Worker Center

You can win better conditions in the workplace, and Arise Chicago can support you. When we organize, we win!

“

Thanks to Arise, I know how to speak up to defend my rights with my coworkers. Rather than being fearful, I'm proudly now a strong leader in front of my bosses.

”

Maribel, Arise Chicago Worker Member

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Support the Collective Power of Immigrant Workers

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Collective Power

Thousands of workers have come together in hundreds of organizing campaigns to win workplace improvements with Arise Chicago.

Wage theft, sexual or other harassment, unsafe working conditions, overtime violations—the list of unfair and unlawful treatment workers can experience is long. We offer workers training and support to organize and take direct action to end abuse and improve wages and working conditions.

Workers lead the process in pursuing a campaign in their workplace. Our Worker Center organizers train and support you on how to educate and organize coworkers about their rights. If you organize with us, you will learn to:

Keep precise records
Set goals
Develop a strategic plan
Speak to the press and allies
Participate in effective meetings with employers and decision-makers
Learn skills for negotiating

Many people who come to the Worker Center decide to become members of Arise Chicago. Worker-members are primarily Latino immigrants, majority women, who have made a commitment to educate, organize, and advocate for better working conditions for themselves and all workers.

El Milagro tortilleria workers action with elected officials

Large scale food production workers press conference

Union Solidarity

Arise Chicago serves as a trusted bridge between immigrant workers and labor unions by:

educating workers on their rights
accompanying workers before, during, and after organizing drives
uplifting stories of workplace abuse that demand collective action
elevating stories of how workers create changes and improvements

We collaborate with union leaders to build strategic campaigns, offer faith and community support that expands public solidarity, and ensure that workers, especially working-class immigrants, have the same opportunities to raise their standard of living. Some of our Worker Center campaigns transition to union organizing, uplifting the lives of immigrant working families.

Domestic Workers

Our Worker Center supports domestic workers and many of our members are employed in this field. We joined with other organizations in 2012 to form the Illinois Domestic Workers Coalition. Together we campaigned until in 2017 when our coalition won the Illinois Domestic Worker Bill of Rights. This state law includes domestic workers in basic state employment laws, including the rights to:

Be paid no less than the minimum wage
Be paid for all work hours
Meal and rest periods
Be free from sexual harassment

Click here to learn more about our activities with domestic workers and the Institute.

Get Help!

If you have encountered a problem in the workplace, contact Workplace Justice Campaigns Organizer, José Uribe.

Arise members organize to win improvements for domestic workers

Arise supports workers organizing toward unionization

Our Impact

50,000Workers supported
250+Workplace organizing campaigns
$6,000,000+Increased wages