Community Members Spring into Action to Increase Illinois Minimum Wage

By Shelly Ruzicka On the sunny morning of May 17th, over 100 community supporters including Chicago and suburban residents, workers, clergy, and lay leaders traveled to Springfield to educate their legislators on the need to increase the state minimum wage.  The group consisted of individuals from member organizations of Raise Illinois, a coalition made up [...]

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Exploring the Connection Between Passover and Workers’ Rights

By Talia Stein Each year on Passover, Jewish people retell the story of the Israelites being slaves in Egypt and their journey out of slavery to freedom.  Passover is holiday focused around remembering struggles of the past and connecting them to our current lives.  There are several traditions that are incorporated into the Passover Seder.  [...]

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The New Employment Relationship: Workers Bear All the Risks while Employers Keep the Profits

by Jamie Hayes In our work at Arise Chicago, we’ve lately noticed a dangerous new trend: employers are forcing employees to work as contractors, in order to subvert labor laws and their responsibility as employers. Campaign #1 Margarita (pseudonym) worked for 2 years at a laundromat in the Albany Park neighborhood.  She was paid $5/hour, [...]

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Migrant Workers; Worker Rights

Recently Arise Chicago Worker Center Organizer Jacob Lesniewski spoke about the rights of immigrant workers on Chicago Public Radio’s Worldview Show.  Listen to the full episode here. Today we’ll reflect on May Day issues with a conversation rooted in the rights of migrant workers who cross our southern border. Jacob Lesniewski is a doctoral candidate [...]

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Pray for the Dead and Fight like Hell for the Living!

By Adam Kader Today is Workers’ Memorial Day, a time to mourn the workers that have been killed or inured on the job.  This year is also the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Do Republicans want to kill workers?  “Republicans earlier this year proposed huge cuts to OSHA’s [...]

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Lakeview Community Says “No Way” to Low Pay

By: Angelica Cardoso A coalition of Lakeview community members, organizations, local business owners, faith leaders, union representatives, the neighborhood chamber of commerce and others united this morning to speak out against Wal-Mart’s intent to open a store in the Lakeview neighborhood, on Broadway just north of Diversey.  There is currently a T.J. Maxx and a [...]

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Calling the Faithful to Support Workers

By Rev. CJ Hawking In this moment in history, perhaps like no other in our lifetimes, the people of God across the globe are harkening the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of God rises upon you.” Teachers and firefighters, police officers and students, employed and [...]

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Safety Hazards Plague Low-Wage Workers

By Robert Dietz, Progress IL A new survey by Arise Chicago finds that workers across Chicago often lack training and protective equipment to do their jobs safely.  See the full article, including worker testimony, at Progress Illinois.

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Report on Faithful Solidarity in Wisconsin

By Rev. C.J. Hawking As I assist Rabbi Renee Bauer of Madison’s Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin, the following has been accomplished:  over 400 religious leaders statewide have signed a statement in support of a just solution; over 120 religious leaders marched together in Saturday’s rally of 100,000 supporters; Shabbat services led [...]

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Carwashero Beats Wage Theft at Local Car Wash

By Jacob Lesniewski Sometimes a potential campaign at Arise Chicago reaches legal obstacles, an evasive employer, or incomplete evidence. And sometimes, it all comes together Hannibal Smith from the A-Team style.  Arise Chicago’s latest action to improve conditions of work in the carwash industry on Monday, February 28th was one of those moments when it [...]

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