TOMPKINS COUNTY WORKERS CENTER INC

What TOMPKINS COUNTY WORKERS CENTER INC does

Tompkins County Workers Center Inc (TCWC) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit labor advocacy organization founded in 2003 and headquartered at 103 W. Seneca Street, Suite 301B, Ithaca, New York. The organization provides free, confidential workers' rights services to low-wage workers in Tompkins County, anchored by its Workers Rights Hotline (serving 450+ clients annually), wage theft advocacy (winning over $1.6M in judgments for 350+ workers since 2003), and union organizing support (assisting 700+ workers to form unions over 15 years). Its core products include the Workers Rights Handbook, Community Union Organizers (CUOs) leadership program, and the Countywide Living Wage Campaign advocating for a countywide minimum wage tied to the $25.08/hour living wage benchmark for 2026.

The organization operates the Living Wage Employer Certification Program (launched 2006), which has grown from 29 to 69 certified employers across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. It produces the annual Tompkins County Living Wage Report in partnership with the Cornell University Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) Co-Lab. Supporting resources include the Workers Rights Handbook, Restaurant Owners Manual, COVID-19 Worker Benefits Guidebook, Workers Compensation Guidebook, and a Service Learning in Social Justice program hosting interns from Cornell, Ithaca College, and TC3. The Community Union Organizers (CUOs) operates as a spinoff leadership group of retail and service sector workers and consumers.

TCWC's business model is donation- and grant-funded, with all core services provided free of charge to workers. Revenue streams include community donations, grant funding, an annual spring fundraising campaign, and voluntary membership dues (suggested at one hour of wages). The organization is affiliated with the AFL-CIO as a Workers Center affiliate, the national Jobs with Justice network, Living Wage for US, and is a member of the Upstate NY Workers' Center Alliance coalition spanning seven regional organizations. It does not operate a technology platform; distribution occurs through direct helpline access, community outreach and tabling, social media, and embedded university partnerships.

Name

TOMPKINS COUNTY WORKERS CENTER INC

Legal name

Tompkins County Workers Center Inc

Website

https://tcworkerscenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tompkins County Workers Center is a nonprofit labor advocacy organization founded in 2003 that provides free workers' rights services, wage theft advocacy, and union organizing support to low-wage workers in Tompkins County, NY, funded by donations, grants, and voluntary membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Advocacy Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Workers rights advocacy
• Labor organizing services
• Living wage certification
• Wage theft recovery
• Union organizing support

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The organization relies on donations from community members and grant funding to support operations. A spring fundraising campaign is conducted annually.
2. Membership Dues: Optional membership dues are accepted, with suggested donation based on one hour of wages earned. Membership provides access to advocacy services and participation in campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tompkins County Workers' Center provides free workers rights advocacy, living wage promotion, and union organizing support to workers in Tompkins County, NY. Core services include a confidential Workers Rights Hotline handling 450+ cases annually, assistance recovering unpaid wages (over $1.6M recovered for 350+ workers since 2003), union organizing campaigns (700+ workers organized into unions), and a Living Wage Employer Certification Program that has recognized up to 69 local employers meeting Living Wage Guidelines.

