Summer is off to a busy start for us here at United Working Families, where we're building the people power we need to elect progressive champions for racial, social, and economic justice. Check out some of our updates below!
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Berwyn United Holds the Line on Worker Rights!
After Cook County raised the minimum wage and secured earned sick time for workers, suburban towns began caving to corporate pressure and opting out of the county ordinances--but not Berwyn!
Business interests tried to get the town to opt out of raising the minimum wage and providing paid sick time to their employees. But together with workers and residents from Progressive Indivisible Berwyn, Berwyn Immigration Working Group, and Arise Chicago, the four aldermen from the progressive Berwyn United slate refused to give in. Longtime Mayor Robert Lovero was forced to take his "opt-out" proposal off the table, and Berwyn workers were victorious!
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#KnockYourBlock: Building Political Power at the Precinct Level!
The victory in Berwyn is just one more example of the difference that local elections can make on the issues that matter to us. We need to be laying the groundwork NOW if we want to win in 2018, 2019, and beyond!
That's why volunteers from Our Revolution and United Working Families came together on June 24 to learn how to be precinct captains for the political revolution! We made plans to knock the doors on our own blocks, practiced having good organizing conversations, and studied past election results to map out the path to victory for progressives in Chicago and Illinois.
We'll be holding these trainings on an ongoing basis. Click here if you want to make sure you're at the next one!
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July First Thursday with Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey
On July 6, over 50 people came together at the Chicago Teachers Union for our monthly First Thursday meeting. Hosted by UWF board member Jesse Sharkey, participants discussed the political challenges facing organized labor in this moment, a reportback from Knock Your Block, and how we build our own progressive political organization. Our speakers included board member Tony Johnston of Cook County College Teachers Union and organizer Ryan Kelleher. Thanks to all who joined us--save the date for the next conversation on Thursday, August 3!
