CTUL Action Fund

CTUL Action Fund CTUL Action Fund is a vehicle for low wage workers to build power and have a voice in the decision making that impacts our everyday lives.

We engage in public advocacy, lobbying, and voter registration and mobilization to build civic engagement.

🍂Happy Fall Equinox from CTUL Action Fund!🍂We cannot believe that Fall is already upon us! At CTUL this means our annual...
09/21/2026

🍂Happy Fall Equinox from CTUL Action Fund!🍂
We cannot believe that Fall is already upon us! At CTUL this means our annual gala is just around the corner. We are so looking forward to celebrating a long year of building worker power with you. Have you gotten your tickets yet? 

🍁CTUL and CTUL Action Fund’s 2026 Co-hosted Gala: “Worker Power Means all of Us” 
🍁Thursday, November 12th, 6:00-9:00 pm CST  
🍁First Universalist Church: 3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

🍂¡Feliz equinoccio de otoño de parte de CTUL Fondo de Acción!🍂
¡No podemos creer que ya esté aquí el otoño! En CTUL, esto significa que nuestra gala anual está a la vuelta de la esquina. Tenemos muchas ganas de celebrar contigo un largo año dedicado a fortalecer el poder de los trabajadores. ¿Ya compraste tus boletos?

🍁Gala copatrocinada por CTUL y CTUL Fondo de Acción 2026: «El poder de los trabajadores nos incluye a todos»
🍁Jueves 12 de noviembre, de 6:00 a 9:00 pm CST
🍁First Universalist Church: 3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

On Thursday, Minneapolis’ 2nd annual Dinner Du Nord was held - an event that brings people together on Nicollet Ave in D...
09/14/2026

On Thursday, Minneapolis’ 2nd annual Dinner Du Nord was held - an event that brings people together on Nicollet Ave in Downtown Minneapolis to break bread over “America’s longest dinner table.” It’s meant to be a celebration of our city’s restaurant scene and a signal that Downtown Minneapolis “is back”...but what about the workers?

The skits that workers performed highlighted issues that are pervasive in the Twin Cities restaurant industry and uplifted what workers need to see change, such as: 
💥Access to healthcare  
💥Consistent schedule and pay 
💥Freedom from discrimination and harassment
💥Ability to exercise workplace rights without fear of retaliation

Restaurant industry workers are essential to Minneapolis. Without them, events like Dinner Du Nord wouldn’t be possible. It is time that workers have a seat at the table in Minneapolis’ vision for recovery and revitalization. Support workers today by demanding full funding for the co-enforcement program: bit.ly/fund-co-enforcement.

El jueves se llevó a cabo la segunda edición anual de la “Dinner Du Nord” de Minneapolis, un evento que reúne a la gente en la avenida Nicollet, en el centro de Minneapolis, para compartir el pan en “la mesa más larga de Estados Unidos”. Su objetivo es celebrar la escena gastronómica de nuestra ciudad y enviar el mensaje de que el centro de Minneapolis “ha vuelto”… pero los trabajadores, ¿qué?

Las obras de teatro que interpretaron los trabajadores pusieron de relieve problemas generalizados en la industria de restaurantes de las Ciudades Gemelas y resaltaron lo que los trabajadores necesitan para que haya un cambio, como por ejemplo:
 
    💥Acceso a la atención médica
    💥Horario y salario fijos
    💥Ausencia de discriminación y acoso
    💥Posibilidad de ejercer los derechos laborales sin temor a represalias

Los trabajadores del sector de restaurantes son esenciales para Minneapolis. Sin ellos, eventos como Dinner Du Nord no serían posibles. Ya es hora de que los trabajadores tengan un lugar en la mesa de las decisiones sobre la visión de Minneapolis para la recuperación y la revitalización. Apoya a los trabajadores hoy mismo exigiendo la finación completa del pro

Too often, workers don’t have a seat at the table when it comes to the City of Minneapolis’ vision for recovery and revi...
09/10/2026

Too often, workers don’t have a seat at the table when it comes to the City of Minneapolis’ vision for recovery and revitalization. 

That’s why, right now, restaurant and hospitality workers are sharing their reality through  Theater Du Nord 2026: a chance to uplift the perspective of workers through playful street theater while the City hosts its second annual Dinner Du Nord.

City-sponsored events like Dinner Du Nord promote a vision of Downtown Minneapolis’ leisure industry that doesn’t reflect the experience of the workers who make the industry run. We know that the best way to create a thriving restaurant and hospitality industry is by investing in the health and safety of its workers, and protecting programs like the co-enforcement program, which ensures that workers have access to the resources they need to fight against wage theft and unfair labor practices.

Come downtown and join the show!

**HAPPENING NOW**At this year’s Dinner Du Nord, workers want to know: are health and safety on the menu?While city-spons...
09/10/2026

**HAPPENING NOW**
At this year’s Dinner Du Nord, workers want to know: are health and safety on the menu?

While city-sponsored events like this try to lift up our hospitality industry, in reality, workers are struggling to recover from Operation Metro Surge – and if the city slashes the budget for the co-enforcement program, that crisis will only get worse. That’s why, at this moment, workers are putting on street theater next to Dinner Du Nord to uplift voices of the people who don’t get a seat at the table.

