Sixteen employees at PartnersGlobal have joined the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2, reports organizer Grace Reckers. The unit, comprised primarily of program officers and finance staff, “spent months building up power amongst their colleagues before making a request for voluntary recognition in January,” says Reckers. The DC-based non-profit works internationally with grassroots organizations to fund sustainable peace-making efforts and to support local democratic initiatives. The unionizing campaign follows in the footsteps of recent organizing successes at the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), represented by the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union and Local 2, respectively. “As staff at other DC-area non-profits and social service organizations begin to recognize the value of forming a union and the empowerment gained from bargaining a first contract, we expect to see more employees attempting to do the same,” said Reckers. With the support of other union members and the expertise of Local 2 staff representatives, the new members of PartnersGlobal are now gathering input from everyone in the unit as they prepare for bargaining in the coming months.
To find out more about organizing your workplace, email Reckers at [email protected]
To find out more about organizing your workplace, email Reckers at [email protected]