Washington, D.C. - The American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia (ACLU-D.C.) and the Washington-Baltimore News Guild announced today the voluntary recognition of its employees’ union, which was formed with a supermajority of support from eligible staff. This is the first step in a collaborative process as the organization and the bargaining unit begin negotiating and executing a collective bargaining agreement in accordance with the National Labor Relations Act.
The ACLU has long understood that protecting the right to collective bargaining and action is critical to protecting individual rights. In the 1920s, the national ACLU fought against anti-union campaigns and has built on that work, fighting for the rights of workers throughout its history. The staff’s choice to form a union – called ACLU of D.C. Staff United – continues the organization’s legacy of empowering and protecting workers.
“Our union will strengthen ACLU-D.C.’s commitment to civil rights and liberties by ensuring that the workers who are most impacted by the organization’s policies can shape our working conditions,” said Veronica Mosqueda, member of ACLU-D.C. Staff United. “We are proud to be a part of an organization that values our right to organize and will work with us in good faith to build and share power, make collective decisions, and promote transparency and collaboration.”
“As an organization committed to protecting civil liberties and civil rights, we recognize the importance of workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain,” said Monica Hopkins, Executive Director of ACLU-D.C. “We proudly support the right of our staff to form a union and look forward to working in good faith with ACLU-D.C. Staff United as partners in this process to strengthen our workplace."
The ACLU-D.C., with more than 14,000 local members, fights to protect and expand civil liberties and civil rights for people who live in, work in, and visit D.C., and in matters involving federal employees and agencies. We are a local affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nationwide nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization devoted to ensuring free speech, equal rights, and other civil liberties. The ACLU-D.C. pursues its mission through legal action, legislative advocacy, organizing, and public education.
The Washington-Baltimore News Guild, Local 32035 (WBNG) is the union for more than 2,500 news, information, nonprofit, and labor-organization workers in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Together, we hold our employers accountable and ensure that our workplaces reflect our values, which include ensuring everyone is free from harassment and retaliation, earns equal pay for equal work, and has a voice in their workplace. ACLU of D.C. Staff United join workers at the ACLU of North Carolina and ACLU of Virginia who are currently represented by WBNG.
The unionization of ACLU-D.C. is one of many ACLU affiliates and the national chapter of ACLU who have formed unions. Both parties are committed to engaging in this process in good faith and with mutual respect, and we look forward to a constructive and positive relationship.