- Ph.D. Sociology, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1999
- M.S. Industrial Relations, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1991
- B.A. Economics, University of California at Davis, 1988
Professor Luce received her B.A. in economics from the University of California, Davis and both her Ph.D in Sociology and her M.A. in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Her research focuses on low-wage work, globalization and labor standards, and labor-community coalitions. She is the author of Labor Movements: Global Perspectives. Well-known for her research on living wage campaigns and movements, she is also the author of Fighting for a Living Wage and co-author (with Robert Pollin) of The Living Wage: Building a Fair Economy. She is co-author of A Measure of Fairness; and co-editor of What Works for Workers?: Public Policies and Innovative Strategies for Low-Wage Workers. She has published numerous reports on labor and wages in the New York City area, including the annual “State of the Unions” report co-authored with Ruth Milkman.
Selected Publications
Labor Movements: Global Perspectives. London, UK: Polity Press. 2014.
This book provides a critical evaluation of labor unions both in the U.S. and globally, examining the factors that have led to the decline of union power and arguing that, despite their challenges, unions still have a vital part to play in the global economy.
Recent News
- Personal Website
- Featured Article: “Essential Work,” Organizing Upgrade
- Featured Article: “Digital Media Rising: How the Writer’s Guild of America, East organized digital media workers and won industrywide power and strong contracts,” by Stephanie and Haley Shaffer
- 2016, Professional Staff Congress/CUNY research grant. Study of global labor market re-regulation.
- 2016, SEIU, Study of security guard wages and employment.
- 2015, UNI Global Union. Study of retail trends in Europe.
- 2013, UNI Global Union, Survey of Affiliates.
- 2013, Sociological Initiatives Research Grant, survey of retail workers with the Retail Action Project.
- 2012, International Labour Organization, Study of Pre-Ratification Negotiations on Labor Standards.
- 2011, Russell Sage Foundation, Occupy Wall Street Survey, with Ruth Milkman and Penny Lewis.
- 2010, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Affairs Research Grant. Study of Trade Negotiations Impact on Labor Standards, with James Heintz.
- 2006, Community Labor United, Boston. Boston Economic Framing Report.
- 2004, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (Congressional Commission). Corporate Restructuring and Production Shifts, with Kate Bronfenbrenner.
- 2004, Massachusetts Nurse’s Association, Survey of Workplace Violence, with Evie Bain.
- Low-Wage Work
- Living Wage Campaigns and Movements
- Globalization and Labor Standards
- Labor-Community Coalitions
Books
- Labor Movements: Global Perspectives. London, UK: Polity Press. 2014.
- What Works for Workers? Public Policies and Innovative Strategies for Low-Wage Workers. New York: Russell Sage Foundation. With Jennifer Luff, Joseph A. McCartin and Ruth Milkman, editors. 2014.
- A Measure of Fairness: The Economics of Living Wages and Minimum Wages in the United States. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. With Robert Pollin, Mark D. Brenner and Jeanette Wicks-Lim. 2008.
- Fighting for a Living Wage. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. 2004.
- The Living Wage: Building a Fair Economy. New York: The New Press. With Robert Pollin. 1998.
Articles
- “Living Wages: A US Perspective.” Employee Relations. Vol 39(6): 863-874. 2017.
- “Raising Wages.” Alternate Routes: A Journal of Critical Social Research. Vol. 27: 12-20. 2016.
- “Revitalizing Unions, Rebuilding Labor Studies.” Work and Occupations. Vol 42(3): 370-378. 2015.
- “$15 per Hour or Bust: An Appraisal of the Higher Wages Movements.” New Labor Forum. Spring 2015.
- “The Genie’s Out of the Bottle: Insiders’ Perspectives on Occupy Wall Street.” The Sociological Quarterly. Vol 54(2): 194-198. With Ruth Milkman and Penny Lewis. 2013.
- “Living Wage Policies and Campaigns: Lessons from the United States.” International Journal of Labour Research. Vol 4(1): 11-26. 2012.
- “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: An Assessment of the Past Year.” New Labor Forum. Vol 21(3): 67-74. 2012.
- “Labor and Occupy Wall Street: An Appraisal of the First Six Months.” New Labor Forum. Vol 21(2): 43-49. With Penny Lewis. 2012.
