ACLU Staff Ask Leadership to Voluntarily Recognize Staff Union
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: aclustaffunited@gmail.com, Katie Barrows, NPEU, kbarrows@npeu.org, 360-624-6936
NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2021- Today a supermajority of ACLU national workers announced intentions to unionize and form ACLU Staff United with the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU). The staff calling on Executive Director Anthony Romero to voluntarily recognize their union include staff from all departments including Legal, Administrative & Finance, Communications, Affiliate Support & Nationwide Initiatives, Development and the National Political Advocacy Department.
ACLU Staff United wants to meaningfully address retention of and investment in staff of color, particularly Black women, as well as transgender and gender non-conforming staff, formerly incarcerated staff, and staff without an ivy league degree. ACLU Staff United is also asking to negotiate a clear and equitable process for determining salaries and benefits, promotions and layoffs.
The Organizing Committee of ACLU Staff United said the following:
“Every day, the workers of the ACLU work tirelessly to defend all of our rights. Today we have formally asked management for the support we need to do our job by forming ACLU Staff United. We are proud to carry on the ACLU’s 100-year legacy of supporting the rights of employees to unionize and bargain collectively. The ACLU began with our founders taking action to fight the anti-union crusades of the 1920s. As the workers of the ACLU of today, we believe in our mission, the work we do, and each other. We believe that the principles and values we promote and defend through that work should govern our offices as well: justice, equity, transparency, cooperation, and respect. To that end, we have come together to represent, support, engage and empower all ACLU workers.”
“Management in recent months has provided considerable support to employees struggling with the pandemic, and we are thankful for their responsiveness and consideration. We want to ensure that all workers have what we need to do our jobs every day, no matter the external circumstances. We envision a future in which staff and leadership make structural decisions together, rather than in silos. We also want accountability and transparency related to retention of staff, particularly given that dozens of Black women have left our organization over the past several months.”
“We look forward to being voluntarily recognized by management and beginning contract negotiations. Any other response would be inconsistent with our organization’s history, public positions and values.”
“We are thrilled to welcome ACLU Staff United to NPEU!” said NPEU President Kayla Blado. “ACLU’s staff works everyday to defend and expand the civil rights of people across the country. Workers’ rights are civil rights and by forming a union, the staff is exercising their fundamental workplace right to bargain over the conditions of their employment. We look forward to a quick, amicable and productive recognition process with ACLU leadership.”
Follow ACLU Staff United on Twitter at @ACLUStaffUnited and @NonprofitUnion for updates on other organizing campaigns.
About NPEU:
The Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU), a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, represents professionals employed at more than 30 nonprofit organizations (and counting), including employees at Economic Policy Institute, the Center for American Progress, and Community Change. With several hundred members, NPEU gives nonprofit workers a voice to strengthen their workplaces and continue to do work that makes a difference in people’s lives.