09/10/2026

Did you know that 60% of restaurant and hospitality workers struggle with their mental health? Furthermore, nearly 70% of those workers say that their job is the #1 cause of their mental health struggles such as depression and feelings of suicide. 

Restaurant workers deserve better. They deserve health and safety, which means being able to take sick time without facing retaliation, having paid vacation time so they have time for themselves and their families, protection from wage theft, and access to health care.

Right now the City’s co-enforcement program, which ensures workers have basic workplace protections, is at risk of being cut by two-thirds in the 2027-2028 budget. According to data from 2023, the restaurant industry suffers the highest rates of minimum wage violations and wage theft in the Twin Cities area. We cannot afford to severely cut a program that ensures workers have basic health and safety protections as well as wage theft protections, especially as the industry is still recovering from the devastation of Operation Metro Surge.

Make your voice heard and demand full funding for the co-enforcement program today: Bit.ly/fund-co-enforcement.

[Español abajo] Last weekend, our Leaders in Action cohort came together to learn how to organize across race, gender an...
09/03/2026

[Español abajo] Last weekend, our Leaders in Action cohort came together to learn how to organize across race, gender and class within racialized capitalism. These worker-leaders are skilling up on how to continue building worker power to resist rising authoritarianism.

Billionaires and extremist politicians are currently trying to hold onto power by turning us against our neighbors and our communities. But workers know better. Diversity is our greatest strength, and if we want to protect our rights as workers and freedoms as voters, we must mobilize across lines that are manufactured to keep us divided. 

The Leaders in Action program equips workers with the tools they need to organize across race and class and build a coalition that protects all workers. To support the program, go to: https://bit.ly/SupportLIA. 

El fin de semana pasado, nuestro grupo de «Líderes en Acción» se reunió para aprender a organizarse más allá de las barreras de raza, género y clase social en el marco del capitalismo racializado. Estos líderes trabajadores están adquiriendo habilidades para seguir fortaleciendo el poder de los trabajadores y resistir el autoritarismo creciente.

Los multimillonarios y los políticos extremistas están intentando actualmente aferrarse al poder enfrentándonos a nuestros vecinos y a nuestras comunidades. Pero los trabajadores sabemos que no es así. La diversidad es nuestra mayor fortaleza, y si queremos proteger nuestros derechos como trabajadores y nuestras libertades como votantes, debemos movilizarnos más allá de las divisiones que se crean artificialmente para mantenernos separados.

El programa «Líderes en Acción» les brinda a los trabajadores las herramientas que necesitan para organizarse sin distinción de raza ni clase y construir una coalición que proteja a todos los trabajadores. Para apoyar el programa, visita: https://bit.ly/SupportLIA

For years, CTUL has worked proudly with the city of Minneapolis to protect workers. Under the co-enforcement program, a ...
08/27/2026

For years, CTUL has worked proudly with the city of Minneapolis to protect workers. Under the co-enforcement program, a partnership between the city and worker centers, workers are trained on basic workplace rights, and gain the essential skills to speak out against labor violations. To date, this partnership has helped workers recover nearly $3 million in stolen wages.

Unfortunately, right now, the future of this program is unclear. Under the Mayor’s budget proposal, the co-enforcement program would lose two-thirds of its funding.

Workers have already lost too much. During Operation Metro Surge, workers lost $153 million in wages — never mind the incalculable pain of seeing friends and family members threatened, beaten, and taken from their homes. Gutting the co-enforcement program would remove a critical pillar of support as workers continue to recover.

As city leaders finalize the budget, workers will be at City Hall to speak out on the ways cutting this program will put us at risk.  Make your voice heard and demand full funding for the co-enforcement program today: http://bit.ly/fund-co-enforcement

For years, CTUL has worked proudly with the city of Minneapolis to protect workers. Under the co-enforcement program, a partnership between the city and worker centers, workers are trained on basic workplace rights, and gain the essential skills to speak out against labor violations. To date, this partnership has helped workers recover nearly $3 million in stolen wages.

Unfortunately, right now, the future of this program is unclear. Under the Mayor’s budget proposal, the co-enforcement program would lose two-thirds of its funding.

Workers have already lost too much. During Operation Metro Surge, workers lost $153 million in wages — never mind the incalculable pain of seeing friends and family members threatened, beaten, and taken from their homes. Gutting the co-enforcement program would remove a critical pillar of support as workers continue to recover.

As city leaders finalize the budget, workers will be at City Hall to speak out on the ways cutting this program will put us at risk.  Make your voice heard and demand full funding for the co-enforcement pr

In Minneapolis, workers are still recovering from the devastating financial and psychological impacts of Operation Metro...
08/20/2026

In Minneapolis, workers are still recovering from the devastating financial and psychological impacts of Operation Metro Surge. As our communities continue to heal, we must also take action to ensure that terror campaigns like this one never happen again.

