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Home › Our Work › Just Economy › South Bay and Peninsula High Road Roundtable

South Bay and Peninsula High Road Roundtable

Building strong partnerships that nurture resilient economies rooted in economic, racial and environmental justice

The South Bay and Peninsula High Road Roundtable is a space for labor, community, business, educational, environmental, and local government organizations in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties to come together to advance economic and racial justice, and rebalance our regional economies as we move towards a climate-resilient future where all work is valued and empowering, all jobs pay a family-supporting wage, and all people across our diverse region can collectively build pathways to sustainable, resilient communities.

High Road Roundtable convenes South Bay and Peninsula stakeholders committed to economic and racial justice, to collectively re-envision regional economic development planning, centered around the values of equity, high-road employment, sustainability and climate resilience, and shaped by workers and impacted community members themselves.

From June 2023 through December 2024, the High Road Roundtable convened more than 400 stakeholders committed to economic and racial justice, to collectively re-envision regional economic development planning through ‘high road’ approaches, which overlay equity, job quality, climate resilience, and worker and community voice.

This broad multi-stakeholder collaboration helped seed and resource collaborative efforts in strategic economic sectors, which developed bold proposals related to healthcare, childcare/early childhood education, manufacturing, arts/culture, small business, worker-owned cooperative, and green infrastructure.

Check out our REPORT: Building Resilient Futures – New Pathways for Inclusive Economic Development

Next Steps: Fostering Engagement with New High Road Initiatives

Moving forward, the High Road Roundtable will facilitate ongoing cross-collaboration between diverse stakeholders to support the efforts of the coalitions built through this process, and continue to provide infrastructure for long-term, responsible economic development planning.

The Bay Area High Road Manufacturing Initiative is a newly formed partnership that seeks to intentionally advance a high-road manufacturing ecosystem in the Bay Area by improving outcomes in existing industries, and by supporting the growth of new employers in strategic clean manufacturing sectors. Labor and community advocates will drive the development of high-road strategies, in close partnership and collaboration with employers, workforce development, and educational stakeholders who share this vision. Our initiative brings together partnerships that can successfully leverage this historic investment opportunity, and do so in alignment with our values: job quality, equity, sustainability and environmental justice.

The High Road to Childcare and Early Childhood Education Consortium is an ambitious, new, cross-regional, collaborative that will develop high-road approaches to increase the availability and affordability of childcare and early childhood education, that also improve job quality, responses to climate-related challenges, and opportunities for workforce mobility in this complex ecosystem.

Anchoring Worker Cooperative Hubs, led by Somos Mayfair, will develop a collaborative plan to incubate and sustain worker-owned cooperatives throughout the Bay Area. It will offer technical assistance, capital access, leadership development, and climate and labor rights education, and foster a just transition to a regenerative economy. Place based incubation hubs will promote a democratic governance model that prioritizes dignified jobs, equitable ownership, and living wages.

Multi-stakeholders coalitions were also built to forward on emergency and disaster readiness training for in-home support service (IHSS) providers, high-road supports for small businesses, and the green infrastructure workforce. 

More information on all of these exciting initiatives is available in a new report: Building Resilient Futures – New Pathways for Inclusive Economic Development. 

To get involved with any of these coalitions, please contact highroad@wpusa.org.

Check out our VIDEO: Why co-convene the South Bay/Peninsula High Road Roundtable?

Past Meeting Materials

Slides from 11/15/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 10/18/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 9/20/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 8/16/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 7/19/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 6/21/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 5/17/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 4/19/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 3/15/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 2/16/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 1/19/24 HRR meeting

Slides from 11/30/23 HRR meeting

Slides from 10/25/23 HRR meeting

Slides from 9/27/23 HRR meeting

Slides from 8/23/23 HRR meeting

Slides from 7/26/23 HRR meeting

Slides from 6/29/23 HRR meeting

Attend a meeting

No date has been set for the next High Road Roundtable convening. Sign up here to stay tuned.

