ABOUT
Illustration by Sally Wern Comport
Since our founding in 2001, Mid-Ohio Workers Association (MWA) has built a membership of over 20,000 service workers and other low-income workers throughout Franklin County and beyond. Only through building strong organization can we gain control over our living and working conditions and reverse the policies that are killing and disabling low-income workers and their families.
MWA’s uniquely successful method of Systemic Organizing enables anyone who dares to care and is willing to work to build an organization that unites low-income workers with students, professionals, small business owners, the faith community and others concerned and affected by the economic problems we face.
MWA members have built an 11-point membership benefit program of emergency food, clothing, legal advice, preventive medical care, a quarterly membership newspaper and more, while developing the organizational strength to fight and end the policies that drive up living costs and drive out living wages jobs.
MWA’s principles and programs are consistent with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each of MWA’s 11-Point Benefit Program is consistent with one of the goals as represented by the corresponding icon. Click on any SDG icon throughout this page for more information on the SDGs on the “Let’s Go Green!” page.
Read an article featuring MWA from the Columbus Dispatch.
(click the photo)
All-volunteer. Self-help.
11-point Membership Benefit Program
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
Preventive Medical Care
Volunteer doctors and other medical professionals donate their services for members. Other volunteers donate transportation, lab work and fill other needs for follow-up. Volunteer medical professionals also provide group presentations on health topics of interest to the members.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Emergency & Supplemental Food
Nonperishable food items are available for members upon request to aid with immediate needs members have. Members can also enroll in a year-round budget savings program, which includes weekly fresh grocery distributions.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Legal Advice
“Know Your Law” sessions conducted by volunteer attorneys present information about legal topics of interest to low-income workers as requested by MWA members. Legal advice is provided to a requesting member privately in Legal Advice Sessions with a volunteer attorney accompanied by a volunteer lay advocate to assist with the next steps of the attorney’s advice.
These and other membership benefits are available through request. Call MWA and speak to an organizer if you need help and to learn about other ways you can participate and build the benefit program. (614) 262-0567.
Clothing
Clothing of all sizes and seasonal needs is available at your local Benefit Office (call MWA for hours).
Non-emergency Dental Care
Volunteer dentists see members in their offices free-of-charge to provide non-emergency preventive and corrective care.
SDG 4: Quality Education
Survival English Classes
Central Ohio’s non-English speaking workforce has grown from 9% in 2006 to nearly 13% of the population in 2021. Survival English Classes teach English from the perspective of being able to to communicate to our employers, landlords and others and help build organization to address the cause of our collective problems.
MWA Receives an Award from the City of Columbus.
“To recognize and Celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Mid-Ohio Workers Association and Their Service to the City of Columbus”
Campaigns
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
MWA members, through their Service Worker Advocacy Project (SWAP), and their allies were the sole voices at the February 8, 2021 public hearing held by the Public Utility Commission of Ohio’s (PUCO) to stop the shutoffs and rate hikes. MWA and SWAP also led a postcard campaign to PUCO. On March 16, 2021, PUCO denied AEP’s request and lowered rates for a total savings of $110 million for AEP customers.
MWA Members Lead the Fight for Affordable, Sustainable Energy for All.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
MWA Members Demonstrate Labor Solidarity with Local Teachers, Nurses and Trade Unions
While MWA’s members are by and large not eligible for traditional labor unions and are dedicated to building a new type of labor organization, MWA stands in solidarity with organized labor and furnishes support to union efforts to secure better treatment from their employers. With most workers unorganized and desperately in need, there is a lot of work to do!
MWA with the Union Teachers
MWA with Union Nurses