Category Archives: 1199SEIU

Purple Up for Palestine: SEIU members & staff call for leadership support to end the genocide

Purple Up for Palestine: SEIU members & staff call for leadership support to end the genocide

We, the members and staff of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), understand the power of collective worker action to confront and dismantle oppression, and the pivotal and historic role of the labor movement in resisting imperialism. As one of the largest, most powerful labor unions, we must join the growing call across the world to stand with the Palestinian people. The signed members and staff of SEIU renounce Israel’s genocide against Palestinians, and ask our leadership to commit to: protecting workers from retaliation for expressing their solidarity with Palestinian liberation; supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement; and pressuring President Biden to end U.S. military funding to Israel.

Since October 7th, Israel has dropped the equivalent of two nuclear bombs onto the Gaza Strip, where 2.5 million people, including one million children, live in a 25-mile open-air prison. Israel is starving Gaza, restricting vital fuel, water, and food, and bombing schools, mosques, hospitals, homes, and refugee camps. Israel has killed more than 11,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 4,600 children. In the West Bank, the Israeli military and settlers have killed hundreds of Palestinians and continue to forcibly displace them. These numbers only increase as Israel’s aggression, backed by the United States, escalates.

But the genocide of Palestinians did not begin in October of 2023. Since 1948, Israel has forcibly removed millions of Palestinians from their homes and land, subjected the Palestinian people to a system of apartheid, and bombarded Palestinians with numerous military attacks. Today, it’s estimated that Israel imprisons over 10,000 Palestinians, including children.

The U.S. has long supported Israel as a way to advance its own strategic interests in the region. Now, while millions across the world call for an end to this brutality, our elected officials continue to actively enable the onslaught through political backing, military support, and billions the U.S. provides to Israel annually through our tax dollars.

Palestinians deserve to live free from violence, displacement, and oppression. The labor movement has a long history of solidarity with the struggle for liberation globally. From apartheid South Africa to the U.S. civil rights movement, union members have marched, joined boycotts, lobbied politicians, and raised our collective voices to dismantle oppressive systems. We refused our labor where it would further an amoral goal. This moment, too, calls for bold, unwavering action. If we remain silent, then we are complicit in genocide.

Our call for solidarity with Palestinian liberation is an extension of our commitment to racial justice work. Just as we include land acknowledgments at the beginning of union gatherings, which recognize the genocide and dispossession of indigenous peoples from the U.S. lands we now occupy, we have a duty to call out the active genocide of Indigenous Palestinians happening in real time. We must oppose the violent rhetoric of Israeli and U.S. leaders, which breeds Islamophobia and racism at home towards members and staff. If we continue to amplify the rhetoric framing this genocide as a “conflict,” then we are only enabling white supremacist, Islamophobic violence — a betrayal of our values and our proclaimed goal of becoming an anti-racist organization. We remember and honor the lives of Wadea Al-Fayoume and Dr. Talat Jehan Khan, who were recently killed amidst the current surge of racist and Islamophobic violence in the U.S., which CAIR reports has increased by 216% in October alone. We also hold in our hearts the other BAMEMSA (Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, and South Asian) people who have been beaten, had hijabs or turbans snatched, and been rammed by cars, tear-gassed, threatened, stabbed, and tracked down to be “hunted” in the recent onslaught of racist and Islamophobic rhetoric. We ask SEIU leadership to not only think about this topic critically as individuals, but also to consider how the words shared with members and the public manufacture consent for racist violence at home, and genocide and land theft in Palestine.

SEIU leadership are elected to represent members’ voices in politics, and must publicly stand with us against the genocide of Palestinians. SEIU must continue to stand strong in our commitment to being at the forefront of anti-racism. Therefore, we call on SEIU leadership to act towards:

1. Stopping the genocide of Palestinians: Join the growing calls from unions and workers across the globe in a public statement demanding that Israel immediately end its armed offensive against the Palestinian people.

2. Ending the siege on Gaza: We echo the call made by our siblings in the labor movement for water, fuel, food, and other humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza, and electricity to be restored.

3. Refusing to further arm Israel: Pressure Biden, SEIU’s endorsed presidential candidate, to end military funding & assistance to Israel and pressure Israel to end its genocide in Gaza.

4. Publicly declaring support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement initiated by Palestinian trade unions.

5. Not retaliating against staff or members for supporting Palestinian liberation: Protect all workers from retaliation for expressing and acting on their commitment, aligned with SEIU values, to lead the way to a more just and equitable world by calling for an end to another colonial occupation and apartheid system.

