Queens Defenders attorneys, social workers vote to unionize
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.18 COM | MARCH 19-MARCH 25, 2021
against it in a twohour
long meeting, according
to New York
Focus.
The final vote
showed a 79 percent
support of the union.
Eleven ballots were
challenged by ALAA
(three of which were
due to employees’
termination during
the election), one by
Queens Defenders
management and two
by the NLRB, according
to New York Focus.
The union drive’s
conf licts then reached
its tipping point when
management fired two
employees in February,
as staff were casting
their union votes.
The employees alleged
they were fired
in retaliation for being
vocal supporters
of the union, and received
support from
multiple prominent
Queens elected officials
in their calls for
reinstatement.
In a statement to
QNS regarding the
union vote, Queens
Defenders’ management
said they will
work with the ALAA
to “advance our organization’s
mission to
provide the highestquality
legal defense
and comprehensive
support services to the
people of Queens.”
“Our number one
priority as an organization
has always
been our clients,” Zeno
stated. “I am pleased
that each eligible staff
member had the opportunity
to vote in a secret
ballot election and
respect their decision
to unionize. Queens Defenders
remains committed
to providing a
supportive, inclusive
workplace for all staff
while elevating our
work in the communities
we so passionately
serve. Our leadership
team is ready, willing
and able to expeditiously
begin the bargaining
process for the
purpose of reaching an
agreement.”
Shalom told QNS
that they invite Zeno
to “turn a new page”
in order to improve
working conditions
for Queens Defenders’
staff — but they must
rehire the employees
they fired.
Shalom said that
one of those employees
was offered a part-time
job without health benefits
at Queens Defenders,
but that it wasn’t
ideal and they are now
considering filing an
unfair labor practice
charge with the NLRB
if the workers aren’t
rehired.
Additionally, ALAA
reported that one
Queens Defenders employee
who submitted
a notice of resignation
last week was allegedly
immediately fired for
refusing to state their
union vote — which
goes against federal
law.
“The continued violation
of federal labor
laws by management
are extremely concerning
for us,” Shalom
said.
A Queens Defenders
spokesperson declined
to comment on the
ALAA’s demands, citing
their policy of not
commenting on internal
human resources
matters.
The ALAA — UAW
Local 2325 is now in
the process of electing
a bargaining committee
and initiate steps
toward proposing an
initial agreement with
Queens Defenders.
ALAA — UAW Local
2325 has chapters at
18 nonprofits in New
York City, and represent
more than 2,200
members.
Several elected officials
have celebrated
the union victory, including
Assemblywoman
Jessica González-
Rojas — who wrote a
letter to Zeno urging
the legal aid nonprofit
to recognize the union
in January — and
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards.
“Victory! About
time the hardworking
Queens Defenders staff
are recognized,” wrote
Richards on a Facebook
post. “Thank you Association
of Legal Aid Attorneys
– UAW 2325 for
all your efforts. The
future is bright in this
proud union borough.”
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
Attorneys and social
workers at Queens
Defenders, a nonprofit
legal defense group,
voted to unionize with
the Association of
Legal Aid Attorneys
(ALAA), a union representing
workers at
legal nonprofits, in a
landslide, yet contentious
election.
With a vote of 46 in
favor and 12 opposed,
the National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB)
certified the Association
of Legal Aid Attorneys
— UAW Local
2325 chapter as the representative
of professional
staff at Queens
Defenders on Thursday,
March 11.
“We believe that although
this was a turbulent
election with
media and political
coverage, the workers
who faced intense intimidation
ultimately
persevered, and we’re
excited to welcome
them,” Alexi Shalom,
an organizer with
ALAA, told QNS.
The vote comes after
a tense two months
of public defenders and
social workers organizing
to form a union
at Queens Defenders,
which for 25 years has
served Queens residents
who can’t afford
attorneys.
In December, eligible
workers signed
union cards and said
they had 90 percent
support among them,
according to the
Queens Daily Eagle.
But they were
met with resistance
from Queens Defenders’
management and
Founder and Executive
Director Lori Zeno,
who wouldn’t voluntarily
recognize the
union and warned
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