Our organizing model
Worker organizations hold a unique and important role in broader social movements due to our expertise in economic power: how to use the power we have, and to expose and undermine the power predatory actors try to use against us.
To that end, we fight current threats while simultaneously creating a robust organizing pipeline that builds worker power. Why?
To drive and win the agenda that centers thriving lives for workers and their families all across the state.
What is organizing?
“Organizing” refers to the base-building and collective actions we take to improve our working conditions and our lives.
Our organizing is worker-led, and it informs and guides our education, legal enforcement, and narrative strategies, ensuring that every initiative is driven by and accountable to workers.
The end goal? Political power for working people. And with it, our ability to influence the conversations, policies, and leadership that impact our lives.
Our worker-led organizing model
The root of our power is in our people. We are clear about our mandate to organize, educate, and mobilize workers, especially BIPOC, immigrant, disabled & LGBTQ workers, to confront and seize power.
We focus on building a leaderful movement and implement structured leadership development programs to do so.
We use base building practices to not only bring more workers into the base but also to unite us by building a shared organizing culture, analysis, and relationship to each other.
The three pillars driving our agenda
Build a political home for Washington workers
Shifting the balance of power requires a political home where workers can see ourselves as part of a broader whole with common fights.
Grow the economic and political power of Washington workers
Our work is not limited to improving working conditions. We will be expansive in considering the arenas where we can build and flex economic and political power.
Defend and strengthen our right to make decisions about our lives
We can’t let the rich keep buying elections and taking away our right to decide. Strong democratic principles are at the center of our best worker-led campaigns and are the antidote to corporate control.
Our theory of change
Our work is guided by a clear theory of change:
We organize a multiracial base of workers across Washington so we can win bold campaigns that build worker power and challenge corporate influence, because workers taking collective action is necessary to:
- transform working conditions,
- the public narrative about the value of work,
- and our political and economic systems.
Examples of organized workers
Nuemos
We’re a group of workers who started organizing with Working Washington in 2024. Our wins have included safe staffing guarantees, pay raises, and an updated clocking-in/out system, to name just a few.
Nanny Collective
In 2018, nannies united to improve working conditions in an industry where we were denied fundamental labor protections. Today, we continue to organize to support each other and fight for the safety and dignity we deserve.
Beehive Baristas
We’re 70 Beehive baristas in Western Washington taking on a years-long wage theft fight against Beehive Espresso.