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Iowa City’s Center for Worker Justice closing permanently
The nonprofit, founded in 2012, worked to support low-wage workers, defend tenants’ rights and build more equitable communities
Jul. 10, 2025 5:59 pm, Updated: Jul. 11, 2025 7:25 am
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The Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa — an Iowa City-based nonprofit that has worked for 13 years to promote workers’ rights, defends tenants’ rights and fight for “just immigration policies” — has announced it is permanently closing after it was unable to resolve conflicts with its union staff members.
The organization posted on Facebook June 8 about three of its employees, who are members of Teamsters Local 238, going on strike after the volunteer board of directors decided not to offer a permanent position to a probationary employee.
“CWJ’s work is suspended indefinitely until this is resolved. We proposed mediators, but the Teamsters rejected them. We remain hopeful that we can resolve this dispute,” the post reads. “We look forward to coming back together with our dedicated staff, volunteers, and allies to defend our community at this critical moment and build the foundation for a better tomorrow.”
On Wednesday, almost exactly a month after the post about the strike, the center posted a news release stating the board has decided to permanently close the nonprofit’s doors.
“We came to this decision in response to severe external political threats and irreconcilable divisions within the organization,” the release states.
Board member Loxi Hopkins said the closure is a direct result of the strike going unresolved.
“As it appeared less likely all the time that we were going to be able to resolve that, we ultimately came to the conclusion that we couldn’t see a way forward,” Hopkins said.
The Center for Worker Justice, along with several other nonprofits in Iowa City, recently was awarded a grant from the city for use during fiscal year 2026, which started July 1.
The city announced in June it would be offering the grants, which it expanded from the usual annual allocation by using money from the city’s general fund, as part of its Aid to Agencies program.
The initial recommendation from city staff who reviewed the grant requests for the year did not include any funds for the Center for Worker Justice, and also wouldn’t have granted most of the nonprofits’ requests in full, but the city council ultimately voted to approve the full request of every nonprofit that had put in a grant request for 2026. The center received $40,000 through the grant program. Hopkins said those funds will be returned to the city now that the center is closing.
“We’re in the process of returning all of our grant money, shutting down the accounts of our contributors — the regular monthly accounts — just closing everything up,” Hopkins said. “We have done a good job keeping our funds restricted, so there’s no danger of any of the funders not getting back all of their money.”
Hopkins said that despite the loss of the organization, she hopes the people that have volunteered and worked with the Center for Worker Justice will continue being a force for good in the Iowa City community, especially those who are part of marginalized groups.
“I think it’s really important right now that they have a strong voice, and I hope that they find ways with other organizations to continue their leadership roles,” she said.
Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com
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