In 2014, the Central Ohio Worker Center (COWC) was formed to help build a stronger Central Ohio for low wage and immigrant workers. As we wrap up 2024, the list of accomplishments and contributions are numerous. Ten years of May Day Celebrations have taken place, each year the event has grown and transformed into what it is today: a celebration and resource fair featuring dancing, local unions, legal support, delicious food, government agencies, kids activities including a huge book give-away from our friends at the Ohio Federation of Teachers, other non profits, and community. In 2024, 300 people came through the doors to help celebrate workers. Supporting the passage of the Wage Theft Ordinance has been one of the biggest accomplishments the center has seen. With years of advocacy, the ordinance passed in September 2020. It is one of the strongest municipal wage theft ordinances in the country. COWC has also supported community members in sanctuary and other forms of deportation defense, built power with the Coalition of Immokalee workers with the Fair Food Campaign, advocated for worker friendly policies on the state and city level, rallied behind increasing the minimum wage, and have played a valuable role in connecting workers to local unions.

The COWC assists individuals and groups of people who have experienced wage theft. In the past decade, hundreds of workers have been connected to resources and supported as they fight for their appropriate rights. Over the years the Worker Center referred a growing number of wage theft and immigration cases to private and legal aid attorneys, resulting in the recovery of thousands of dollars of unpaid wages for individual workers, and assisted a group of construction workers filing a mechanic's lien against a large property developer leading to the recovery of over $25,000 in lost wages. In 2024 alone, 160 people received support from the COWC for workplace violations. Since 2021, COWC has been publishing and distributing a 30 page Know Your Rights handbook, in English and Spanish. Since then, this powerful resource has been updated 4 times with current rules and regulations. It’s available as a free download on the COWC website and is available in print at events and trainings. Almost 450 printed handbooks were distributed in 2024. 

Beatiz Acuña, a COWC member who worked with COWC after experiencing wage theft, said that this work helps “Unite our knowledge and past experiences to raise our voice for the workers of tomorrow. We will not stop fighting for our rights.” 

With ten years of building community, resources, and worker protections, the COWC looks forward to growing a better and safer city for low wage and immigrant workers moving forward. Claudia, COWC Program Director, shares “The struggle for justice is a shared responsibility. We must protect our dignity and refuse to allow anyone to diminish our self-worth. The future belongs to all of us, and by standing together, we can create a community where everyone's rights are honored and protected.”