Community Partnerships
Building Bridges Project: An initiative of the Chicago Interfaith Committee on Workers Issues. The purpose of this project is to bring together clergy and building trades leadership to provide training and identify job for the community. Also to increasing the community’s knowledge of and access to building trades apprenticeship programs and encourage local construction projects to use union labor that guarantees prevailing wages, family benefits and safe working conditions.
The program trains individuals throughout different parts of the community to prepare to apply and take tests for various Building Trades construction apprenticeship programs. These trainings are held at different local churches that act as host sites for the training during different times throughout the year.
The goal is to open as many opportunities for people as possible for careers in good paying jobs, especially for low wage workers, minorities, and women. Also, to teach the religious community how to organize and stand up for the rights of workers.
Center for Working Class Studies: The mission of the Chicago Center for Working-Class Studies (CCWCS) is to bring together individuals from multiple institutions to promote economic justice and to address class relationships. CCWCS’ participants are guided by their commitment to strengthen the political, economic and moral power of working women and men, and to expand an understanding of how other identities intersect with class, including race, gender and sexuality. The Center focuses on the following five types of activities: Cultural, Educational, Research, Community Organizing, and Union Organizing.
The Chicago-Area Committee on Occupational Safety and Health: (CACOSH) The Chicago Area Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, is committed to protecting the rights and safety of Illinois workers, whether they are union workers or the unorganized. The Health and Safety movement rose out of the classic Union philosophy of workers’ solidarity, that “An Injury to One is an Injury to All.” Those who study workers’ rights, and who work in environmental, health and safety fields, occupational medicine, or labor law are in a powerful position to fight for the protection of all workers.
Through teaching, through organizing, through networking, and through multidisciplinary collaboration, CACOSH strives to be an advocate for the health and safety of the working class of the greater Chicago metropolitan area.
If you would like to volunteer your time or expertise to help CACOSH, or if you have an environmental, health, or safety concern and would like to ask for help from CACOSH, please visit the CACOSH website.