Workers Defense Project

About Workers Defense 

We are a statewide, member-led organization fighting for fair wages, safe job sites, and respect for all working people. Founded in Texas nearly 25 years ago, we stand alongside construction workers, immigrant families, and low-wage workers who are too often exploited and silenced.

With our members, the heart of our movement, we have won landmark victories like rest breaks for construction workers in Austin and Dallas, millions of dollars in recovered stolen wages, and critical safety training that has saved lives.

We believe in a Texas where every worker is treated with dignity, paid fairly, and goes home safe at the end of the day.

Our Impact:

With your support, this past year we: 

• Reached 6,262 members statewide
• Trained 892 people in “Know Your Rights” workshops
• Provided legal support to 163 workers facing wage theft or workplace abuse
• Delivered $24,000 in emergency storm relief to Dallas & Houston workers
• Impacted 3,049 construction workers through our Better Builder® program
• Gave 842 workers OSHA safety training and 791 workers workers’ comp for the first time
• Corrected 118 safety violations and recovered $18,000 in owed wages on Better Builder® sites
• Knocked 50,743 doors to grow the movement for worker & immigrant justice

These victories are proof that when workers have the tools, training, and support they deserve,  they can win real, lasting change.

Why Give Today

Your gift helps workers:

• Win back unpaid wages
• Access free legal support
• Organize for better working condition
• Get safety training to prevent injuries in the workplace

Every contribution, whether $10 or $1,000, goes directly to empowering workers to stand up for their rights and create lasting change in our communities

The Impact of Your Support

 - $25 provides materials for a “Know Your Rights” workshop for workers and their families.

- $50 covers the cost of a safety training for a construction worker.

- $100 helps a worker file a wage theft claim and begin the process of recovering stolen pay.

- $250 supports a worker-led campaign to advocate for stronger labor protections in Texas.

This North Texas Giving Day, we’re calling on our community to stand in solidarity with the workers who build our homes, offices, schools, and roads. They deserve not just our thanks, but fair pay, safe working conditions, and a voice in the decisions that impact their lives.

Give today, and together we can build a Texas that works for everyone.

Campaign Highlights

Heat Safety: In 2024, our long-term advocacy helped push OSHA to propose a federal heat safety standard - a milestone that will save lives. We held workshops, distributed hydration kits, trained worker leaders, collected 131 public comments from frontline workers, and reached over 253,000 people through a viral TikTok series in Spanish.

Better Builder®: We secured commitments from developers for 45 new projects, improving workplace standards for thousands of construction workers. Our monitors corrected safety hazards, recovered stolen wages, and expanded access to OSHA training and workers’ comp.

Defensores Laborales: We launched a new program training members to provide peer-to-peer legal support, recovering wages, advocating for safety, and advancing systemic change.

Workplace Justice: From factory workers in Houston to hotel workers in Austin, we stood with workers facing unsafe conditions, wage theft, and retaliation, helping them file legal complaints, win immigration relief, and keep organizing for dignity on the job.