United Working Families (UWF) is an independent political organization based in Chicago, Illinois.[1] It was formed in 2014 as a coalition between the Chicago Teachers Union, SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana, Grassroots Illinois Action, and Action Now.[2][3] Although it is not a formal political party, the organization recruits and trains political candidates and organizers, endorses and provides support to political candidates, and engages in community organizing.[1] Its stated goal is to "create space for independent politics" in Chicago and Illinois and to enact a "vision for a city and a state that provides for the many, not just the wealthy few."[4] The organization has been characterized as part of the progressive movement and the labor movement.[2][3][5]
UWF did not make an endorsement in the 2019 mayoral election, but did create a digital advertisement featuring activists who critiqued candidate Lori Lightfoot for actions during her tenure as president of the Chicago Police Board.[8] Lightfoot proceeded to win the election.
In the 2023 Chicago mayoral election, UWF endorsed challenger Brandon Johnson, who previously served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Chuy García, who had received UWF's endorsement for Mayor in 2015, requested a delay in the endorsement process while he made his decision about whether to enter the race, but UWF proceeded with endorsing Johnson in September 2022, citing Garcia's unwillingness to provide a timeline for his decision.[11] Johnson was ultimately elected.
In November 2019, aldermen affiliated with UWF hosted a series of town halls on the city budget, in support of their proposed alternatives to Mayor Lightfoot's budget.[24] The organization itself released a statement opposing the mayor's budget on the grounds that it lacked funding for affordable housing, failed to re-open closed mental health clinics, and did not contain sufficient progressive revenue measures.[25] On November 26, eight of the nine UWF-endorsed aldermen voted against Lightfoot's budget proposal, which passed by a vote of 39–11.[26]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, UWF worked with other community organizations and some local elected officials to create and endorse a "Right to Recovery" package at the city, county, and state levels.[27][28][29] The package would include paid emergency leave, emergency housing for those unable to self-quarantine, a moratorium on Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-ins, and weekly payments of $750 to families with children and workers facing layoffs and furloughs.[29][30]
On September 11, 2024, three City Council committee chairs and the president of the Fraternal Order of Police called for the firing of mayoral aide Kennedy Bartley, the former executive director of United Working Families, for using the term "f---ing pigs" to describe police and talking openly about defunding or abolishing the police.[31]
↑ Villanueva was initially endorsed when she was the incumbent State Representative for the 13th district and running for re-election in that seat. On January 7, 2020, she was appointed to fill a vacancy in the State Senate seat for 11th district.
References
1 2 "What We Do". United Working Families. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
1 2 3 Farmer, Stephanie; Noonan, Sean (2019-11-13). "Chicago Unions Building a Left-Labor-Community Coalition, United Working Families, to Restore Working-Class Democracy". Labor Studies Journal. 44 (4): 388–395. doi:10.1177/0160449X19887244. ISSN0160-449X. S2CID210490217.
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