Building a Workers' Center

Workers' centers have sprung up around the country in a variety of ways.

But they have all begun with some very basic first steps that include: contacting and developing relationships with local religious institutions (Where workers worship); building partnerships with local labor and employment attorneys (That can serve on steering committees, advise workers and donate $ to the center); building partnerships with labor enforcement agencies, such as Department of Labor, EEOC and OSHA (That can enforce complaints); and organized labor (that can help organize workers and donate $ to the center). Once these four basic foundations have been laid, the leaders in the project must decide how and when the center will open. Below are some of the most common models that have been used:

1.The Study -- Workers and academics partner to produce a study outlining the sweatshop working conditions in that community, workplace or sector of the industry. This study is made public at a press event in which there is also an announcement that a workers' center will be opened to address the problems outlined in the study. The study should use scientific methodology, but should primarily be a tool to reach out to workers and build a leadership team for the workers' center.

Some centers that were started in this manner:
Madison Workers' Rights Center
Restaurant Opportunities Center

2.The Community Coalition - In this model, religious leaders, workers and others in the community interested in starting a workers' center create a coalition of organizations on the ground who work with the target population. This coalition might include social service agencies, community organizing groups, religious institutions and employment attorneys. These organizations then create a strategic plan for the creation of the workers' center. Key leaders from each of the organizations form a steering committee that leads the creation of the workers' center.

Some centers that were started in this manner:
Cincinnati Interfaith Workers' Center
Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center

3.The Workers' Rights Manual - Community leaders and workers produce a manual (or other education materials) that outlines the rights of all workers in their workplaces. An outreach plan is then devised in which the manual is distributed to the target population.

Some centers that were started in this manner:
Chicago Worker Rights Center
Western North Carolina Workers Center

Worker self-determination is a central principle of the IWJ Workers' Center Network, so regardless of which path people in your community choose, the key decision-making body of the workers' center should always be composed of workers or at least have a majority of workers.

source: http://www.iwj.org/index.cfm/building-a-workers-center