Solidarity Center

The Solidarity Center is a leading U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization that works internationally with unions and worker associations to advance democracy, workers’ rights, economic security, and workplace safety and health. As a 501(c)(3) organization, The Solidarity Center operates programs in 70 countries and partners with more than 900 unions, community groups, and grassroots organizations. Through these partnerships, it provides workers with the tools needed to form unions, negotiate fairly, and work toward a future rooted in dignity and opportunity.

Understanding the daily challenges that workers face is central to the Solidarity Center’s mission. The organization supports workers as they pursue their fundamental democratic rights and strive to live free from exploitation, suppression, and violence. Its goal is to ensure that workers can participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities.

The Solidarity Center, in Washington, DC., collaborates with labor and human rights partners worldwide to promote the principles that sustain healthy democracies. These principles include the freedom to join together, express opinions openly, and live under laws that apply equally to all. Such conditions allow people to build stronger lives and contribute to more stable societies.

The Solidarity Center helps workers strengthen their collective voice, especially those facing exploitation or unsafe working conditions. Many workers are not alone in their efforts to secure fair treatment; they have an organization committed to breaking down systemic barriers, expanding democratic participation, and supporting workers as they move toward more just workplaces. This support allows workers to gain confidence, understand their rights, and create change through collective action.

The organization works directly with workers to create safer and fairer workplaces. This includes advancing efforts that support living wages, healthy working environments, and paid sick leave. By listening to workers who best understand their own realities, the Solidarity Center helps develop practical strategies that lead to meaningful improvements and greater workplace dignity.

A significant aspect of this work involves assisting workers in organizing and advocating for improved wages, benefits, and working conditions. The Solidarity Center provides training, legal support, and other resources that help build strong, independent unions capable of achieving real change.

The organization’s global efforts also benefit people in the United States by supporting fair labor standards worldwide. When working people everywhere have safe conditions and fair wages, U.S. industries face less pressure to relocate jobs, and American workers benefit from a more balanced labor market. The Solidarity Center also supports responsible supply chains by helping prevent child labor, forced labor, and unsafe exploitation.

Since its founding in 1997, the Solidarity Center has made significant progress. In 2024, Thailand’s Minister of Labor announced a partnership aimed at strengthening workers’ rights and enhancing workplace safety. The organization also helped secure a $70 million investment in essential healthcare services for Nigerian workers and contributed to significant improvements in factory safety in Bangladesh. The nonprofit holds a four-star, 97 percent rating from Charity Navigator, reflecting strong performance and accountability.