The rise of AI, the decline of traditional union jobs with pensions and long-term security, and the attacks on the labor force as a whole, from undocumented farm workers to federal employees, have created a climate that is frequently hostile to labor interests. But the Missouri Workers Center has achieved considerable success organizing and advocating for low-wage workers.
The Missouri Workers Center’s model is to create worksite-specific Worker Organizing Committees that lead mobilization efforts in the workplace. They’ve also harnessed these cohesive committees to build political power outside of the workplace, winning legislative and ballot campaigns that benefit urban and rural workers across the state, including the Healthy Families and Fair Wages Act, which raises the minimum wage in Missouri to $15 an hour, Medicaid expansion, and the Clean Slate Initiative, which opened employment and housing opportunities for thousands of Missourians with criminal records.
For a deeper dive, learn more here. Have questions or comments? Drop us a line at [email protected].