Arise Chicago

Workplace improvements: in 2022, Arise Chicago provided information and support to workers to recover stolen wages and compensation, and create safer conditions and overall workplace improvements including winning wage increases. Recovered over $74,220 in owed wages and compensation for low-paid workers. Supported workers to increase wages by approximately $1,783,344 in 2022.

Policy change & government improvement: city: Arise made significant gains on our work advocating to improve the Chicago office of labor standards and city infrastructure to support workers. Arise secured a comprehensive wage theft in Chicago report from rutgers university to inform our advoacy for better enforcement. In the fall of 2022, Arise successfully advocated city council and mayor lightfoot to double the number of staff of the office of labor standards for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. We advised mayor lightfoot's policy team on developing a definition of a good jobs standards to be applied to city policies, practices, and procedures.

Worker education: in 2022, Arise Chicago provided mass worker education, training, and resources to low-paid, primarily immigrant workers facing wage theft, dangerous workplace conditions because of covid-19, other health and safety hazards, discrimination, or other abuse. 921 workers participated live in virtual or in-person workshops. Over 313,327 people saw our educational videos, posts, and handouts on social media.

Elevate worker voices and stories: Arise garnered over 175 media pieces, lifting the voices and stories of worker struggles in the public narrative. Arise also served on several city and county task forces and working groups to bring low-wage and immigrant worker voices to decision making tables to improve workplaces and quality of life, including the Chicago protecting workers working group, cook county equity task force, Illinois unidos.