Signed,
SEIU members and staff

Abby Donley SEIU 121RN, Union Staff
Abigail Waunch SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Abrar Ebady CIRSEIU, Union Member
Abril Dozal CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Adeel Ahmed CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Ahalya Ramgopal SEIU Wisconsin, Union Staff
Alberto Williams Teamsters Local 705, Union Member
Alejandrina Casillas SEIU 775, Union Member
Alemayehu Hailegiorgis 32BJ, Union Staff
Alex Ruedas SEIU 775, Union Staff
Alex Bush CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Alex Kane SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Alex V SEIU 1021, Union Member
Alexander K SEIU Local 221, Member
Alison Baker SEIU 775, Union Staff
Alyssa Lieberman CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Amanda Ragnauth CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Amber Gautam CIRSEIU, Union Member
Amirah Harris SEIU 775, Union Staff
Amy Banelis SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Ana maria Moreno SEIU 775, Union Member
Andrea Cardenas CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Andreina Granado CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Andrew P CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Angeline D CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Ann Barnds 71, Retiree Union Member
Annabella Pfeifer SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Anne Balay SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Antara Nader 32BJ, Union Staff
Anum Iqbal CIRSEIU, Union Member
Ardina Boll SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Arianna Espin SEIU 925, Union Member
Armanda Shackelford SEIU Local 73, Retiree Union Member
Ashley Payne SEIU 1021, Officer
Ashley Swank SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Aubrey Vinh CIRSEIU, Union Member
Avery Pittman SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
Avery Wear SEIU Local 221, Union Member
Aylene Rivas SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Baylie Freeman SEIU 775, Union Staff
Ben Ray CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Beth Huang SEIU 1021, Union Member
Billie Adeosun SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Brenda Morgan SEIU 775, Union Member
Brett Lewis CIRSEIU, Union Member
Briah Fischer CIRSEIU, Union Member
Brianna Holden Granado 1199, Union Member
Bronte H CIRSEIU, Union Member
Brooklyn Mann SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Bruce Fleischer 1199, Retiree Union Member
Bryeson H BUGWU, Union Member
Cade C SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Caitlin Joy Dobson SEIU 721, Union Member
Casey Gin CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Casey W 1199, Union Staff
Cathleen Jensen SEIU Local 73, Retiree Union Member
Cesar Fortuna CIRSEIU, Union Member
Chadwick Lazarescu SEIU Local 500, Union Staff
ChangMing Chen SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Chaya K SEIU SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Christina Stiles Children’s Hospital Oakland, Union Member
Christine Livia MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, Union Staff
Clare Thomas SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Claude Conger SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Cody Gagen SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
Colette Cooper SEIU 1021, Union Member
Colin Gillis SEIU Wisconsin, Union Member
Connor O’Brien SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Coralie S CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Craig Mahaffy SEIU 503, Union Staff
Creighton King SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
Cynthia Luo CIRSEIU, Union Member
Cyrus Hampton SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Dami Song SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
M. 32BJ, Union Staff
DAVID S LEON SEIU 1021, Union Member
Deepak Ilango SEIU Local 49, Union Staff
Derrica Reid 1199, Union Staff
Devika Nadkarni CIRSEIU, Union Member
Devlin Moyer BUGWU, Union Member
Diego Grossmann 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Dominic Desmond CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Dora Poqui SEIU 775, Union Member
Ed Kinchley SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Eliza Cohn 1199, Union Member
Eliza Durkee-Neuman SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Elizabeth Clendenen SEIU 1021, Union Member
Emily M SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
Emiro Cuellar USWW, Union Staff
Emma Rose Borzekowski SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Eric McGill SEIU Local 221, Union Member
Eric Peterson CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Erik Kramer SEIU Wisconsin, Union Staff
Erika Lenhart IU, Union Staff
Erin Lee SEIU 775, Union Staff
Esme Bitticks SEIU 1021, Union Member
Etan R SEIU 503, Union Member
F Thomson SEIU 1021, Union Member
Farah Khimji 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Farhiya Ahmed SEIU 775, Union Staff
Frances Gill CIRSEIU, Union Member
Frances P SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Frankie St. Amand MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, Union Staff
Freddy Stokes SEIU Local 500, Union Staff
Gayle Chan SEIU 775, Union Staff
George Morse CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Grace H MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, Union Member
Grace L SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Graciela Nira SBWU, Union Staff
Greg White MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, Union Staff
Guillermo Schneider 32BJ, Union Staff
Hannah Lawrence CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Ian Duffee CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Iliana Panameno
ines d SEIU 1021, Union Member
Irena A SEIU 1021, Union Member
Jacob Barnum SEIU 503, Union Staff
Jacob Sloan Howard University NTT Faculty Union, SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Jake Ephros 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Jana Blunt SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Jannett Lopez SEIU Virginia 512, Union Staff
Jayme Martinez Massion Local 1, Union Staff
Jeff Armstrong SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Jeff U SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Jennifer Collao 32BJ, Union Staff
Jensen Cook MSEA SEIU Local 1989, Union Staff
Jerry Levinsky SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Joe Iosbaker SEIU Local 73, Retiree Union Member
Johannes Raatz SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
Jonathan Meade SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Joumana Samaha CIRSEIU, Union Member
Joyce Sinakhone SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Juan Contreras SEIU 775, Union Staff
Juan Pablo Jaramillo SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Juan Vazquez SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Julia Wallace SEIU 721, Union Member
Julia McCartan 32BJ, Staff
Julia Rapkin SEIU 1021, Union Member
Julienne Fisher SEIU 2015, Union Member
Julio Espin SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Justice W SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Justin Hutchinson SEIU 775, Union Staff
Justin Rodriguez SEIU Local 32BJ, Union Staff
Justus Fortado SEIU Local 73 Chapter 119, Union Member
Ka Lo CIRSEIU, Union Member
Kaitlyn Schuster 32BJ, Union Staff
Kat Beck SEIU 775, Union Staff
Katie Coombs CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Katie Levitt CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Katie Silva CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Kelley Butler CIRSEIU, Union Member
Kelsey Martin SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
Kevin Modestino SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Kristen Loomis SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Kristina Lee SEIU 1021, Union Member
Larry Alcoff IU, Officer
Larry Bradshaw SEIU 1021, Retired Paramedic, previously served as Vice President of the San Francisco Region, Retiree Union Member
Lauren S SEIU Local 221, Union Member
Leah C CIRSEIU, Union Member
Leah Thompson 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Leigh Howard 1199, Officer
Lena Ziada SEIU HCII, Union Member
Liliana Gutmann McKenzie CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Lilith M Communications Center, Union Staff
Lily Bennett SEIU 775, Union Staff
Lily S CIRSEIU, Union Member
Linda Ray SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Lindsey Duchac SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Liz Nimmo SEIU 775, Union Staff
LJ Johnson SEIU 1021, Union Member
Loraine Arikat 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Lorrie Beth Slonsky SEIU 1021-retired paramedic, Retiree Union Member
Lu Dunker SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Luciano Quezada SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Lucy Hu CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Luisa Padilla CIRSEIU, Union Staff
M. Khan IU, Union Staff
Maddie Conway SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Mamie M SEIU Local 221, Union Member
Marah Ramirez CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Marc Morrison SEIU 1021, Union Member
Marcelle Grair SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Margaret McLaughlin CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Mariana Morante SEIU 775, Union Staff
Marissa evans SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Mark Ostapiak SEIU 1021, Union Member
Marley-Vincent Lindsey CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Maro Sevastopoulos SEIU 503 – Staff Union PERU/CWA7901, Union Staff
Martha Hawthorne SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Marybeth Seitz-Brown SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Mary-Murphy Walsh SEIU 1199NE, Officer
Matt Tracy SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Max Lyons CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Maya Edery CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Megan Brizzolara SEIU 1021, Union Member
Megan Gilmartin MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, Officer
Megan Honor Caine SEIU 1199NE, Union Member
Meiya Sparks Lin SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Melanie Garza SEIU 1021, Union Member
Melissa R SEIU 1021, Union Member
Meskerem Z SEIU 1021, Union Member
Michael Lyons SEIU UHW, Union Member
Micheal Smith SEIU 775, Union Staff
Michelle Wright SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Miguel Guevara CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Miles M SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Mohamed Mohamud SEIU, Union Member
Mohan Menon CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Monique Nicole Hernandez SEIU 121RN, Officer
Nancy E 32BJ, Union Staff
Nancy Li CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Nate Hinman SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Nathanial Walker Brandeis Grad Workers, Union Member
Nick Simmons CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Nico Penaranda SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Noah Streng SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Paige E Local SEIU 721, Union Member
Parker Phillips 1199, Union Staff
Patrick Geiger SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Patrick Keyes SEIU 775, Union Member
