After nearly one year of this global pandemic, it is clear that universal, guaranteed healthcare is not only sound public health policy, but a necessity for a just economic recovery that centers racial and economic justice.  The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys – UAW Local 2325 is a labor union of more than 2,000 attorneys, social workers, paralegals, investigators, and other legal advocates in the NYC metro area employed at more than 20 non-profit organizations. Every day our clients face the collateral consequences of medical debt and inequitable access to quality healthcare.

The Joint Council of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 passed the following resolution unanimously:

WHEREAS, The Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA) proposes that the US government cut funding to the Philippine government, which uses state terror to target activists, union leaders, and lawyers doing the same kind of work that members of ALAA do and;

Charges were filed today with the National Labor Relations Board by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 against Queens Defenders. The charges allege that Queens Defenders violated federal labor law by terminating 2 employees in retaliation for their union activity and moving up the end date of a third who had submitted her resignation. The Union has previously called for the initial two employees to be reinstated with full back pay.

QUEENS, NY--After a lengthy battle with Queens Defenders management, including the firing of two beloved employees, the National Labor Relations Board has certified the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 as the representative of professional staff at Queens Defenders in a vote of 46-12 with the Union winning 79% of the vote. Queens Defenders Executive Director had notably previously claimed that the ALAA did not “have 90%. They’re full of s--t”. Not all eligible votes were counted, as, during the ballot count, Queens Defenders challenged the votes of 8 voters who returned ballots alleging, in Trumpian fashion, that the Union was promoting “voter fraud” as well as the ballots of the 3 employees who have been fired during the election campaign. The Union will now move to elect a bargaining committee and begin bargaining in earnest towards a first collective bargaining agreement with Queens Defenders.

Queens, NY -- Staff at Queens Defenders were deeply disappointed and concerned to learn of the summary firing this week of two colleagues in apparent retaliation for their union activities. Queens Defenders’ Executive Director, Lori Zeno, terminated both employees in the midst of a union-drive at the organization; at a time when employees were expected to be receiving and returning union-election ballots to the National Labour Relations Board. Queens Defenders’ Attorneys and Social Workers regard this action as an illegal and immoral attempt to intimidate employees against organizing and forming a union.

We applaud the state legislature, Senator Hoylman, Assemblymember Paulin, and Governor Cuomo for repealing the #WalkingWhileTrans ban and sealing prior violations and convictions. For far too long law enforcement has weaponized this statute to target Black and brown cisgender and transgender women and non-binary folks who are hailing a taxi, smoking a cigarette, waiting for a bus, or simply trying to exist in other spaces. Violations and convictions under the statute had dire consequences for immigration, housing, employment, and accessing education. The communities disproportionately targeted because of this statute already face high levels of discrimination, and removing the barriers that this staute and prior records impose is a tremendous win for our clients. 

Today, the Office of the Appellate Defender recognized the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 as the collective bargaining representative of its workers. OAD represents individuals experiencing poverty, who are predominantly Black and Brown and have shouldered the burden and trauma of racism, mass incarceration, over-policing, over-criminalization, and anti-Black violence. While OAD takes an expansive view of appellate practice and the collateral consequences of incarceration, we also recognize the intersection and impact of other oppressive systems causing economic anxiety, food insecurity, environmental injustice, inadequate housing, lack of education resources, and lack of access to quality healthcare. Both OAD and ALAA believe that it is crucial that we train our sights on these issues facing so many individuals, families, and communities. It is with this focus that OAD and the Union agree to work towards reaching a collective bargaining agreement as thoughtfully and expeditiously as possible.

New York, NY - Staff Attorneys, Senior Staff Attorneys, and members of the Operations and Client Services teams at the Office of the Appellate Defender (OAD) today announced their intent to join the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 by filing an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). OAD is New York City’s second-oldest public defense office providing appellate and post-conviction representation to indigent clients in Manhattan and the Bronx. In an effort to avoid a protracted NLRB election, OAD staff has called on management to voluntarily recognize their union and begin directly bargaining with them.