That’s why CTUL Action Fund started our Leaders In Action program. We’re helping workers get the tools and skills they need to speak up for themselves and speak out against authoritarianism.

This weekend, our cohort of worker-leaders will meet for their third training, focused on organizing across race, class, and all things meant to keep us divided. As we approach the midterm elections, these worker leaders will put their skills to work to ensure that local, state, and national politicians are chosen by us, not bought by billionaires.

If you want to support these workers, you can donate to our Leaders In Action program at the link in our bio or at http://bit.ly/SupportLIA. 

[Beautiful art by Fernando Martí Fernando Martí for the 2020 Dissenters’ portfolio and booklet “DE-MIL-I-TA-RISE”]

En Minneapolis, los trabajadores aún se están recuperando de los devastadores impactos financieros y psicológicos de la “Operación Metro Surge”. A medida que nuestras comunidades continúan sanando, también debemos tomar medidas para garantizar que campañas de terror como esta nunca vuelvan a ocurrir.

Es por eso que CTUL Fondo de Acción lanzó nuestro programa “Líderes en Acción”. Estamos ayudando a los trabajadores a obtener las herramientas y habilidades que necesitan para defenderse y alzar la voz contra el autoritarismo.

Este fin de semana, nuestro grupo de líderes trabajadores se reunirá para su tercera capacitación, enfocada en la organización más allá de la raza, la clase social y todo aquello que busca mantenernos divididos. A medida que nos acercamos a las elecciones de mitad de período, estos líderes trabajadores pondrán en práctica sus habilidades para garantizar que los políticos locales, estatales y nacionales sean elegidos por nosotros, no comprados por multimillonarios.

Si quieres apoyar a estos trabajadores, puedes hacer una donación a nuestro programa «Líderes en Acción» en el enlace de nuestra biografí

[Español abajo] Happy Election Day, Minneapolis! El voto es poder. Voting is power. Elections affect many areas of our l...
08/11/2026

[Español abajo] Happy Election Day, Minneapolis! El voto es poder. Voting is power. Elections affect many areas of our lives: from healthcare and housing to labor and immigration enforcement. The primary is our chance to ensure worker power is heard at the ballot box. Find your polling location now at https://pollfinder.sos.mn.gov/. 

¡Feliz día de elecciones, Minnesota! El voto es poder. Las elecciones afectan muchos aspectos de nuestras vidas: desde la atención médica y la vivienda hasta el ámbito laboral y la la actividad de agentes federales. Las elecciones primarias son nuestra oportunidad para asegurarnos de que la voz de los trabajadores se escuche en las urnas. Encuentra tu centro de votación ahora en https://pollfinder.sos.mn.gov/

NB: Art by movement artists and comrade Nicolas Lampert. This graphic was originally made for the 2020 presidential election cycle and organizing the Black and Brown vote in Milwaukee, WI. Wisconsin also has their primary today - Midwest strong! 💪

“El Voto Derriba Muros” por Celeste Contreras / “Voting Breaks Down Walls” by Celeste Contreras[English below] Por qué e...
08/10/2026

“El Voto Derriba Muros” por Celeste Contreras / “Voting Breaks Down Walls” by Celeste Contreras

[English below] Por qué es importante votar en las elecciones primarias? Las elecciones pueden afectar muchos aspectos de nuestras vidas: desde la atención médica y la vivienda hasta el ámbito laboral y la aplicación de las leyes de inmigración. Las primarias son nuestra oportunidad de asegurarnos de que la voz de los trabajadores se escuche en las urnas.
A continuación, te presentamos tres pasos sencillos para participar en las elecciones primarias del 11 de agosto: 
    ✅Decide si quieres votar hoy por adelantado o mañana, el día de las elecciones.
    ✅Averigua quiénes son los candidatos que aparecen en tu boleta electoral este año, desde las elecciones para el consejo municipal hasta los candidatos al Senado de los Estados Unidos.
    ✅Dile a tus amigos, familiares y vecinos que voten, porque todos debemos defender a los trabajadores y hacer oír nuestra voz.

La democracia está en juego este noviembre. ¡Asegurémonos de que la voz de los trabajadores se haga oír en las urnas en estas primarias!

Why is it important to vote in primary elections? Elections can affect many areas of our lives: from healthcare and housing to labor and immigration enforcement. The primary is our chance to ensure worker power is heard at the ballot box. 

Below are three simple steps for participating in the August 11 primary election: 

    ✅Decide if you want to vote early today or on Election Day tomorrow. 
    ✅Learn who’s on your ballot this year, from local city council races to candidates for U.S. Senate. 
    ✅Tell your friends, family, and neighbors to vote—because we all need to stand up for workers and make our voices heard. 

Democracy is on the ballot this November. Let’s make sure worker power is heard in the ballot box this primary!

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3715 Chicago Avenue
Minneapolis, MN
55407

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