Patrick M CIRSEIU, Union Member
Peter Thurlow SEIU Wisconsin, Union Member
Phoenix Moreno SEIU 775, Union Staff
Promise Li SEIU 721, Union Member
Rachel Nass CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Rachel Greb CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Radhika Rajan CIRSEIU, Union Member
Rafael Pizarro 1199, Retiree Union Member
Raina Nelson 1199, Union Member
Ramon Arriaga SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Ramzi BM SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
Rebecca Peacock SEIU 1021 San Francisco, Union Member
Rebekah Woelkers SEIU 775, Union Staff
Regina Russell SEIU Local 73, Retiree Union Member
Reilly Gardine SEIU 1021 and SEIU UHW, Union Member
Rhea M CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Rica Highers CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Richard Thoele SEIU 1021, Union Member
Rita Barouch SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Robbie B IU, Union Staff
Ronnie Rodriquez SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Sadie M SEIU 1021, Union Member
Safina Adatia CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sahar Rammaha CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sameen Ansari CIRSEIU, Officer
Sami Siegelbaum SEIU 721, Union Member
Sammi Mathew SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Sarah Ramirez CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Sarah Zarba 1199, Union Member
Saulo Colón SEIU Local 73, Officer
Sean Pears SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Sefa S 1199, Union Staff
Sharon P SEIU 2015
Shazia Anwar SEIU 775, Union Member
Stasha Lampert SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Stephanie Nuñez SEIU Wisconsin, Union Member
Sunny K SEIU 1021, Union Member
Sylas W 1199, Union Member
Tabatha Kojima 1199, Union Member
Tala Pesigan SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Tarnel Abbott SEIU 1021, Richmond contra Costa COPE, Retiree Union Member
Teresa Buker 1199, Union Member
Tiffany F CIRSEIU, Union Member
Timothy Aumiller SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Tom Sullivan CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Tyler Brown SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Vicki B SEIU 775, Union Member
Vincent V 1199 SEIU, Union Staff
Violet Ranson CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Viviana F USWW, Union Staff
Will M SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
William Nolan SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
William Falvey USWW, Union Staff
Yuisa Alegria-Gimebo SEIU Local 721, Union Member
Zach Weinstein CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Zak Nelson SEIU 925, Union Staff
Zan Lussier SEIU 775, Union Staff
Zaynab Ergasheva CIRSEIU, Union Staff
IU, Union Staff
IU, Union Staff
IU, Union Staff
SEIU, 1021 Union Member
32BJ, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU Wisconsin, Union Member
32BJ, Union Staff
SEIU6, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
SEIU 1199NE, Union Staff
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
SEIU 775, Union Staff
SEIU 775, Union Staff
SEIU 775, Union Staff
SEIU Local 500, Union Member
SEIU 721, Union Staff
SEIU 775, Union Member
Colorado WINS, Union Staff
SEIU 775, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
IU, Union Staff
SEIU 775, Union Member
SEIU 721, Union Member
SEIU Wisconsin, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU 1021 / CWA 9404, Union Staff
CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU 775, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
SEIU Local 105, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Union Staff
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Local 21, Union Member
SEIU Local 73, Union Member
SEIU Local 509 (Brandeis Grad Workers), Union Member
SEIU Local 2001, Union Staff
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Socal/harbor ucla Union Member
USWW, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
Daniel Torres USWW, Union Staff
Kathleen Collins SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Dani Dobrot SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Fernando Chirino SEIU 503, Union Staff
Evan Araiza USWW, Union Staff
Jennifer Dyer USWW, Union Staff
SEIU Wisconsin, Union Staff
Tori Bilcik 32BJ, Union Staff
Francesca Edmonds SEIU 503, OPEU, Union Staff
Brenda Olguin USWW, Union Staff
Eric Munson SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Sarah Schneider SEIU 503, Union Staff
Anis Adnani CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sabreen Aulakh UCSF, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sarah F SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
UIC, Union Member
Jegy Sering SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Bernadette King Fitzsimons SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Michael Garcel SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Samuel Luterbacher SEIU 721, Union Member
Sean Collins SEIU 200United, Union Staff
Casey Thompson SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Mac Stevenson SEIU 1021, Union Staff
SEIU 1021, Union Staff
CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Maria Patterson SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Yoongi Tom CIRSEIU, Union Member
Alejandro Duhalde 1199, Retiree Union Member
Jonathan Callan CIRSEIU, Union Member
Austin Field SEIU 925, Union Member
Madeline Stewart CIRSEIU, Union Member
Andrew Chang SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Staff
Dawn Surratt San Francisco, Union Member
Kristin Warner, Former Union Staff at SEIU Nevada. Longtime labor organizer
Rafael Botello SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Abdel Aziz Al Bawab University of New Mexico, Union Member
Li Chen UCSF/SFGH, Union Member
Christopher Sloce SEIU Virginia 512, Union Member
Chrystel Murrieta Ruiz 32BJ, Union Staff
Scar Guo SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Union Member
Kimberly Sagastume SEIU 1021, Member
Tatiana Chaterji SEIU 1021 Oakland Unified School District, Union Member
Karen Cardona CIRSEIU, Union Staff
SEIU 1021, Union Member
Alejandro Acosta SEIU 1021, PCCD Chapter, Union Member
UCSF, Union Member
Trish Belenson SEIU 1021, Union Member
Damien Archbold Doctors Council SEIU, Union Member
Scott Courtney SEIU Healthcare Michigan, Union Member
Ellie Poling SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Amina Khan SEIU 20, Union Member
SEIU 20, Union Member
Anisha Chauhan-Sharma NA, Union Staff
Cadelba Lomeli-Loibl SEIU 1021, Union Member
Muna Hijazi, Former Union Staff SEIU 1107, SEIU Virginia 512, Intl Faculty Forward
SEIU 1021, Union Member
David Leon SEIU 1021, Union Member
Miles Kelley CIRSEIU, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Gabriel Holguin SEIU 503, Union Staff
Devon King SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Araceli rueda USWW, Union Staff
Mica Rudich CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Lucy Herschel 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Vanna Nicks SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Union Member
John king ACT-UAW local 7902 member of JC, Union Member
SEIU 721, Union Staff
Golzar Tehrani SEIU 1021, Union Member
Syeda Ali SEIU 721, Union Staff
Angela Yang 1199, Union Member
Sarah Stevens SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Jusselia Molina 1199, Union Member
Jaylan Daniels 1199, Union Member
Ben Ullrich SEIU Local 105, Union Staff
Unifor, Retiree Union Member
Ihss, Union Member
Amanda Baldiga CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Montefiore, Union Member
Cait Mallery 1199, Union Member
Beret Otero 1199, Union Member
1199, Union Member
Gilbert Sarabia USWW, Union Staff
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Murong Yao SEIU 1021, Union Member
Tayler Hart 1199, Union Member
Mayra Guizar SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Brianda Guzman 1199, Union Member
Roberta Vaccaro 1199, Union Member
Amy Meinert SEIU Local 509, Officer
SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Jennifer B 1199, Union Member
Nicole P SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Rafat F Monterey, Union Member
Gabriel E SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Michael L CIRSEIU, Union Member
Carlos G SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Thuy-trang N SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Chloe S SEIU 775, Union Staff
Phil S SEIU Virginia 512, Union Member
Lennard N SEIU 1021, Union Member
Angel P SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Sobeyda M SEIU 1021, Union Member
Tessa A CIRSEIU, Union Member
Stella X 1199, Union Member
Samantha M SEIU-FPSU, Union Member
Lindsay L, Former Union Staff for IU
Emma B SEIU 1021, Union Member
Nirupa G CIRSEIU, Union Member
Kaylin G Ahs, Union Member
Mohammed Z SEIU 503, Union Member
Hawa I SEIU 1021, Union Member
Sulita S SEIU Local 105, Union Staff
Jerri S Former SEIU 1107 member, Union Member
Carmen Negron 1199, Union Member
Lily O CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sana A CIRSEIU, Union Member
Madhuri R CIRSEIU, Union Member
Diana B SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Kitty W SEIU 1021, Union Member
Hill Probasco SEIU Local 105, Union Staff
Larson Ross SEIU Local 105, Union Staff
Andrew T Colorado WINS 1876, Union Member
Kathryn Himmelstein CIRSEIU, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Tamara Brummer Former 32BJ, Union Staff
UIC, Union Member
MANUEL SANTANA SEIU Local 521, Union Member
Saif Azam CIRSEIU, Union Member
UFT, Union Member
Nikki P CIRSEIU, Union Member
Peiwei Li Lesley university core faculty union, Union Member
Nicolette Alberti CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU Local 73 – Jewish United Fund of Metro Chicago, Union Member
Valarie B, Former Union Staff
Hayah Jabir UFT, Union Member
Jake Allen SEIU 200United, Union Staff
Deb Wianecki-Dadu SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Letizia Zamudio SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Chelsea Nesvig SEIU 925, Union Member
Marissa K LAS, Union Member
Melissa Clark SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Paula Brown SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Gavin White SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Madeline M SEIU 925, Union Member
James Badger SEIU Local 509, Officer
Daniel Ortiz USWW, Union Staff
SFGH rn, Union Member
andee vaughan Swedish, Union Member
Maddie T Oregon State, Union Member
Kathleen Mele SEIU Local 509, Officer
Emilie V SEIU 925, Union Member
Emily Dhatt SEIU 775, Union Staff
Michael Triulzi USWW, Union Staff
Cooper Schwartz CIRSEIU, Union Member
Jacob Schneyer SEIU HCII, Union Staff
Amy E CIRSEIU, Union Member
Valeria V SEIU UHW, Union Member
Matt Kennedy SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Elizabeth P SEIU 925, Union Member
Brandon Slattery SEIU Local 668, Union Member
Gabe Mielke IU, Union Staff
Israel Flores SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Michelle Driver SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Neha R SBWU, Union Member
Felix Acuna Olivos SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Anna Wood SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Luca R 1199, Union Member
mitzi b SEIU HCII, Union Staff