Queens, NY -- Staff at Queens Defenders (QD) today announced their intent to form a chapter of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 by filing an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board. QD provides criminal defense and related services for indigent clients in Queens.  The almost seventy staff members are composed of criminal defense attorneys, immigration attorneys, forensic social workers, and law graduates.  QD staff expressed their desire to avoid a lengthy National Labor Relations Board election, and instead begin directly bargaining with management immediately after voluntary recognition of their union.

We thank the Office of Civil Justice for holding this meeting, and for giving our union the opportunity to testify. My name is Jared Trujillo and I am president of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (UAW Local 2325), a union of more than 2,100 legal workers at 17 different legal organizations in New York. Together with the Legal Services Staff Association (UAW Local 2320) we represent the majority of housing legal workers funded by the city.

Workers at Catholic Migration Services, a non-profit run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, were swiftly recognized as a union by CMS Management, and will soon head into negotiations to bargain a first contract. The thirty workers, including attorneys, counselors, administrative staff, organizers, and paralegals provide free legal assistance to low-income communities in Brooklyn and Queens in housing, immigration, and employment practices.

The following motion was overwhelmingly passed by the ALAA/UAW 2325 Joint Council on October 20, 2020:

1. WHEREAS, The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW 2325 proudly embraces the labor movement’s core values of solidarity, and collectively fights for a just society where all workers are treated fairly and all people are respected; where no-one is held in a cage; where families can thrive together; and where no one is denied their right to housing; and

Friday, our 224 members at New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) ratified a 2-year contract with 86% of members voting and 98% voting YES. The contract includes salary increases, a ratification bonus, retro pay, just cause protection and grievance procedure, frozen health insurance contributions for the first year, greatly improved leaves, job security, health and safety protections, and a contractually-enshrined committee to address race, diversity, equity and inclusion issues.

The recently formed Attorneys’ Union, a new chapter of ALAA, comprised of staff attorneys at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House is requesting voluntary recognition from Executive Director Warren Scharf to form a union. The attorneys provide free legal services to tenants facing eviction in Manhattan. They are excited to join together with other unionized Lenox Hill staff who are represented by 1199 SEIU and DC 37.

In light of COVID-19, we are urging the Governor and Chief Judge to suspend the clauses of Judiciary Law §478(2) and §478(3), that disqualify law graduates from practicing under supervision if they have failed to pass the bar exam twice. Updating the practice order will allow these young advocates to continue protecting their clients during the current pandemic.

As legal services workers and as members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW 2325, the Legal Services Staff Association, NOLSW/UAW 2320, 1199SEIU, and the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW 2320, we are witness to a historic crisis that is disproportionately affecting the most disadvantaged members of our society, many of whom are our clients. As the staff of the city’s civil legal services providers, most of us represent tenants in Housing Court through the City’s landmark Right to Counsel program. We are fighting side by side with the Right to Counsel NYC Coalition (RTC), Housing Justice for All (HJ4A), and neighborhood-based tenant rights organizations throughout New York City to ensure that our clients are not forced from their homes by this crisis.

We are very pleased to tell you that your voices were heard and Admin Staff have officially been granted hazard pay and personal protective equipment ("PPE")! This is a HUGE win for Admin staff, who cannot thank you all enough for your support. Because of your efforts to support our cause, management agreed to provide:

We fight for thousands of children and families as they navigate the complicated labyrinth of the foster care system which is rife with racial and socio-economic bias, and we are the voice of children as young as seven that are involved in the traumatizing and often dehumanizing juvenile enforcement system. In New York City, approximately 60% of the children in the foster care system are black, and nearly 34% are Latino. Similar racial over-representation exists for the children, who are as young as seven, that have been accused of delinquent acts. These children are overwhelmingly from indigent and low-income families. Due to these factors, the children and families we represent are some of the most marginalized New Yorkers, with limited political power and visibility.

We are disappointed by Mayor DeBlasio’s plan to completely eliminate the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) this upcoming summer. This is a vital program for thousands of young New Yorkers whom our members serve every day. It is bad policy to disenfranchise 75,000 young people that want to work, without consulting with work placement sites to find solutions. The City must fund SYEP and work with advocates and placement sites to ensure young people can participate in the program safely.

The bail reforms passed at the end of last session went a long way to correct these injustices, and the reforms are among the most significant civil rights victories in New York’s history. It is shameful and offensive that our elected officials are trying to roll back these reforms during a global pandemic.