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ARISE Chicago
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In The News
- Getting Back Pay Labor groups resolve wage disputes by taking matters to employers
- Republic Windows Workers Consider Employee-Owned Co-Op Three years ago, a worker occupation in Chicago saved a factory and sent up a flare of resistance. Three years on, workers at the same factory are illuminating not only how workers might resist layoffs but also what they might do next.
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Our Mission
ARISE Chicago builds partnerships between faith communities and workers to fight workplace injustice through education and organizing and advocating for public policy changes.
Arise Chicago is asking religious leaders and Illinois voters to sign-on to the “Raise the Illinois Minimum Wage” faith leaders’ petition and voters petition, which supports raising the Illinois minimum wage from its current $8.25 an hour to $10.65 by 2014 and tie it to inflation thereafter. Why now? Because low-income families will spend all of their additional income on basic necessities in their local communities. An increase in consumer spending will create a higher demand for goods, which will increase business profits and create jobs. A robust minimum wage is a key building block of sustainable economic recovery.
Click here to sign your name to the faith leaders petition
Click here to sign your name to the Illinois voters petition
Who We Are
Arise Chicago, formerly Chicago Interfaith Committee on Worker Issues, was founded by Monsignor Jack Egan, Rabbi Robert Marx, and United Methodist Bishop Jesse De Witt in 1991 under the guidance of Ms. Kim Bobo who went on to found the national group, Interfaith Worker Justice.
With knowledge that the basic tenents of all faith traditions support the rights of wokers, Arise Chicago organizes the religious community to bring about just resolutions to workplace injustice.
When workers wish to form a union, they are often met with intimidation and harassment. Arise Chicago organizes religious leaders through its Faith and Labor Solidarity program to support workers seeking unionization.
Launched in 2002, Arise Chicago's Workers' Center is a member-based community resource for workers, both immigrant and native born, to learn about their rights and join fellow workers to organize to improve workplace conditions. The Worker Center has partnered with over 2,100 workers to recover over $4.6 million in stolen wages and compensation.
The Board of Directors consists of representatives from our programs. Arise Chicago also has an Advisory Board of prominent religious leaders in the Chicago area.