Alma Gottlieb-McHale SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Anna Rubenstein SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Kathryn Bean SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Grace B SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Sandra Obledo SEIU Local 221, Union Staff
Ryan Chew SEIU 1021, Union Member
Barnett Z 1199, Union Member
Marcelle Alvarado SEIU 2015, Union Member
Maria Guillen SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
SEIU 721, Union Member
SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Estela Vazquez 1199, Retiree Union Member
Jeffery Dix SEIU 1021, Union Member
Conrad W SEIU UHW, Union Member
Zev Rose SEIU Local 500, Union Staff
Rachel Matteson SEIU 121RN, Union Member
Annie O CIRSEIU, Union Member
Anne Fenton CIRSEIU, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Union Member
Sara Jo Soldovieri SGEU-Syracuse University SEIU 200United, Union Member
Georgia H CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Sara Katz SEIU Local 500, Union Staff
Julie Molitor SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Sarah Grace Spurgin SEIU Local 500, Union Member
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Laura Chavez V SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Tahel Axel West Penn nurses, Union Member
David Guerrero 1199, Union Member
1199, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
SEIU 721, Union Member
Anya Titova SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Shams Muzaffar SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Eleni Johnson SEIU UHW, Union Staff
SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Nora H SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Sarah Zhou SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Martina K SEIU 1021, Union Member
Crystal F USWW, Union Staff
Daniel Z SEIU-FPSU, Union Member
Jamaica Reddick SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Juan Carlos García SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Natacha Jasmin, Union Member
Shayne Thomas IU, Union Staff
Bekah Ryherd Local 320, Union Member
clove harrington Local 320, Union Member
Brian Teucke SEIU 200United, Union Staff
Jacqueline Gomez MSEA-SEIU 1989, Union Member
Angela Ames 1199, Union Member
Brandon Jenneford SEIU HCII, Union Staff
Christopher Schenck CIRSEIU, Union Member
Suzanne Wall SEIU 775, Retiree Union Member
Sirlena P SEIU Local 73, Retiree Union Member
Ricky Baldwin SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
N/a, Union Member
Jackie G 1199, Union Member
Ella Flynn SEIU HCII, Union Staff
SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Quinn Monette IU, Union Staff
Kelsey Hayes SEIU Local 73, Officer
Faisal F SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Jazmin Higuera Banos WSNA, Union Member
SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Kristin Kelleher SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Tzeidel Eichenberg CIRSEIU, Union Member
Arlette Jacome SEIU 1021, Union Member
Rebecca George SEIU UC Davis, Union Member
East Peterson-Trujillo SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Sulan Mlynarek SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Andrea Mullarkey SEIU 1021, Union Member
Caitlin MacLaren SEIU 1991, Union Member
Steven kramer 1199, Retiree Union Member
Lucy G Mazzoni Center, Union Member
Matthew Thomas Local 27, Union Member
Aeran Coughlin Local 27, Officer
Matthew Stifter SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Ariel E SEIU local rank and file, Union Member
Carla R SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Member
May Booth SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Member
Dana Buchan Mazzoni Center, Union Member
Jennifer Stokes SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
Gabriel L SEIU Local 668, Union Member
Zoe Grobman SEIU Local 668, Union Member
Contra Costa Rank & File, Union Member
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Member
Shannon D USSW, Union Staff
Guimel K USSW, Union Member
Yusuf Farah 32BJ, Union Staff
Mirashaye B SEIU Local 500, Union Staff
USSW, Union Member
Anita S Local 27, Union Member
David M 32BJ, Union Staff
Jazmine S SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Ebony Watkins USSW, Union Staff
SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Gwen Weiskopf SEIU 458, Union Member
Sandy Moreno UDWA AFSCME LOCAL 3930, Union Member
Miles Salisbury SEIU Local 668, Union Member
32BJ, Union Staff
Vanessa C Workers United RRJB United For The Many, Union Member
CJ Z Mazzoni Center, Union Member
Mazzoni Center, Union Member
SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Paul B SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Brittany Shannahan SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Alexis C 1199, Union Member
Ashley A SEIU 503, Union Member
SEIU Local 509, Officer
SEIU 121RN, Retiree Union Member
Amanda D SEIU 1021, Union Member
erika thi SEIU Local 500, Union Member
Michael K SEIU 1021, Union Member
Jessie Bessonette SEIU Local 49, Union Member
Addison L SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Janice Dorn SEIU 1021, Union Member
Elise Lavallee SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
Tara Gonzalez 1021, Union Member
Carl Delica SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Staff
Addi Atkins Local 320, Union Member
Carlin Christy SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
Susanna Wurtz SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
Amy B 1199, Union Member
Mohammad Kashmiri SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Pearl Rodriguez SEIU 721, Union Member
Victor Gamiz SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Liam McLaughlin SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
Cam R USWW, Union Staff
Maggie Ming CNA, Union Member
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
Jamille T SEIU 1021, Union Member
anna Mcdonough 1199, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Retiree Union Member
Micah Metts-Houston SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Ruth Ibarra SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Mario Murcia 32BJ, Union Staff
Amaris Fraley Unit 1, Union Member
Galen Smith SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Member
Sumer S Healthcare, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Staff
Mack Finkel SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Union Staff
James Badger SEIU Local 509, Officer
Louise Gretschel SEIU Local 500, Union Member
1199, Union Member
Laurel Ashton USSW, Union Staff
Alisa Miller SEIU Local 221, Union Staff
Lorena Garcia SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Jacob Roth SEIU 925, Union Member
Sarah K SEIU 1021, Union Member
Alec H SEIU Local 73, Chicago Park District, Union Member
George Fuentes SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Axel Polanco SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Vane Loaiza USSW, Union Staff
Shay Driscoll SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Reid Miller SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Caitlyn Scherer SEIU 1021, Union Member
Donald Cronin SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Jesse D SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Luis M SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Zeke Meginsky SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Mohak Kumar Harbor-UCLA SEIU, Union Member
Union Member
Reed Garber-Pearson SEIU 925, Union Member
Brian Polejes SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Devin Edwards SEIU 503, Union Staff
Sophie Goodwin-Rice SEIU 503, Union Staff
Elizabeth Towell SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Roslyn Cassidy SEIU Local 221, Union Staff
Jacob Wyant SEIU 503, Union Staff
clara hazlett-norman USSW, Union Staff
Cole Richardson SEIU 503, Union Staff
1199, Officer
Evelyn Garcia SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Paul Gonzales SEIU 721, Union Member
Lawrence Brown SEIU 925, Union Member
Aracely Preciado SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Myriam D SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Nina Freelander SEIU 503, Union Staff
AMTUL S NYU, Union Member
Hayden Courtney Syracuse Graduate Employees United, Union Member
Union Member
Sarah Combellick-Bidney Minneapolis, Union Member
Liliana R SEIU 1021, Union Member
Ivonne F SEIU Local 73 CPS, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Ronald LaPorte SEIU-FPSU, Union Staff
Melissa Staples SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Renzo R 32BJ, Union Staff
Alexis E SEIU 1107, Union Member
Anne T SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Jesus Raya SEIU UHW, Union Staff
Brenda P SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
John Gammal SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Danielle Doyon McGoovern SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Melinda B Chicago, Union Staff
Karen Bonkoski SEIU 503, Union Member
Currently organizing to form a unit under SEIU Local 105, Union Member
Sabria Hassan SEIU 1021, Union Member
Alex Scordato SEIU UHW, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sylvia Ponce Avila SEIU 503, Union Staff
Victoria Barron SEIU UHW, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
David Germain 1199, Union Member
Tamika O SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
SEIU 1021, Union Member
Katherine Abelson 1199, Retiree Union Member
Ben G CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Anniessa A Local 284, Union Member
Mindy Gershon 1199, Retiree Union Member
Barbara Ofosu-Somuah Duke University, Union Member
Yidi Zheng Local 27, Union Member
DGSU, Union Member
Felix Borthwick Local 27, Union Member
raghav goyal CIRSEIU, Union Member
Brendan O’Donnell 32BJ, Union Staff
Mia Ragozino SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Evelyn N SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Nikki T CIRSEIU, Union Member
Raul Gardea SEIU 503, Union Staff
Andi Pla SEIU 503, Union Staff
Jacob P 32BJ, Union Staff
Levi M SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Karen Plascencia SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Ousd, Union Member
32BJ, Union Staff
32BJ, Union Staff
Alex Rothfelder CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Renata Kamakura Local 27, Union Member
Nestor Galindo SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Axol M 1199, Union Member
Anonymous
Mike Haire 1199, Retiree Union Member
Union Staff
SEIU 721, Retiree Union Member
SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Nick Mallonee SEIU 1021, Union Member
Janr Hirschmann SEIU 1199NE, Retiree Union Member
Noa Stieglitz SEIU HCII, Union Staff
Jaira Koh SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Gilbert Gammad SEIU 1021, Union Member
Neal Gorfinkle 1199SEIU UHWE, Retiree Union Member
Jamila S SEIU Local 521, Union Member
Thomas Gonzales SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Madeleine Collier Local 27, Union Member
Michael Tal SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Julio Corral SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Kate Goyette SEIU 1021, Union Staff
Diana M SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Barbara Jiang SEIU 1021, Union Staff
SEIU Local 509, Union Member
Lalise D SEIU Local 105, Union Staff
Jingxuan Zhang Local 27, Union Member
Nida K UAOS, Union Member
Mark Belzowski SEIU Local 509, Union Staff
