What CHICAGO WORKERS COLLABORATIVE does

Chicago Workers Collaborative (CWC) is a worker-led nonprofit founded in 2000 that serves temporary and immigrant workers across Illinois through three integrated programs: the Working Families Legal Clinic (pro bono immigration and employment law), the Community Resources Program (connecting workers to public benefits and social services through trained navigators), and Organizing & Advocacy (grassroots worker organizing, OSHA training, and Know Your Rights education). The organization operates from three physical offices in Waukegan, Berwyn, and Elgin, with a team reported at approximately 40 community leaders organized by a small leadership team, and firmographic headcount of 23. Beneficiaries include temp workers in manufacturing, food processing, and warehousing, plus immigrant workers navigating immigration status and workplace exploitation, all served free of charge.

CWC's revenue model is donation-funded: services are delivered at no cost and supported through charitable contributions and grants. The organization has functioned as a primary architect of Illinois temp worker and immigrant worker protection legislation, most notably co-drafting the Temp Worker Fairness and Safety Act (TWFSA) signed in 2023 and contributing to SB2339 in 2025. A recent measurable impact was the referral that led to a $4 million settlement for child laborers at Hearthside Food Solutions, covering young workers exploited between March 2020 and December 2024. The TWFSA's equal-pay provision has been characterized as potentially delivering $1 billion annually statewide once fully enforced.

The organization operates no proprietary technology platform; its delivery model relies on community-based organizing, on-site workplace engagement, trained volunteer navigators, and pro bono legal clinics. CWC maintains a coalition of more than 25 partner organizations including Temp Worker Justice, Warehouse Workers for Justice, IL AFL-CIO, the Illinois Attorney General's Office, and Raise The Floor Alliance. Leadership is drawn from the worker communities served, with Executive Director José Frausto and Programs Manager Tim Bell as long-tenured co-leaders since 2003.

Name

CHICAGO WORKERS COLLABORATIVE

Legal name

Chicago Workers Collaborative

Website

https://chicagoworkerscollaborative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chicago Workers Collaborative is a worker-led nonprofit founded in 2000 that delivers pro bono legal services, community resources, and organizing support to temporary and immigrant workers across Illinois through three offices and a 25+ partner coalition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Worker Advocacy & Legal Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Labor, Worker Rights & Employment Policy Advocacy (BPAGAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

Keywords

• Worker advocacy services
• Immigration legal services
• Community organizing
• Employment law services
• Worker rights education

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukegan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization relies on charitable donations from individuals and supporters. The website features a donation page encouraging contributions to support worker advocacy work. Checks can be mailed to their Waukegan office.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chicago Workers Collaborative delivers free, pro-bono legal services, community resource navigation, and grassroots organizing support to temporary and immigrant workers across Illinois. Its three integrated program pillars—the Working Families Legal Clinic, the Community Resources Program, and Organizing & Advocacy—address wage theft, unsafe working conditions, immigration status issues, and barriers to public benefits through direct service, education, and policy advocacy.

Product overview

Chicago Workers Collaborative is a worker-led nonprofit organization offering direct service programs to temp workers across Illinois. The organization operates three integrated service pillars: (1) the Working Families Legal Clinic providing pro bono immigration and employment legal services, (2) the Community Resources Program connecting workers to public benefits and social services through trained volunteer navigators, and (3) Organizing & Advocacy providing grassroots worker organizing, Know Your Rights workshops, and OSHA safety training. These programs work together to advance worker rights, with legal services handling individual cases while organizing and community resources build collective power and address systemic issues affecting temp workers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Working Families Legal Clinic: A pro bono legal clinic providing legal support and guidance to address issues related to Employment and Immigration Law for workers across the Chicago metro area.

Products and services

• Working Families Legal Clinic

Quantifiable outcome

• $4 million settlement for child laborers at Hearthside Foods
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Temp Worker JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint legislative initiative partner for the Temp Worker Fairness & Safety Act (TWFSA). Co-drafted landmark legislation setting national standards for temp worker protections.
• The Resurrection ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in immigrant workers' rights advocacy, education, outreach, and exceptional legal services led by directly impacted people.
• Warehouse Workers for JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the passage of TWFSA legislation as part of the coalition of labor organizations.
• IL AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey legislative supporter and coalition partner for temp worker protection legislation.
• Illinois Attorney General's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CWC in enforcing temp worker protections and investigating labor violations.
• Raise The Floor AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWC participates in RTF coalition which reached thousands of immigrant workers about DALE protections and won work permits for hundreds of workers.
• Chicago Federation of LabormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported TWFSA passage as part of broad labor coalition.
• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee RightsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner supporting immigrant worker protections and policy initiatives.
• National Employment Law ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy advocacy partner supporting worker protection legislation.
• Asian Americans Advancing JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for immigrant and worker rights advocacy.
• SEIU-HCIImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor union coalition partner for TWFSA legislation.
• AFSCME 31majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor union coalition partner for worker protection initiatives.
• National Black Workers CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner addressing temp worker issues affecting Black workers.
• Workers Center for Racial JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner for racial justice in worker protections.
• Centro de Trabajadores UnidosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorker center coalition partner for temp worker organizing.
• Herrera StrategyminorOthersWebsite designer and PR communications partner for the organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Workers Center for Racial Justice: Coalition partner for racial justice in worker protections. Comparable as a worker-led advocacy organization focused on low-wage and immigrant workers, with overlapping coalition work and service offerings.
• Warehouse Workers for Justice: Chicago-based worker center organizing warehouse and temp workers. Directly comparable in constituency (temp/warehouse workers), geography (Illinois), and worker-led service model.
• Raise The Floor Alliance: Chicago-area coalition of worker centers and immigrant rights organizations. CWC participates through DALE protections outreach; directly comparable in coalition model, geographic focus, and worker-center service delivery.
• Centro de Trabajadores Unidos: Worker center coalition partner focused on temp worker organizing. Directly comparable as a peer worker center serving immigrant and low-wage workers with similar legal and organizing services.
• National Black Workers Center: Coalition partner addressing temp worker issues affecting Black workers. Comparable as a worker-center-style organization focused on temp workers of color, with parallel organizing and advocacy service models.
• Temp Worker Justice: National policy and advocacy organization co-drafting and championing temp worker protections alongside CWC. Direct coalition partner for the Temp Worker Fairness & Safety Act, making it the closest peer in mission and method.
• The Resurrection Project: Chicago-based immigrant rights and worker advocacy organization explicitly named as a CWC partner. Operates in the same geography with comparable services (immigration legal services, know-your-rights, community organizing) for immigrant workers.
• Coalition of Immokalee Workers: Worker-led farmworker organization using community organizing, worker-to-worker education, and supply-chain pressure. Comparable as a worker-center model applying direct organizing and legal accountability to vulnerable workers, though in agriculture rather than temp/warehouse work.

Emerging players

• Centro de los Derechos del Migrante: Organization focused on migrant workers' rights with transnational reach. Comparable as a peer serving immigrant workers through legal services and advocacy, though geographically focused on Mexico-US migrant corridors rather than Illinois specifically.

Broad incumbents

• National Employment Law Project: National policy advocacy organization focused on worker protections and labor standards. Comparable as a policy advocacy counterpart at national scale, sharing CWC's emphasis on legislative wins and enforcement (e.g., TWFSA support).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-workers-collaborative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHICAGO WORKERS COLLABORATIVE