* ACLU-IL staff union…

On September 3, 2024, the ACLU-IL Staff United will hold a one-day Unfair Labor Practice strike in response to a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that found ACLU-IL Management committed unfair labor practices for withholding annual salary raises for union members while continuing to provide raises to non-union staff.

The NLRB proposed a settlement that included retroactive raises for union members, but ACLU-IL Management rejected the settlement and is intending to challenge the NLRB’s ruling. Management has opted to line its own pockets and spend exorbitant amounts on corporate lawyers to fight the Union, all while denying union members another year of raises.

This isn’t ACLU-IL Management’s first run-in with the NLRB. This most recent NLRB ruling comes after a slew of Management’s union-busting tactics over the past three years, including contesting the inclusion of more than half the bargaining unit positions–only to lose on every single contested position after a two-day hearing with the NLRB.

Lance Rhines, Regional Organizer at NOLSW UAW Local 2320, commented on the situation, saying, “This is clearly an effort to undermine the Union by trying to starve out the workers and weaken their resolve to exercise their protected rights. We hope this one-day strike will serve as a wake-up call to management that their unlawful practices will not be tolerated, and encourage them to follow the law and respect their workers.”

The one-day Unfair Labor Practice strike is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, the day after Labor Day. Union members will be stopping all work and picketing outside the ACLU-IL office, located at 150 N. Michigan Ave, at 8:00-10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m-1:30 p.m. Support is expected from members of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW) Local 2320, United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 4, and other labor and community groups.

Unionized staff have waited too long to obtain raises that are due to them, especially during a period of excessive inflation and accelerating cost of living. Management’s attitude towards paying workers what is theirs is disheartening. Many of the original union members have been forced to leave work in which they find purpose and meaning because they cannot pay the bills. This union-busting is not right.

The Union and ACLU-IL Management have been at the bargaining table for over two years, but there is still no contract in place. Management’s approach to bargaining hasn’t been about negotiating for a fair contract–instead they are trying to penalize the Union for its lawful decision to unionize. The Union stands ready to return to the table at any time, provided Management shows a genuine willingness to bargain in good faith and distribute the long overdue backpay to union members.

Together, the members of the ACLU of Illinois Staff United are fighting for a better ACLU.
The fight will not stop until our workplace is transformed into one that reflects the ideals that this organization litigates and advocates for every day.

* Statement from management at the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois…

The ACLU of Illinois is aware that our union colleagues have called a one-day strike for Tuesday. We respect the union’s right to take this action on behalf of their members. But this action does not move us closer to our shared goal – a complete contract with the union.

Since the union was certified two and a half years ago, and after the union took nearly a year’s delay in making proposals to reach a contract, we have bargained with the union in good faith, including in the midst of very busy times for the organization — like during the legislative session and planning for the Democratic National Convention. We have continued bargaining even when the union unilaterally decided to end a weekend session after less than an hour, with more work left to accomplish.

Still, we remain committed to securing a contract at the bargaining table. That is why our current offer would provide our union members – who already earn a salary at the top of the market for not-for-profit jobs in Chicago – with generous increases. Among other provisions, the current offer from management includes:

• Immediate and annual increases to salaries, which in the aggregate will raise bargaining unit employee salaries by more than 28% on average over the three-year term of a collective bargaining agreement, with annual salary increases of 5 to 6% each of the next three years. This is almost double national averages secured through collectively bargained agreements across all industries over the past year, and even higher when compared to national averages from earlier years.

• Continuing our current practice of paying 100% of the costs of health insurance coverage for employees and their family members – with no employee contribution.

• Continuing to contribute 6% of an employee’s salary to a retirement fund – again, with no contribution from the employee.

• Up to 49 paid days off per year—more than two months of working days annually. This includes 15 paid holidays, 2 personal days (the national norm is 8 days), 20 vacation days after the first year (15 in the first year) plus 12 sick days.

The ACLU of Illinois stands by these proposals; we believe they offer a fair contract to our employees and stand ready to continue to discuss them with the union.

At the same time we see the challenges to civil liberties across Illinois and across the country. The ACLU of Illinois will continue to ceaselessly and diligently protect the basic human dignity of our clients and advance civil rights and civil liberties in every corner of Illinois. We will do that work even as we continue to work on these internal issues – because there are people of color being unfairly treated by police, children in the custody of DCFS who need adequate health care and psychiatric care, transgender folks who deserve the full protections of Illinois law, and abortion providers who rely on our advice to deal with the crush of patients traveling to Illinois from states with abortion bans.

The ACLU of Illinois is proud of our work and it will go forward.

Thoughts?