Theresa Strachila SEIU Local 888, Union Member
Sam Lieu SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Miles B CIRSEIU, Union Member
MSEA-SEIU Local 1989, Union Staff
SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Marysol E CIRSEIU, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Brooklyn Methodist, Union Member
Nestor Cuellas SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Anjan Ghosh CIRSEIU, Union Member
Maria A, Union Member
Elijah Black 1199, Union Member
Lauren J Local 27, Union Member
Guillermo Zamora 32BJ, Union Staff
SEIU 1021, Union Member
Laura Greer SEIU 1021, Union Member
Michael Harter SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Jonah Paul SEIU Local 1000, Officer
Rebekah Mangels SEIU Local 73, Union Member
1199, Union Member
Miguel Lopez USWW, Union Member
Julian P SEIU 1021 CCA Staff Union, Union Member
Clay C Local 27, Officer
32BJ, Union Staff
Brenda Bohrer SEIU 775, Union member
Amparo Ostojic SEIU 721, Union member
Sarah Bourne CIRSEIU, Union member
Sarah Wilson SEIU 1021, SEIU staff
Gary Gregerson SEIU 1021, Union member
Oscar G SEIU 121RN, SEIU staff
Aubree B SEIU Local 73, Union member
Hersch R SEIU Local 888, SEIU staff
Ada Lin SEIU 1199 NW, SEIU staff
SEIU 503, Union member
john pabst SEIU 1021, Union Member
Miguel Garcia SEIU Local 1000, Union Member
Sophie Kerman CIRSEIU, Union Member
Eric Kalis CIRSEIU, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Ja’Nelle B CIRSEIU, Union Member
Karol S CIRSEIU, Union Member
Ahmed Elamin, CIRSEIU, Union Member
Dani G CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sarah Bentley SEIU Local 521, Union Staff
José D CIRSEIU, Union Member
Anne Walker CIRSEIU, Officer
Nicholas Sloan SEIU Local 89, Union Member
Analisa Quintero SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Julia Donahue 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Jac Dufresne SEIU 925, Union Member
Lauren Hollender 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
valentina warner SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Stephanie C CIRSEIU, Union Member
Tara Patel CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Omar Abbas CIRSEIU, Union Member
Austin Nguy CIRSEIU, Union Member
Maureen Chomko SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Andrew Goldstein Doctors Council SEIU, Union Member
Erica L CIRSEIU, Union Member
SEIU Local 668, Union Member
JoAnn Henry 1199SEIU UHWE, Retiree union member
Kathy Heffernan 1199, Union Member
Bianca Fuentes SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Holly W SEIU 1021, Union Member
Dana Iorio 1199SEIU UHWE, Retiree union member
Mohamed Sakr CIRSEIU, Union Member
Angelica Estrada SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Anissa a SEIU 1021, Union Member
Max Mecklenburg CIRSEIU, Union Member
Sal Hirsch Workers United, Union Member
Nora Roman SEIU 1021, Retiree union member
Heather Post 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Shahrum Ali SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Alejandra B SEIU Local 521, Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Sarah F SEIU Local 521, Union Member
Julia Talante SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Bilal Karim SEIU Local 521, Union Member
Rachael Stryker SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Marie Schow SEIU Local 521, Union Member
Faizah Shareef 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Member
Theresa Montaño SEIU 1021, Union Member
Omar Zahzah SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
John Caravello SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
sang kil SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Emma C CIRSEIU, Union Member
Rabab Abdulhadi SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU 1021, Union Member
Doctors Council SEIU, Union Member
SEIU 2015, Union Member
Manzar Foroohar SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Local 284, Union Member
Konstantine Anthony SEIU 2015, Union Member
Stevie Ruiz SEIU 1021, Union Member
Alex Wood CIRSEIU, Union Member
Majed M SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Sonia T 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Emily T CIRSEIU, Union Member
Andrew Hubbard 32BJ, Union Staff
Sean R 32BJ, Union Staff
Teagan Yaussy SEIU Local 73, Union Member
Deborah T SEIU 721, Union Member
Hareem Khan SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
IU, Union Staff
Francisco Magana 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
John Beynon SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Officer
Stacy F SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Blanca Missé SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Officer
Steve McFarland SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Officer
Sasha Plotnikova SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
April Wood 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Tori Newman Campbell 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Alfredo Carlos SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
cliff cohn SEIU Local 509, Retiree union member
Scott K SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Brian Tietz 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Paul Garver Local 585, Retiree union member
Anne Mitchell CIRSEIU, Retiree union member
Sam Alterman SEIU Local 509, Officer
Jen Woo SEIU 1021, Union Member
Faye L SEIU 1021, Union Member
Molly Talcott SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Anntoninette Whiteside SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Cesar Alvarado SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Carol Draizen SEIU 1021, Retiree union member
Cristian Paz SEIU 1021, Union Member
Sabrina Struth CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Therese Claxton SEIU NAGE Unit 6, Local 282, Union Member
SEIU Local 21 LA, Union Member
Linda Khoury-Umili SEIU 1021, Union Member
Emerson Goldstein Local 27, Union Staff
Tia Banks IU, Union Staff
Omara Gerardo CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Ari Marcantonio SEIU 1021, Union Member
Zane Dundon CIRSEIU, Union Staff
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Grace Shannon 1199, Union Member
Malenie Areche SEIU 1021, Union Member
CIRSEIU, Union Staff
Hannah R SEIU 1021, Union Member
Louise H 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
xavier corena 1199SEIU UHWE, Officer
Connor Jenkins 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Hannah Cardenas SEIU 1021, Union Member
Chris B 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Elana Sulakshana USWW, Union Staff
Spencer McAvoy USWW, Union Staff
Naomi Etsehiywot SEIU 1021, Union Member
Alicia H SEIU 721, Union Member
Lucille C SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Victoria Gutierrez SEIU Wisconsin, Union Member
Andrew W CIRSEIU, Officer
Jenny L FF15, SEIU staff
Uriel Perez vivaldo USWW, Union Staff
Christina A USWW, Union Staff
Madison Wise USWW, Union Staff
Mirko Clarke SEIU6, Union Member
Janna W SEIU 1021, Union Member
Josie Zocca SEIU 1021, Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Andrei Reinoso SEIU 503, Union Staff
Alexander Norton CIRSEIU, Retiree union member
Belinda Ochoa SEIU 503, Union Staff
Nathalia Peña SEIU Local 73, Officer
Hawa A SEIU 503, Union Staff
Alisha L 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Janet Rosen SEIU 503, Union Member
Sabrina Alimahomed-Wilson SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Matthew Reale-Hatem Local 27, Union Member
Colin Kimzey SEIU 1021, Union Member
Robin Fisher SEIU 503, Union Staff
Jocelyn De Sena SEIU 1021, Union Member
Carolyn H SEIU Local 509, Officer
claire lamneck CIRSEIU, Union Member
Megan H 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Elizabeth Wright Highlander Workers United , Union Member
Kerian McKenzie CIRSEIU, Union Staff
David Guignion 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Melody Murphey SEIU 503, Union Staff
Meskerem Zawde SEIU 1021, Union Member
Thomas Malone IU, Union Staff
Gabe Penk SEIU 503, Union Member
Brandon Lim SEIU 2015, Union Staff
James Hill SEIU 2015, Union Staff
JEFFREY RAVAGO SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Regina Hayes SEIU 2015, Union Member
SEIU 2015, Union Staff
Julie Bade SEIU 503, Union Member
32BJ, Union Member
Matthew Pendergraft SEIU Local 221, Union Member
Nicholas E SEIU 503, Union Member
Susan Fitzpatrick Behrens SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
Katie H SEIU Local 89, Union Member
Erin M 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Connie Franco 1199SEIU Child Care Fund, Union Staff
Evelyn Lynn Highlander Workers United , Union Member
Hudson Myracle 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Staff
Valeria E SEIU 721, Union Staff
Noah M Highlander Workers United, Retiree union member
Eyasu Shumie Local 1, Union Staff
Local 1, Union Staff
Husam Marajda Local 1, Union Staff
Pablo E Ramirez Local 1, Union Staff
Local 1, Union Staff
Dana Sammour Local 1, Union Staff
Local 1, Union Staff
Marquita G SEIU 1021, Union Member
Michael Stewart SEIU Local 221, Union Staff
Mimi T SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Kira McGieson 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Officer
Jacob McLeid Local 320, Union Member
Katye Moody Local 320, Union Member
32BJ, Union Member
Thomas C SEIU Local 1983 (CFA), Union Member
evan peak 32BJ, Union Member
Amos Eaton SEIU 1021, Officer
SEIU 1021, Union Member
Shamus Cooke SEIU 503, Union Member
Zina Goodall SEIU 1021, Union Member
Emily S 32BJ, Union Member
Ian Tennant 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Tina Crutchfield-Williams Local 1, Union Staff
Automeize Mitchell Local 1, Union Staff
Mahima I CIRSEIU, Union Member
joye willman SEIU 503, Union Member
Devon Crawley 32BJ, Union Member
Babou Njai SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
Angel R SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Ligia Fragoso CIRSEIU, Union Member
Bekah Jarboe 32BJ, Union Member
Marcelo Albernaz SEIU 925, Union Member
SEIU 1199 NW, Union Staff
April L 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Louise Y SEIU 1021, Union Member
Sarah Slavick SEIU Local 509, Officer
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Jennifer B 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Alisha E SEIU 1021, Union Member
Briana L SEIU 721, Union Member
Eaen G SEIU 503, Union Member
Jason Lawrence SEIU 503, Officer
anna morris 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Soojean Kim SEIU 503, Union Member
Katie Engst SEIU 721, Union Staff
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Staff
Cam Mancini SEIU Local 73, Union Staff
Katrina D SEIU 1021, Union Member
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Staff
Tyler Frank SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Staff
Delia Pertzborn 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Molly Chlebnikow SEIU Local 1000, Union Staff
Twila Jacobsen SEIU 503, Retiree union member
Collin Foote IU, Union Staff
Heather Larson SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Staff
Zayd Humsy SEIU 1199 NW, Union Member
Jordan Jamison IU, Union Staff
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Deborah C 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
Jonica S 32BJ, Union Staff
Mani Nasry 1199SEIU UHWE, Union Member
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, Union Staff