Sign up for our next meeting

Our Approach

We believe that a ‘high road’ approach can foster inclusive economic growth and create a more just economy. At its core, the high road model prioritizes investment in a diverse workforce to establish high-quality jobs.

High road employers prioritize creating quality jobs that sustain families and provide a decent livelihood. These employers competeon the quality of their products and services which they achieve through investing in their workforce, promoting innovation, and ensuring workers have a say in decision-making processes. But the high road approach goes beyond individual companies. It requires a collaborative effort that brings together employers, unions, workers, community organizations, and the public workforce systems to tackle important issues like equity, job quality, worker empowerment, industry efficiency, and sustainability.

By embracing this approach, we can build resilient economies rootedin economic and racial justice — where industries are not built at theexpense of workers, communities or the climate, but are grounded increating futures where everyone can thrive.


Co-convenors

The South Bay / Peninsula High Road Roundtable is co-convened by San Mateo County Economic Development Association, San Mateo Labor Council, Somos Mayfair, South Bay Labor Council, and Working Partnerships USA. We believe that a ‘high road’ approach can foster inclusive economic growth and create a more environmentally sustainable and just economy.

High road employers prioritize creating quality jobs for a diverse workforce that sustain families and provide a decent livelihood. These employers compete on the quality of their products and services which they achieve through investing in their workforce, promoting innovation, and ensuring workers have a say in decision-making processes. But the high road approach goes beyond individual companies. It requires deep collaboration that brings together employers, unions, workers, community organizations, and the public workforce systems to tackle important issues like equity, job quality, worker empowerment, industry efficiency, and sustainability.

Contact Us


Bay Area Jobs First Collaborative (BAJFC)

The South Bay and Peninsula High Road Roundtable also served as a subregional table of the Bay Area Jobs First Collaborative, formerly known as the Bay Area High Road Transition Collaborative, a group of over 50 organizations facilitated by All Home and the Bay Area Good Jobs Partnership for Equity. The Collaborative was awarded a $5 million Community Economic Resilience Fund planning grant and a $14 million Catalyst grant by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, under the banner of CA Jobs First, to develop and implement inclusive, sustainable economic strategies in the Bay Area through September 2026.

Learn more about the the Bay Area Jobs First Collaborative
Learn more about California Jobs First

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We are proud to stand alongside @seiu521, @seiu102 We are proud to stand alongside @seiu521, @seiu1021, @parentvoicesoakland, Headstart workers, parents, and providers to demand justice for our children, families, and care workers from our Care Workers Council. 

Childcare is under attack in Santa Clara County.
❌ Headstart and Early Head Start are being defunded
❌ Childcare providers are being laid off
❌ Facilities are shutting down permanently

These cuts hit hardest in East and South County, where families already face limited access to childcare. These are childcare deserts — and they’re growing.

This is a call to action: Invest in care, not cuts.

Every child deserves a safe, nurturing place to grow. Every working family deserves support. Every provider deserves respect.

We're organizing for Childcare for All — because strong communities start with strong care.

#ChildcareForAll #StopTheCuts #SEIU521 #WorkingPartnershipsUSA #HeadStartMatters #InvestInCare #CommunityPower #SouthBaySolidarity #WhenWeFightWeWi
🔹 Employers in San Jose with 36 or more employe 🔹 Employers in San Jose with 36 or more employees are legally required to prioritize offering additional work hours to qualified part-time employees before hiring external candidates, including subcontractors or temporary staffing agencies.⁠
🔹 This ordinance aims to increase economic stability for part-time workers by ensuring they have the first opportunity to take on additional hours before new hires are considered.⁠
🔹 Non-compliance can result in city-led investigations and financial penalties for violating businesses.⁠
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NEW REPORT by @CHIRLA_ORG and @CAFastFoodUnion she NEW REPORT by @CHIRLA_ORG and @CAFastFoodUnion sheds light on the specific ways that fear about immigration status, and lack of knowledge about their rights, are impacting the lives of over 600,000 fast food workers across California.