Product overview

Tompkins County Workers' Center is a nonprofit labor advocacy organization that offers a suite of services focused on workers' rights and living wage advocacy. The core offerings include the Workers Rights Hotline (providing confidential information and advocacy for workers), the Living Wage Campaign (advocating for countywide living wage legislation), and the Living Wage Employer Certification Program (certifying employers who pay living wages). Supporting resources include the Workers Rights Handbook, Restaurant Owners Manual, and various community programs such as Community Union Organizers, Service Learning internships, and membership opportunities. The organization does not operate a technology product platform but provides direct advocacy services and educational resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Workers Rights Hotline A confidential free hotline service providing information, referrals, and advocacy assistance to workers experiencing employment issues including wage theft, discrimination, harassment, and workplace violations.
• Living Wage Employer Certification Program A certification program for employers in the private, public, and non-profit sectors that meet Living Wage Guidelines, modeled on Fair Trade certification programs and used to recognize employer commitment to fair compensation.
• TCWC Membership A membership program allowing workers and supporters to join the organization, with suggested voluntary dues based on one hour of wages and opportunities to take actions supporting workers' rights and advocacy campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won judgments of over $1,600,000 in wage theft cases for over 350 workers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Jobs with JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization leading campaigns to create economy that benefits everyone. TCWC is affiliated with the Jobs with Justice network.
• Living Wage for UScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization. TCWC is affiliated with Living Wage for US network.
• Upstate NY Workers' Center AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of worker centers organizing together: Empire Justice Center (Rochester), Northeast NY Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (Albany), Occupational Health Clinical Center (Syracuse), Tompkins County Workers' Center (Ithaca), Western New York Worker Center (Buffalo), Worker Justice Center of New York (Kingston, Rochester, Albany), Workers' Center of Central New York (Syracuse).
• AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTCWC is a Workers Center affiliate of the AFL-CIO.
• Cornell Industrial and Labor Relations Co-LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces annual living wage study for Tompkins County. Led by ILR Co-Lab Researchers including Ian Greer and Rusty Weaver. Ithaca and Buffalo Co-Labs collaborate on living wage calculations.
• Alternatives Federal Credit UnionsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginally calculated the Tompkins County Living Wage every two years since 1994. Conducted Certified Living Wage Employer workforce study in 2017.
• Interfaith Worker JusticesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that modeled TCWC's Living Wage Employer Certification Program and produced a guide helping communities across the U.S. learn how to certify Living Wage Employers.
• Just EconomicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBased in Asheville, North Carolina. Partnered with TCWC and Interfaith Worker Justice to develop Living Wage Certification Handbook.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Employment Law Project (NELP): A national advocacy organization for low-wage and unemployed workers, focused on policy reform, wage standards, and worker protections. Operates at federal/state policy level where TCWC operates at county level, with overlapping living wage and wage theft missions.
• Jobs with Justice: A national labor rights coalition leading campaigns for an economy that benefits everyone. TCWC is an affiliated worker center within the JwJ network, giving TCWC access to national organizing infrastructure while JwJ benefits from local affiliates.
• Interfaith Worker Justice: A national faith-based worker justice network that modeled its Living Wage Employer Certification guidance on TCWC's program. Operates at national scale while TCWC operates at county scale, but with directly comparable program design.

Direct peers

• Worker Justice Center of New York: A New York-based nonprofit worker center serving Kingston, Rochester, and Albany with legal services, organizing support, and workers' rights advocacy. Direct peer via shared Upstate NY Workers' Center Alliance membership and overlapping service model.
• Occupational Health Clinical Center: A Syracuse-based occupational health clinical and worker advocacy provider. Alliance partner focused on workplace health and safety, complementing TCWC's wage theft and organizing programs.
• Workers' Center of Central New York: A Syracuse-based worker center providing employment law support, organizing assistance, and worker advocacy. Listed as a TCWC partner in the Upstate NY Workers' Center Alliance, operating a near-identical service mix to TCWC.
• Empire Justice Center: A Rochester-based legal services and advocacy organization focused on economic justice, workers' rights, and social services. Listed as an Upstate NY Workers' Center Alliance partner, providing overlapping wage theft and employment law services.
• Northeast NY Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health: An Albany-area worker safety and health advocacy organization providing workplace safety training and advocacy. Upstate NY Workers' Center Alliance partner with overlapping worker rights and occupational health mission.
• Western New York Worker Center: A Buffalo-based worker center delivering workers' rights advocacy, wage theft recovery, and organizing support. Co-Alliance member with TCWC and serves a similar low-wage worker population in a comparable Upstate NY market.

Emerging players

• Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC): A national nonprofit that organizes restaurant workers for better wages and working conditions, partnering with Employers for Paid Leave. Similar worker-center model but industry-focused on restaurants; relevant for benchmarking organizing impact and certification models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TCWorkersCenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAKU0JDSPTwPt8M7gX0wYMg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TompkinsCountyWorkersCenter/?ref=pages_you_manage
• Instagraminstagram.com/tompkinsworkerscenter/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tompkins-county-workers-center-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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