NLRB Email Settlement

NLRB Free Speech Notice LAS

Settlement Agreement
Notice to Employees

From: Morris, Susan
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 11:14 AM
Subject: NLRB Email Settlement
Importance: High

Management has settled an unfair labor practice charge filed with the National Labor Relations Board by Susan Morris (CDP-Brooklyn) that challenged management’s ban on use of the Society’s email system for Union email.

As reflected in the materials below, the NLRB charge arose after CDP chief Tina Luongo threatened Susan with sanctions for having posted a message (below) that stated: “Long gone are the days when anyone with a union card has a voice in LAS.” In response to NLRB investigation, Scott Rosenberg (LAS Counsel) and Susan Morris signed a Settlement Agreement (attached) that requires management to comply with Purple Communications, 361 NLRB No. 126 (2014), under which union members cannot be prohibited from using work email to communicate about “the terms and conditions of employment [and] protected concerted activity.”

On September 18, pursuant to this agreement, Allan Fox posted a mandatory NLRB notice (attached) informing all employees, inter alia, that “WE HAVE AMENDED our e-mail policy in our employee handbook to allow employees to use out email system to communicate about terms and conditions of employment,” and that “WE WILL NOT threaten employees with adverse action for using our e-mail system to communicate about terms and conditions of employment on nonworking time.”

This is the second recent victory for free speech at Legal Aid. On May 1, Seymour James upheld a grievance (endorsed by ALAA) challenging management’s email restrictions against Michael Letwin (CDP-Brooklyn) for sending a message entitled “Racial Justice Update: Black and Palestinian Lives Matter.” That decision was issued two weeks after the public statement In Defense of Free Speech at The Legal Aid Society (April 14, 2015), signed by 118 ALAA and 1199 union members.

These victories show, once again, that we can successfully defend and exercise our rights. The next step is to ensure that management fully respects those rights by restoring ALAA’s longstanding, workplace-based email discussion list; lifting its prohibition on “unapproved” messages regarding Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements; and ending the indefensible discrimination that censors antiwar and Palestine human rights advocacy, while turning a blind eye to all manner of other “non-work” messages.

Attachments
Settlement Agreement
Notice to Employees

Related Links
Purple Communications, 361 NLRB No. 126 (2014)
Racial Justice Update: Black and Palestinian Lives Matter (March 6, 2015)
In Defense of Free Speech at The Legal Aid Society (April 14, 2015)
Great News: Free Speech Victory (June 23, 2015)

Exhibits (Below)

——————-
From: Fox, Allan
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2015 11:57 AM
To: LAS All
Subject: Amendment to our e-mail policy

We are notifying you of an amendment to our e-mail policy pursuant to a Settlement Agreement Approved by the Regional Director of Region Two of the National Labor Relations Board in Case 02-CA- 148285.  The amendment conforms our e-mail policy to recent decisions of the Board.  A copy of the revised policy may be found on LASnet hereand at pp. 41-44 of the Employee Handbook.

——————-
From: “Luongo, Justine”
Date:03/08/2015 1:54 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: “Morris, Susan”
Cc: “Ryan, Dawn” ,”Wright, Deborah” ,”Pate, Michael”
Subject: Re: RE:

Susan- this is precisely the type of email that I indicated is a violation of the policy. You have already been spoken to about this by your supervisors. Should you continue to use the email in this way, your use of all distribution lists will be suspended.

Sent from my iPhone. Apologies for any typos.

On Mar 8, 2015, at 1:46 PM, Morris, Susan <smorris@legal-aid.org> wrote:
Long gone are the days when anyone with a union card has a voice in LAS.

Great News: Free Speech Victory

From: Torres, Azalia
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 3:15 PM
To: CRIMINAL ATTYS ALL
Subject: Great News: Free Speech Victory

Seymour James has upheld a grievance (endorsed by ALAA) challenging management’s email restrictions on Michael Letwin (CDP-Brooklyn) for sending a message entitled “Racial Justice Update: Black and Palestinian Lives Matter.” The decision (see below) was issued two weeks after the public statement In Defense of Free Speech at The Legal Aid Society (April 14, 2015), signed by 118 ALAA and 1199 union members.

This decision cites management’s failure to decide the Mass Free Speech Grievance (July 15, 2014), signed by 173 ALAA and 1199 members (and endorsed by ALAA). It also acknowledges that, under Purple Communications, 361 NLRB No. 126 (2014), union members cannot be prohibited from using LAS email to communicate about “the terms and conditions of employment [and] protected concerted activity.” However, the decision does not address the longstanding pattern of discrimination against antiwar and Palestine human rights advocacy at Legal Aid. 

As “we stand together” for a fair contract, let’s continue to stand up for our vital free speech rights at the workplace.

———————–

From: James, Seymour
Sent: Friday, May 01, 2015 6:52 PM
To: Letwin, Michael
Cc: Wright, Deborah; Taylor, Bret; Pate, Michael; Fredericksen, Jeremy; Luongo, Justine; Fox, Allan
Subject: Your grievances filed on July 15, 2014, and March 6, 2015

On June 25, 2014, you sent an email to all ALAA and 1199 staff on The Legal Aid Society’s email system with the subject line:  “6pm Today: Emergency Rally: Stop Israeli Crimes in Palestine.”  This e-mail was not related to any business purpose of the Society, nor did it relate to any term or condition of employment or other protected concerted activity under Section 7 of the NLRA.

On June 26, 2014, you were directed by Allan Fox, the Chief Human Resources Officer, not to send any non-work related emails over The Legal Aid Society’s email system. In response to this directive, you filed a grievance on July 15, 2014, contending that the email was protected under ALAA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) §3.5 (“Free Speech”) and §1.5 (“Union Activities”).

Section 1.5 of the CBA provides that the Union will have reasonable use of the Society’s internal communication mechanisms.  “Reasonable use of the Society’s internal communication mechanisms shall be interpreted to mean the following: The Legal Aid Society will maintain an e-mail group that permits the President of ALAA and her designee to send communications to all ALAA members and permits individual members to respond to the President of ALAA and her designee as the sender(s) and not to the whole e-mail group. The Legal Aid Society has provided ALAA with a one-time payment of $12,000 so that ALAA can develop and implement a free-standing e-mail group of ALAA members that is not on The Legal Aid Society’s computer network.”  Your email was not one sent by the President of ALAA or her designee pursuant to this provision, and therefore § 1.5 of the CBA is not implicated.

Section 3.5 of the CBA protects the expression of personal religious, political, social, and economic beliefs.  However, it does not confer the right to utilize the business equipment of the Society to communicate those beliefs except to the extent related to terms and conditions of employment or protected concerted activity.  Non-work related, non-Section 7 protected emails may, subject to ALAA’s internal procedures, be sent on the free standing email group of ALAA members that is not on the LAS computer network.

The email you sent on June 26, 2014 was not related to any business purpose of the Society, nor was it related to terms or conditions of employment or any other protected concerted activity at The Legal Aid Society. Accordingly, your grievance of July 16, 2014, is denied.

