We are parents, students, teachers, and entrepreneurs. We are Chicago business and nonprofit leaders. We are advocating for a new approach to the modern economy and for the preservation of app-based workers’ flexibility and independence.
We are the Illinois Coalition for Independent Work.
“App-based work has given people a new perspective on how they can work. Parents have the freedom to help their kids with remote schooling during the day, then make some extra money at night. Retirees have the freedom to add some much-needed cushion to their Social Security checks. Students have the freedom to prioritize their education and fit work around their class schedule, including students of job training programs who rely on supplemental income throughout their training program. That’s the beauty of app-based work – it’s flexible and provides the freedom to earn supplemental income when it’s needed.” – (Elba Aranda-Suh, Executive Director for National Latino Education Institute)
“Thousands of Illinois residents are learning that a typical, rigid 9-5 job doesn’t fit their needs and are using new ways to supplement their income to get through these hard times. Independent app-based work has been a gem discovered by tons of people around our state. It’s been a lifeline for many who need a flexible way to work and earn income.” (Jaime di Paolo, CEO of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce)
“As we continue to think critically about transportation in our city and increasing access for the folks who need it most, we cannot afford to understate the decades of mistreatment Black Chicagoans endured because of the taxi industry and how ride-shares helped level the playing field. While it’s easy to look back through rose-colored glasses, we all know it’s not the reality of history. We will not so easily forget how we were treated, and we urge others not to either.” (Larry Ivory, President and CEO at Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce)