Christopher M. Duarte

Biography

Christopher M. Duarte is Director of the UCI Labor Center at the University of California, Irvine. In this role, he oversees research, academic programming, and public-facing initiatives designed to strengthen worker power in Orange County. His work includes coordinating immigration support training, organizing labor education programs, and securing funding for worker resource policy initiatives.

Before joining UCI, Duarte served as Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Workers United Local 50 from 2015 to 2023, where he was chief contract negotiator and researcher in three consecutive Disneyland Resort collective bargaining agreement negotiations. He worked with the Occupational Health and Safety Administration to develop guidelines for the safe reopening of theme parks and large venues following COVID safety closures. Duarte also served as Labor Project Manager for the "Working for the Mouse" report produced by Occidental College and The Economic Roundtable, and was a steering committee member and policy developer for Anaheim Measure L.

Duarte currently serves as Vice President of Workers United International, where he sits on the General Executive Board and serves on the Starbucks Workers United campaign National Bargaining Committee. He is also a member of the Starbucks Workers United Capital Strategies team, where he assisted in developing shareholder engagement to pass a Workers Right Assessment through a shareholder resolution. Duarte served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 2001 to 2009, including deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom 3 as a Military Transition Team NCO. He received a B.S. in Information Technology/Information System Security from the University of Phoenix.

Education

• B.S. in Information Technology/Information System Security, University of Phoenix, 2010