On March 6, 2015, you sent an email using Legal Aid’s email system to the CRIMIMAL PRACTICE ALL, CIVIL STAFF ALL, JUVENILE ALL, and all 1199 Members e-mail groups . Under the banner “Labor for Palestine” and “Tell New York City Council Members: DON”T TOUR APARTHEID,” the e-mail urged:  “Please Sign: Labor for Palestine to NYC Council Members: Don’t Tour Apartheid Israel.”  This email did not relate to any business purpose of the Society, nor did it relate to any term or condition of employment or other protected concerted activity.  Later on that same date, you received an email from Tina Luongo stating that despite prior warnings, your email violated the Society’s e-mail policy.  She further stated that in light of your disregard of prior warnings, your use of Outlook Distribution Lists will be limited for a six month period effective Monday, March 16, 2015.  She further stated that subsequent violations will result in further limitations in your use of Distribution Lists and may result in disciplinary action. You filed a grievance on March 6, 2015, based on your prior grievance of July 15, 2014.

During the grievance hearing on March 31, 2015, you requested that the email and the discipline restricting your use of the distribution lists be rescinded. You claimed that the email limitation was a denial of your free speech rights and violated §3.5 of the ALAA agreement and the right to engage in activity under Purple Communications. You further contended that there was lack of notice and therefore lack of good cause for the discipline. You argued that because you had not received a response to the July grievance, the issue had not been resolved, the notice was deficient and the disciplinary action restricting your use of the distribution lists did not constitute progressive discipline.

After giving consideration to your argument, I find that the email of March 6, 2015 was neither work-related nor related to any term or condition of employment or other Section 7 protected activity. Therefore, Ms. Luongo’s response to your email did not violate the holding in Purple Communications.  However, because the stated basis for Ms. Luongo’s temporary restriction of your use of Outlook Distribution Lists was your disregard of prior warnings, and because the July grievance concerning one such prior warning was not decided at that time, I am rescinding on that ground that portion of Ms. Luongo’s decision that temporarily restricts your use of Distribution Lists.

Please be advised that your use of Outlook distribution lists for communications that are neither work-related nor encompassed within Section 7 protected activity may subject you to discipline and restriction of your access to Legal Aid Distribution Lists.

In Defense of Free Speech at The Legal Aid Society (118 Initial Signers)

In Defense of Free Speech at The Legal Aid Society (118 Initial Signers)
April 14, 2015

The undersigned members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325 and 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East are deeply concerned about unprecedented new restrictions on use of Legal Aid Society email. These vague blanket restrictions violate our right to effectively engage in collective bargaining, publicly dissent from management’s labor policies, fully participate in union activities, or even continue supporting the Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements.

For reasons detailed in grievances of July 15, 2014 (subsequently adopted by ALAA’s Joint Council heard on October 2, 2014, but never decided by management) and March 6, 2015 (heard on March 31, 2015) management may not selectively impose punishment for a message entitled “Racial Justice Update: Black and Palestinian Lives Matter,” which addresses NYPD cooperation with Israeli police and military.

Moreover, under the National Labor Relations Act, it is an unfair labor practice to bar employees from debating Section 7-protected subjects at the workplace, including “controversial political matters,” or punish employees for publicly objecting to the new email policy. GC 15-04, Report of the General Counsel Concerning Employer Rules (March 18, 2015), at 8, 11.

Under a groundbreaking new NLRB decision, it is also an unfair labor practice to impose a blanket ban on “nonwork” use of Society email, since “employees who have been given access to the employer’s email system in the course of their work are entitled to use the system to engage in statutorily protected discussions about their terms and conditions of employment while on nonworking time, absent a showing by the employer of special circumstances that justify specific restrictions.” Purple Communications, Inc., 361 NLRB No. 126 (2014), slip op. at 5.

This policy cannot be justified by complaints about such messages, since “employees can, and do, promptly hit the ‘delete’ button when they receive messages that are not relevant to their work or otherwise of interest.” Slip op. at 15 n. 72. It is equally irrelevant that ALAA has an off-site email list, since, “supposed alternative means are simply not natural gathering places for employees of a particular employer in the same way that their employer’s email network is.” Slip op. at 6 n. 18.

We therefore reaffirm the July 15 Mass Free Speech Grievance, which calls on management “to rescind this ban, and respect our free speech rights.”

Signers (List in Formation)
*Denotes Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid (ACLA) member

Jeremy E.W. Fredericksen
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Alternate Vice-President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Michael Pate
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Vice-President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Michael Letwin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Azalia Torres*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Sr. Attorney & Attorneys of Color (ACLA) Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Antonia Codling*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Affirmative Action Rep., ALAA/UAW Local 2325

Laurie Dick
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Susan Olivia Morris
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Alternate Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Pooja Kothari*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
LGBT Caucus Alternate Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Monica D. Dula*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Steve Terry
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Antonio Villaamil*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Daniella Korotzer
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Vice President and Health & Safety Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Greg Johnston
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lauren Katzman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Aurea Gonzalez
Paralegal 1
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Alexandra Smith
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Claire Nicolay
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Patrick Langhenry
Civil-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bridgett Holloman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Titus Mathai*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Brittany Thomas*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Nadine Griffin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Ferdinand Cesarano
Criminal Defense-Central Admin.
1199SEIU

Melissa Leigh Ballowe
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Former Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Susan Light
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Felicia Leak
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Donella Green*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Willliam Brosh, LCSW
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Joshua Carrin
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Lucy Herschel
Criminal Defense-Queens
Delegate, 1199SEIU

Lori Masco
Juvenile Rights-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Genitha Wint
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Lisa Pitts*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Yvonne Nix
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
ALAA/UAW 2235

Diane Akerman
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW

Alix Willard
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Delegate, 1199SIEU

Lejla Bajrami
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Shawn Bosler
Juvenile Rights Practice-Bronx
1199SEIU

Candace Graff
Paralegal II
Juvenile Rights-Special Litigation
1199SEIU

Martin Morris
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Vice-President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Nick Wanger
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Joe Austin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Ivan Pantoja*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Middle Attorney Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Brendan M. Relyea
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Shahar Azoulay*
Parole Revocation Defense
ALAA/UAW 2325

Todd Smith
Juvenile-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Rigodis Appling
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Delegate, Part-time Attorney Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Sarah Evans-DeVita
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Jodi Smith*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Leah Martin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Anne Oredeko*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Junior Attorney Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Rebecca Kurti
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Michael Teitel
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lisa Edwards*
Civil-Harlem
ALAA/UAW 2325

Nora Carroll
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Imtiaz Hossain*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lorca Morello
Criminal Appeals
ALAA/UAW 2325

Peter Nasaw
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Naila Siddiqui*
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Former Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Brittany Ruffin*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Pauloma Martinez*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW

Stephanie Pope
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Alyssa Cose-Primus
Forensic Social Worker
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Cheryl Williams*
Criminal Appeals
ALAA/UAW 2325

ManI Tafari*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Tasha Ricks*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Warren Deans
Criminal Defense-Central Admin.
Delegate, 1199SEIU

Emily Farquharson
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Asmika Dangol
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Nancy Matos-Rodriguez
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Cynthia LaCaprucia Taylor
Civil-Harlem
Former Alternate Vice President (Civil Div.), ALAA/UAW 2325

Ying-Ying Ma*
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
ALAA/UAW 2325

Mitchell Paolo Esteller*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Mily Rosa
Criminal Defense-Queens
1199SEIU

Jennifer Ritter
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Antoinette Kirwan*
Juvenile Rights-Bronx
Attorneys of Color (ACLA) Alternate Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Stacey Robinson*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Samantha Seda*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Mimi Rosenberg
Civil-Brooklyn Neighborhood Office
ALAA/UAW 2325

Kissa Broadie*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Fazeela Siddiqui*
Civil-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Daniela Crespo*
Civil-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Robert Soriano-Hewitt*
Civil-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Michael Baptiste
Criminal Defense-Queens
1199SEIU

Amy Cross*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Anthony Posada*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Dale Ventura*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jeremiah Schlotman*
Civil-Brooklyn Neighborhood Office
ALAA/UAW 2325

Megan Foley
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Emily Poppish
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Les Helfman
Civil-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Alicia Thomas*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Monique Fleury-Brown
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Clinton Hughes
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Noor Ahmad*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jason Wu*
Civil-HCLO
ALAA/UAW 2325

Kathryn Thiesenhusen
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Hilary Dowling
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Young Lee
Civil-Employment Law
Former Alternate Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Kayla Simpson
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bina Ahmad*
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Rumzi Araj
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Kellsie Barton*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Erin Tomlinson
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Steven Douglas Levine
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Vanita Martin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Desiree Salomone
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bridgette Bissonnette
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former LGBT Caucus Alternate Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Magnus Mukoro
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU Delegate

Eric Meggett*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Melissa Leigh Ballowe
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Former Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Taylor James*
Housing Help Program, Civil-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lynette Miller, LMSW
Forensic Social Worker
Criminal Defense-Queens
1199SEIU

Nell Hirschmann-Levy
Civil-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Roslyn Morrison*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jacob Rolls
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Nicole Zayas, LCSW
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Niamh O’Flaherty
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Updated Signers (173) of Mass Free Speech Grievance

From: Letwin, Michael
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2014 1:25 PM
To: ALAA Members, 1199 Members
Subject: Updated Signers (173) of Mass Free Speech Grievance

On July 29, 2014, the ALAA Joint Council voted to “authorize this grievance to proceed through the third step of the grievance process.”

