, and meal and rest break laws, which became an essential tool for worker education.
“California is implementing a unique model that leverages trusted local messengers to communicate directly with workers,” said California Labor Secretary Stewart Knox. “This approach enables targeted outreach to critical areas of the workforce, ensuring workers are informed about essential protections.”
CWOP, initially launched in 2020 to address COVID-19-related workplace concerns, has evolved to provide comprehensive education on workers’ rights, workplace safety, and benefits for those affected by work-related injuries or illnesses. The initiative empowers community-based organizations (CBOs) to act as advocates for workplace protections and to strengthen worker safety statewide.
About the Inland Empire Labor Council, AFL-CIO
We are the region’s leading labor organization, representing over 90 unions and 400,000+ families across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. We build worker power across sectors and elevate working conditions for all through direct action and education, organizing, workforce training, and strategic partnerships.
Contact:
Frankie Aguilar
Inland Empire Labor Council, AFL-CIO – Communications Coordinator
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