While union workers have used their rights to hold fast food bosses accountable, many workers continue to live in fear.

Thanks to the bold leadership of our elected representatives , Santa Clara County is exploring providing Know Your Rights training for fast food workers. We need to let them know that we support safe, in-person training for Fast Food Workers in our county, where they can learn about their rights, understand labor laws, and connect with trusted resource people for guidance on workplace issues.

Read the report: https://www.chirla.org/fastfoodworkersreport/
Last week in San Jose, we gathered with workers an Last week in San Jose, we gathered with workers and community members from across our campaigns — app-based drivers, care workers, Berryessa Flea Market vendors, trades program participants, and more — for a community BBQ and potluck.⁠
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It was a chance to slow down, share a meal, and connect across the different parts of our work and lives. We enjoyed fresh-off-the-grill tacos 🌮 and elotes 🌽, music, games for the kids, and a piñata — and meaningful time spent together.⁠
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Huge shoutout to our team for pouring heart into every detail, and to everyone who showed up, brought food, brought love ❤️, and brought hope.⁠
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We’re proud to be part of this vibrant, unstoppable community in Santa Clara County — and even prouder to keep growing it together 🌱.
📢 We're hiring at Working Partnerships USA!⁠ 📢 We're hiring at Working Partnerships USA!⁠
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If you're ready to turn your passion for social justice into action, this is your chance to join a team fighting for economic equity, workers’ rights, and real community power. From supporting groundbreaking workforce programs to organizing alongside working families, our open roles offer the opportunity to make meaningful change in the South Bay and beyond.⁠
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We're looking for driven, values-aligned individuals to join us in building a future where everyone can thrive.⁠
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Scan the QR Codes or use the link in our bio to apply! 🔗
🚨 May Day is OUR day 🚨⁠ ⁠ This May 1st, 🚨 May Day is OUR day 🚨⁠
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This May 1st, we’re hitting the streets with workers, immigrants, and our Santa Clara community—because when we move together, we’re unstoppable.⁠
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We're bringing our voices, our stories, our culture to the streets—because when our community stands united, no force can silence us, divide us, or steal our future.⁠
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We’re not just marching. We’re building power. We’re demanding dignity. We’re showing up for each other.⁠
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📍 Story & King, San José⁠
🎉 Rally: 2:30pm | March: 4:00pm | Ends at City Hall with performances and community celebration ⁠
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📢 Calling all future organizers, advocates, and 📢 Calling all future organizers, advocates, and changemakers! ✨ 

Working Partnerships USA's Bill Leininger Summer Justice Internship application is now open! This paid, 8-week internship is your chance to dive into real community change work—supporting campaigns that fight for racial justice, workers’ rights, housing, and more right here in Santa Clara County.

Whether you’re a student, a new organizer, or just interested in movement work, this is an awesome opportunity to learn hands-on organizing, connect with mentors, and grow your leadership. You’ll be matched with a campaign that fits your interests and get to see the impact of grassroots power up close.

✨ Apps are due May 10—so don’t wait! ✨

This internship is open to everyone—if you’re passionate about justice and ready to make a difference, we encourage you to apply. Just bring your energy, curiosity, and commitment to community.