- “What Next for the US Living Wage Movement?” Canadian Review of Social Policy. No 65-66: 128-138. 2011.
- “Asia Floor Wage: Labor Rights Are Good for Development.” New Labor Forum. Vol 18(3): 72-81. With Anannya Bhattacharjee and Sarita Gupta. 2009.
- “Community Benefits Agreements: Lessons from New Haven.” Working USA. February: 97-111. With Louis Simmons. 2009.
- “Low-Wage Women Workers: A Profile.” New Labor Forum. Vol 17(2). With Eve Weinbaum. 2009.
- “Immigration and Labor: A Special UALE Conference Issue.” In Stephanie Luce and Carolina Bank Munoz, co-editors. Labor Studies Journal. Vol 33: 5-8. With Carolina Bank Munoz. 2008.
- “Lessons from Living-Wage Campaigns.” Work and Occupations. Vol 32(4): 423-440. 2005.
- “Ten Years of Living Wage Ordinances: What Happens after Laws Are Passed?” New Labor Forum. Spring: 85-96. 2005.
- “Starting Down the Road to Power: A Look at the Denver Area Labor Federation.” Working USA. Vol 8: 183-206. With Mark Nelson. 2005.
- “The Role of Community Involvement in Implementing Living Wage Ordinances.” Industrial Relations. Vol 44(1): 32-58. 2005.
- “Keeping Living Wages Alive.” New Labor Forum. Vol 14(1): 84-94. 2005.
- “Implementing the Living Wage.” Perspectives on Work. Vol. 8(1): 37-39. 2004.
- “Intended vs. Unintended Consequences: Evaluating the New Orleans Living Wage Proposal.” Journal of Economic Issues. Vol. XXXVI(4): 843-875. With Robert Pollin and Mark D. Brenner. 2002.
- “The Full Fruits of our Labor: The Rebirth of the Living Wage Movement.” Labor History. Vol. 43(4): 401-409. 2002.
- “A Primer on the U.S. Living Wage Movement.” Imprints. Vol. 6(1): 44-59. 2002.
- “Life Support: Coalition Building and the Living Wage Movement.” New Labor Forum. Spring/Summer: 81-92. 2002.
- “Can U.S. Cities Afford Living Wage Programs? An Examination of Alternatives.” The Review of Radical Political Economics. Vol. 31(1): 16-53. With Robert Pollin. 1999.
- “Building a Just Economy,” Keynote address, Funders for a Just Economy. March 2020.
- “A Better World of Work is Possible,” Green New Deal conference, University of Arizona, November 2019.
- “Wages and Non-reformist Reforms,” Urban Studies mini-conference, ASA, New York City, August 2019.
- “Living Wages in a Global Economy,” North American Solidarity Project, Ontario, Canada. November 2018.
- “Why Unions?” New York University, International Education workshop. June 2018.
- “Re-regulating Work,” University of Bologna, Italy. June 2018.
- “Socialism and Democracy,” Rosa Luxembourg conference, New York, NY. February 2018.
- “Next steps after the election,” SEIU 1199-NE Regional Retreat. November 2016.
- “Living Wages in a Global Economy,” Fordham University, April 2016.
- “Living Wages in a Global Economy,” RENGO Public Sector Union, Tokyo, Japan. November 2015.
- “Next Steps for the Global Living Wage Movement,” Zenroren International Symposium, Keynote Address on Living Wages. Tokyo, Japan. November 2015.
- University of British Columbia, Gideon Rosenbluth Memorial Lecture. October 2015.
- “Wages, Work and Inequality,” Columbia University, Inequality Seminar. September 2015.
- “What is Feminism?” Global Labor Institute, Barnsley, UK. July 2015.
- “Living Wages in a Neoliberal Word,” Ryerson University, Toronto. Phyllis Clarke Memorial Lecture. March 2015.
- Perspectives on the Labor Movement
- Labor and the Global Economy
- Research Methods
- Special Topics: Power and Strategy
- Labor Studies Capstone
- 2017-2020 Chair of Labor Studies, School of Labor and Urban Studies.
- 2012-2013 Acting Academic Director of Labor Studies, The Joseph S. Murphy Center for Worker Education, City University of New York.
- 2009 Acting Director, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Labor Center.
- 2001-2007 Research Director, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Labor Center.
- 2003 Graduate Program Director, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Labor Center.
