When workers organize unions, go on strike, or advocate for better workplaces, they rarely say they are risking their livelihoods for a 5 percent pay raise. They say they are doing it for dignity. Better wages and benefits matter, but they are often expressions of something deeper: the desire to be respected, to have a voice, to exercise some control over one’s work, and to be recognized as fully human.
The Worker Dignity Speaker Series launches an ASU conversation about what workers mean when they demand dignity. Bringing together economics, religion, journalism, labor leadership, and public engagement, the series explores worker dignity from complementary perspectives while strengthening ASU’s role as a national center for dialogue about the future of work.
The Center for Work and Democracy Worker Dignity Speaker Series events include:
November 17, 2026
The Wage Standard: Building an Economy That Respects Workers
Arindrajit Dube, Provost Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Drawing on his influential new book, “The Wage Standard,” economist Arindrajit Dube explains how stronger labor standards can raise wages, improve productivity, and restore dignity to work.
February 25, 2027
Worker Dignity and the Papal Encyclical Humanitas Magnifica
Interdisciplinary Panel on Faith, Work, and Human Flourishing
Catholic social teaching begins with the dignity of every human person. This panel explores the new papal encyclical and the enduring principles of solidarity, subsidiarity, and a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. Co-sponsored by the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict.
April 6, 2027
Giving Workers a Voice: Journalism, Democracy, and Dignity
Steven Greenhouse, Author and Journalist
Award-winning journalist and author of “Beaten Down, Worked Up,” Steven Greenhouse reflects on decades of reporting for the New York Times, Slate, and others on workers across the U.S. and why telling workers’ stories is essential to dignity, democracy, and economic justice.
For more information about the speaker series, email us at: [email protected]
