WorkFriends

WorkFriends is a pro-labor media studio and cooperative based in Chicago, United States, founded in 2021. The agency combines strategic video production and earned media to shape public conversations around union organizing, labor disputes, workers' rights, and political candidates. Rather than operating as a traditional PR firm, WorkFriends positions itself as a media partner for organizations and campaigns that center the interests of working people.

Services and Capabilities

WorkFriends specializes in blending visual storytelling with earned media strategy to amplify labor-focused narratives. Their core services include video creation—from short-form content for social media to longer documentary-style pieces—and earned media strategy that helps clients secure press coverage and control their messaging. The agency also offers media relations support, crisis communications for labor disputes, and narrative development for unionization campaigns. While their service list is deliberately focused, WorkFriends typically provides:

• Video production and editing for campaigns and advocacy
• Earned media strategy and media pitching
• Narrative framing and message development for pro-labor causes
• Press release writing and media kit preparation
• Social media content aligned with labor organizing
• Crisis communications for labor disputes and worker rights issues
• Political candidate media support

Who They Help

WorkFriends serves unions, worker advocacy groups, political campaigns, and organizations that support workers' rights. Their clients are typically involved in unionizing efforts, labor negotiations, or public campaigns aimed at improving conditions for working people. The agency's pro-union, pro-labor stance is explicit, making them a natural fit for groups that need communications support aligned with their values. WorkFriends also works with progressive political candidates who want to reach working-class audiences through authentic media narratives rather than traditional advertising.

Approach and Philosophy

As a cooperative, WorkFriends operates differently from most PR agencies. The agency is structured as a worker-owned co-op, meaning the people creating the content and strategy also have ownership in the business. This structure mirrors their pro-labor ethos. Their approach combines video production—often capturing real-time organizing moments—with earned media pitching to create stories that resonate with both local and national audiences. WorkFriends focuses on influencing media narratives by providing journalists with compelling visual assets and well-framed story angles that center worker perspectives. This hybrid model of video and PR allows them to control the narrative from production through distribution.

Location and Credentials

Based in Chicago, Illinois, United States (specifically the 60641 zip code), WorkFriends draws on the city's deep labor history and its current role as a hub for organizing efforts. The agency's location in Chicago gives them proximity to major unions, labor coalitions, and progressive political campaigns in the Midwest. Founded in 2021, WorkFriends has quickly established itself as a go-to media firm for labor communications, particularly in video storytelling. Their cooperative structure and explicit pro-labor positioning differentiate them from generalist PR agencies in the region.

WorkFriends is a strong fit for unions, worker centers, labor advocacy groups, and progressive political candidates who need strategic video and media relations support. Organizations looking for a communications partner that understands the nuances of labor organizing and can produce compelling visual content will find value in their services. The agency is less suited for corporate clients or those seeking traditional consumer PR, as their focus is squarely on workers' rights and labor issues.