We use outreach, direct action and organizing to improve working conditions. We have won over $100,000 in back pay for wronged workers. We have also won changes at worksites such as breaks and other rights. We advocate for changes in the law that will improve young workers' lives, like the successful campaign to win the minimum wage. We also do education with high school and college students as well as workers.
Who is Young Workers United?
Young Workers United works with anyone who works in the sevice sector, which means restaurant workers, mall workers or anyone who does customer service work. YWU members work at restaurants, bars, retail stores and are also unemployed. Many of us are students. YWU is multiracial and multicultural. We operate in both Spanish and English. We were founded in September 2002.
YWU works together to improve conditions for any service sector worker who is being treated unfairly. We use a lot of direct action, which means picketing, hollering, handing out flyers and otherwise making the issue loud and public. YWU is all about young workers taking control of their lives and reforming jobs that suck!
We also do fun and participatory education, including teaching each other skills like facilitation and organizing. Also, we make space to talk about issues from the state of the economy to gender relations.
Who runs YWU?
We all do. Various committees make many decisions. There are workers’ committees for every worksite with an active campaign. There is an education and cultural committee that writes and facilitates workshops and makes flyers and other art. There is a wage claim committee that helps workers with work problems. If there is an interest for a new committee, you can propose it to the member Board of Directors.
Who supports YWU?
We depend on the community to support our important work. In addition, we also get donations from workers.
Our work has been supported by grants from private foundations such as the Arca Foundation, California Endowment, Diane Middleton Foundation, French-American Charitable Trust, New World Foundation, Norman Foundation, Rosenberg Foundation, Themis Fund, and Vanguard Public Foundation.
Is YWU a union?
No. We are a workers’ center, a new kind of organization that uses creative tactics to improve working conditions and organize in the community. However, we support workers forming and participating in unions wherever there's a union to be part of. We represent the young and immigrant workers in jobs that no union plans to organize in the forseeable future.
How can I solve my problem/volunteer/join with YWU?
Please, visit our website and click on "get involved", e-mail us at youngworkersunited@gmail.com, or you can call us at 415-621-4155.
