Arise Chicago opened its Worker Center in 2002. It is a membership-based community resource for workers, primarily immigrants, to learn about their rights and organize fellow workers to improve workplace conditions.

Training

In addition to publishing the most comprehensive workers' rights publication, in Spanish and English, in the state of Illinois, Arise Chicago holds signature worker rights popular education-style workshops where workers hear from other workers and learn their issues are not isolated. Learn More

Building Membership

Our worker-members are primarily Latine immigrants, more than half of whom are women, who have made a commitment to educate, organize, and advocate for better working conditions for themselves and all workers.  Learn More

Organizing

Arise Chicago has collaborated with thousands low-paid and immigrant workers to recover over $10 million in owed wages and compensation, and supported workers to win over $4 million in wage increases.  We have organized workers living in 47 of Chicago's 50 wards.  Learn More

Developing Leaders

Beyond organizing within their own workplaces, Arise Chicago trains members to take action beyond their workplaces.  This includes: joining a delegation to an employer with another Arise member; representing the organization at a coalition partner's rally; speaking to the media about the struggle of low-paid workers; meeting with government officials to discuss public policy changes needs, and more.  Learn More

Workers Rights Manual

In 2025, Arise Chicago published the fifth edition of our Workers Rights Manual in English and Spanish. Download here