Apply today using the link in our bio! 🔗
🕯This year's Workers’ Memorial Day event was 🕯This year's Workers’ Memorial Day event was a powerful reminder of why this work is urgent and necessary. In a world where too many workers still face unsafe conditions, low wages, and a lack of basic protections, creating spaces to share knowledge, build solidarity, and honor those we’ve lost is essential to pushing for real change.⁠
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Through worker stories, hands-on trainings, and open conversations about immigrant rights and workplace safety, we created a space for learning, healing, and collective action. As we continue the fight for safer, fairer workplaces, we carry with us the memories of those we honored and the lessons we heard. ⁠
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The movement for workplace justice doesn’t end with a single event—it lives on in every worker who speaks out, every right we defend, and every community we build together. 💪⁠
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Shout out to @somosmayfair, @pawissouthbay @stepfwd.fdn @sccfairwrkplace @scc_rapidresponsenetwork and our volunteers who made this event possible!⁠
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If you or someone you know needs support, resources, or legal help, visit The Fair Workplace Collaborative website to get connected: https://wpusa.org/work/just-economy/fair-workplace-collaborative/ :link:
🤝 This Saturday, April 26, The Fair Workplace C 🤝 This Saturday, April 26, The Fair Workplace Collaborative invites you to a powerful Workers' Memorial Day event honoring the lives of those lost to unsafe working conditions—and empowering those still on the job today.⁠
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Through trainings, storytelling, group activities, and an immigration Q&A panel, we’re creating a space where workers can come together to learn, connect, and support each other. You’ll be able to tap into resources from local and state organizations, hear directly from fellow workers about what they’ve faced on the job, and get real answers to your questions. Together, we’ll honor the lives of those we've lost to unsafe workplaces, build stronger bonds across our communities, and walk away with tools to protect ourselves and each other.⁠
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Childcare will be provided, and free food will be available to support community engagement. Doors open at 5PM with opening stories and coffee/pan dulce, followed by an evening full of learning, reflection, and solidarity. ⁠
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Whether you're a worker, an ally, or a community member committed to justice, we welcome you to be part of this day of remembrance, education, and action. ✊ Sign up using the link in our bio 🔗
✨Save the Date—Celebrate 30 Years of Powering ✨Save the Date—Celebrate 30 Years of Powering Progress in the South Bay!✨⁠
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For 30 years, Working Partnerships USA has been powering progress and shaping a better future for working families in the South Bay. This year, we celebrate that legacy—and the bold vision we’re building for the next 30 years.⁠
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In exactly 6 months from now, join us on October 17, 2025, at the Signia by Hilton in San Jose, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary at the Champions for Change Gala. ⁠
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Together, we’ll honor the advocates, leaders, and movements driving transformation in our communities, recognize the progress we’ve made and recommit to growing local power, strengthening our regional economy, and ensuring a just future for everyone who lives and works in Santa Clara County.⁠
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Use the link in bio to save the date on your calendar 🔗⁠
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Stay tuned for announcements about featured speakers, our 2025 Champions, sponsorship opportunities, and ticket sales.
Now more than ever, fast food workers need access Now more than ever, fast food workers need access to Know Your Rights trainings.

From wage theft to unsafe working conditions to unpredictable scheduling, too many workers are facing exploitation without the tools to fight back.

Know Your Rights trainings are critical for empowering workers with the knowledge they need to stand up, speak out, and demand better. These trainings are more than just information—they’re a step toward dignity, safety, and justice on the job.

Today, let's call on Santa Clara County to ensure every fast food worker is empowered to advocate for their rights and their wellbeing!
🗣️ Workers from different sectors of our comm 🗣️ Workers from different sectors of our community came together for a powerful Workers Roundtable with the candidates running to represent San Jose District 3.

In a city where working people are the backbone of our communities—providing care, serving food, driving passengers, cleaning homes, and more—worker voices deserve to be at the forefront of the decisions that will shape their lives and livelihoods.

At the roundtable, workers spoke honestly about what it’s like to live and work in San Jose today—the struggle to pay rent on low wages, having insufficient benefits or protections, unsafe job conditions, and more. In turn, candidates shared their vision for a San Jose that works for everyone, and their individual plans to incorporate care, dignity, and fairness at the center of the city's policy decisions.

Polls are open tomorrow for San Jose's D3 Special Election. Let's make sure the voices of working families are heard! 🗳️
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