United Working Families
United Working Families is an independent political organization based in Chicago, Illinois. It was formed in 2014 as a coalition between the Chicago Teachers Union, SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana, Grassroots Illinois Action, and Action Now. Although it is not a formal political party, the organization recruits and trains political candidates and organizers, endorses and provides support to political candidates, and engages in community organizing. Its stated goal is to "create space for independent politics" in Chicago and Illinois and to enact a "vision for a city and a state that provides for the many, not just the wealthy few." The organization has been characterized as part of the progressive movement and the labor movement.
Electoral politics
2015 Chicago municipal elections
In 2015, UWF backed the candidacy of Jesus "Chuy" Garcia against incumbent mayor Rahm Emanuel. Garcia placed second in the first round and proceeded to the run-off election, where he lost to Emanuel.The below table shows the candidates endorsed by UWF in the 2015 Chicago aldermanic election.
| Candidate | Ward | Status | Result | Percentage of votes won |
| Leslie Hairston | 5 | Incumbent | Won in first round | 52.55% |
| Roderick Sawyer | 6 | Incumbent | Won in first round | 56.2% |
| Tara Baldridge | 8 | Challenger | Lost in first round | 15.67% |
| Susan Sadlowski-Garza | 10 | Challenger | Won in run-off | 50.09% ; 24.09% |
| Toni Foulkes | 16 | Incumbent | Won in run-off | 50.94% ; 47.65% |
| David Moore | 17 | Open seat | Won in first round | 52.93% |
| Ricardo Muñoz | 22 | Incumbent | Won in first round | 57.65% |
| Juanita Izirray | 26 | Challenger | Lost in first round | 33.89% |
| Zerlina Smith | 29 | Challenger | Lost in first round | 4.66% |
| Scott Waugespack | 32 | Incumbent | Won in first round | 78.95% |
| Tim Meegan | 33 | Challenger | Lost in first round | 34.01% |
| Carlos Ramirez-Rosa | 35 | Challenger | Won in first round | 67.26% |
| Tara Stamps | 37 | Challenger | Lost in run-off | 46.99% ; 32.13% |
| Nicholas Sposato | 38 | Incumbent | Won in first round | 53.58% |
| John Arena | 45 | Incumbent | Won in run-off | 53.89% ; 45.46% |
2018 Illinois and Cook County elections
UWF endorsed the following candidates in the 2018 Illinois elections:| Candidate | Office | Status | Result |
| Delia Ramirez | Illinois House of Representatives, 4th district | Open seat | Won in Democratic primary and general election |
| Aaron Ortiz | Illinois House of Representatives, 1st district | Challenger | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
| Brandon Johnson | Cook County Board of Commissioners, 1st district | Challenger | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
| Alma Anaya | Cook County Board of Commissioners, 7th district | Open seat | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
2019 Chicago municipal elections
UWF did not make an endorsement in the 2019 mayoral election, but did create a digital advertisement featuring activists who critiqued candidate Lori Lightfoot for actions during her tenure as president of the Chicago Police Board. Lightfoot proceeded to win the election.The below table shows the candidates endorsed by UWF in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election. All endorsed candidates who won would later join the City Council's Progressive Reform Caucus.
| Candidate | Ward | Status | Early endorsement | Result | Percentage of votes won |
| Cleopatra Watson | 9 | Challenger | No | Lost in first round | 25.80% |
| Susan Sadlowski Garza | 10 | Incumbent | Yes | Won in first round | 68.82% |
| Tanya Patiño | 14 | Challenger | No | Lost in first round | 29.40% |
| Rafael Yañez | 15 | Challenger | No | Lost in run-off | 40.30% ; 21.83% |
| Jeanette Taylor | 20 | Open seat | Yes | Won in run-off | 59.71% ; 28.78% |
| Michael Rodríguez | 22 | Open seat | Yes | Won in first round | 63.80% |
| Byron Sigcho-Lopez | 25 | Open seat | No | Won in run-off | 54.20% ; 29.23% |
| Rossana Rodríguez Sanchez | 33 | Challenger | Yes | Won in run-off | 50.06% ; 42.05% |
| Carlos Ramirez-Rosa | 35 | Incumbent | Yes | Won in first round | 59.43% |
| Tara Stamps | 37 | Challenger | No | Lost in first round | 40.17% |
| Andre Vasquez | 40 | Challenger | No | Won in run-off | 53.87% ; 20.09% |
| John Arena | 45 | Incumbent | No | Lost in first round | 36.21% |
| Erika Wozniak Francis | 46 | Challenger | Yes | Lost in first round | 16.84% |
| Matt Martin | 47 | Open seat | No | Won in run-off | 62.50% ; 39.31% |
| Maria Hadden | 49 | Challenger | Yes | Won in first round | 63.37% |
2020 Illinois and Cook County elections
The below table shows candidates endorsed by UWF in the 2020 Illinois elections. The organization also endorsed Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party presidential primary election.| Candidate | Office | Status | Result |
| Kim Foxx | Cook County State's Attorney | Incumbent | Won in Democratic primary; general election pending |
| Celina Villanueva | Illinois Senate, 11th district | Incumbent | Ran unopposed in Democratic primary and general election |
| Robert Peters | Illinois Senate, 13th district | Incumbent | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
| Aaron Ortiz | Illinois House of Representatives, 1st district | Incumbent | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
| Theresa Mah | Illinois House of Representatives, 2nd district | Incumbent | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
| Nidia Carranza | Illinois House of Representatives, 3rd district | Challenger | Lost in Democratic primary |
| Delia Ramirez | Illinois House of Representatives, 4th district | Incumbent | Ran unopposed in Democratic primary and general election |
| Lakesia Collins | Illinois House of Representatives, 9th district | Open seat | Won in Democratic primary; unchallenged in general election |
| Will Guzzardi | Illinois House of Representatives, 39th district | Incumbent | Ran unopposed in Democratic primary and general election |
Policy agenda
In May 2019, all UWF-endorsed candidates who won in the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election signed onto a legislative policy agenda entitled "Our 100 Day Plan to Reimagine Chicago." The agenda includes ordinances supporting public housing and affordable housing, a new real estate transfer tax, an increased minimum wage, a Community Benefits Agreement for the Obama Presidential Center, eliminating exemptions in Chicago's welcoming city ordinance, and reform of tax increment financing.In November 2019, aldermen affiliated with UWF hosted a series of town halls on the city budget, in support of their proposed alternatives to Mayor Lightfoot's budget. The organization itself released a statement opposing the mayor's budget on the grounds that it lacked funding for affordable housing, failed to re-open closed mental health clinics, and did not contain sufficient progressive revenue measures. On November 26, eight of the nine UWF-endorsed aldermen voted against Lightfoot's budget proposal, which passed by a vote of 39–11.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, UWF worked with other community organizations and some local elected officials to create and endorse a "Right to Recovery" package at the city, county, and state levels. The package would include paid emergency leave, emergency housing for those unable to self-quarantine, a moratorium on Immigration and Customs Enforcement check-ins, and weekly payments of $750 to families with children and workers facing layoffs and furloghs.