Additional individual endorsers from both ALAA and 1199 will continue to be listed below.

 

Mass Free Speech Grievance
July 15, 2014
List in formation: 173 Signers: 130 ALAA members (including 54 ACLA members*) and 43 1199/SEIU members

The undersigned members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325 and 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East hereby join in grieving Legal Aid Society management’s attempt to ban “non-work-related matter involving the current situation in the Middle East,” as reflected in the two warnings (attached below), concerning messages to the ALAA email discussion list.

This censorship is just the most recent reflection of more than twelve years of pandering to complaints and threats by those seeking to silence antiwar and Palestine human rights opinion at Legal Aid.

Regardless of our individual political views, the targeted speech — like earlier opposition to racial segregation, the Vietnam War, or South African apartheid — is protected under ALAA Collective Bargaining Agreement §§ 3.5 (“Free Speech”) and 1.5. (“Union Activities”), and under relevant 1199SEIU contractual provisions.

In addition, such discrimination contributes to a broader hostile work environment for Arabs, Muslims, Palestinians and other people of color, in violation of ALAA Collective Bargaining Agreement § 3.1.1. (“Non-Discrimination”), CBA § 3.1.2. (“Affirmative Action”), relevant 1199SEIU contractual provisions, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.

It is irrelevant that ALAA has agreed to eventually relocate its discussion list from the Society’s email system. As long as the current list exists, management may not selectively censor particular views or entire topics, while at the same time turning a blind eye to innumerable political and “non-work-related” messages — often sent by the very same list members who demand censorship of others.

There is no “heckler’s veto” or “Palestine exception” when it comes to free speech.

Moreover, since recipients can easily delete, or configure their individual Outlook settings to automatically “opt-out” of, Palestinian rights (or any other) messages, management may not engage in selective censorship under the guise of additional, unfathomable, unspecified “op-out” procedures.

We call on management to rescind this ban, and respect our free speech rights.

Signers (List in Formation)
*Denotes Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid (ACLA) member

Michael Letwin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Noha Arafa*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Azalia Torres*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Sr. Attorney & Attorneys of Color (ACLA) Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Noor Ahmad*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Susan Olivia Morris
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Alternate Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Jane Sampeur*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Pooja Kothari*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lucy Herschel
Criminal Defense-Queens
Delegate, 1199SEIU

Marlen S. Bodden*
Criminal Defense-Special Litigation
ALAA/UAW 2325

Nora Carroll
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Antonia Codling*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Affirmative Action Rep., ALAA/UAW Local 2325

Laurie Dick
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Monica D. Dula*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lisa Edwards*
Civil-Harlem
ALAA/UAW 2325

Taylor James*
Housing Help Program, Civil-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Daniella Korotzer
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Vice President and Health & Safety Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Rebecca Kurti
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Patrick Langhenry
Civil-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Kristin Lew
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Former Negotiating Committee Member, 1199SEIU

Florence Morgan*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Mimi Rosenberg
Civil-Brooklyn Neighborhood Office
ALAA/UAW 2325

Steve Terry
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Alexandra Smith
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bahar Ansari*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Luke Schram
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Stephanie Pope
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Brittany Thomas*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Antonio Villaamil*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Claire Nicolay
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Antoinette Kirwan*
Juvenile Rights-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Kathryn Thiesenhusen
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lauren Katzman
Juvenile Rights-Broklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Elena Roberts
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Aurea Gonzalez
Paralegal 1
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Rigodis Appling*
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Donella Green*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Dale Ventura*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jawaid Stationwala*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Greg Johnston
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Katherine Fitzer
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Julie Fry
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325

ManI Tafari*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Ferdinand Cesarano
Criminal Defense-Central Admin.
1199SEIU

Eric Meggett*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Steven Wasserman
Criminal Defense-Special Litigation
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Willliam Brosh, LCSW
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Roslyn Morrison*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lisa Pitts*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Titus Mathai*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Hilary Dowling
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Bridgett Holloman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Anna Boksenbaum
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Steven Kliman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bernadette Jackson
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Joseph Lavine
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Asmika Dangol
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Claudia Diez
Paralegal II
Criminal Appeals
1199SEIU

Jeffrey Sugarman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Adrian Lesher
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Grover Francis
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Scott Rudnick
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn|
ALAA/UAW 2325

Warren Deans
Criminal Defense-Central Admin.
1199SEIU

Steven Douglas Levine
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lois Jackson
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Cynthia Pong*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Erin M Bannister
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Genesis Fisher*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Tajuana B. Johnson*
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bina Ahmad*
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Naila Siddiqui*
Parole Revocation Defense
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Marie Mombrun*
Civil-Queens
Alt. Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Stephanie J. Fields
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Jacob Rolls
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Rumzi Araj
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Fazeela Siddiqui*
Civil-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Zoie T. Mair*
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jeremiah Schlotman*
Civil-Brooklyn Neighborhood Office
ALAA/UAW 2325

Rodrigo Santelices*
Civil-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Anne Oredeko*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Junior Attorney Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Samantha Seda*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Ivan Pantoja*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Middle Attorney Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Shahar Azoulay*
Parole Revocation Defense
ALAA/UAW 2325

Andrea Ibrahim*
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Femi Disu*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Affirmative Action Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Robert Newman
Criminal Defense-Special Litigation
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bobby Codjoe*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Cory Walker
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Daniel Moore
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Jason Wu*
Civil-HCLO
ALAA/UAW 2325

Mark Weiner
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Laura Rose Bull
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate and Junior Attorney Alt. Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Alison Schill
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Kayla Simpson
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bridgette Bissonnette
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
LGBT Caucus Alternate Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Alma Magaña*
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325

Candace Graff
Paralegal II
Juvenile Rights-Special Litigation
1199SEIU

Amy Dallas
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Susan Light
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Nadine Griffin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Imtiaz Hossain*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Svetlana M. Kornfeind
Criminal Appeals
ALAA/UAW 2325

Frederic Pratt
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Former Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Hernscica Vincent
Paralegal
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Joshua Carrin
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Madeline Porta
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lori Masco
Juvenile Rights-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Melissa Leigh Ballowe
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Alicia Thomas*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Cynthia LaCaprucia Taylor
Civil-Harlem
Alternate Vice President (Civil Div.), ALAA/UAW 2325

Juan Charbonier
Criminal Defense-Queens
1199SEIU

Hasan Shafiqullah*
Civil-Immigration Law
LGBT Caucus
Former delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Helen Frieder
Civil-Bronx
LGBT Caucus Alternate Rep., ALAA/UAW 2325

Nada Geha
Civil-Staten Island
ALAA/UAW 2325

Richard Blum
Civil-Employment Law
ALAA/UAW 2325

Young Woo Lee
Civil-Employment Law
Alternate Vice President (Civil Div.), ALAA/UAW 2325

Jane Fox
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Todd Smith
Juvenile-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Felicia Leak
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jeremy E.W. Fredericksen
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Bridgett Holloman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Mitchell Paolo Esteller*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jodi Smith*
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Vanita Martin
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Monique Fleury-Brown
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Rachel Messer
Juvenile Rights-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Robert Soriano-Hewitt*
Civil-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Lauren Monosoff
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Margaret Garrett
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Crystal Baker-Burr
Juvenile Rights-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Genitha Wint
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Deborah Pollack|
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
1199SEIU

Bharati Narumanchi*
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Grace Oboma-Layat*
Juvenile Rights-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Robin Gordon Leavitt
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Erin Tomlinson
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Alix Willard
Criminal Defense-Bronx
Delegate, 1199SIEU

Makeysha Woodman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Lejla Bajrami
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Leah Maloney
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Michelle McGrath
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
ALAA/UAW 2325

Yvonne Nix
Criminal Defense-Manhattan
ALAA/UAW 2235

Alyssa Cose-Primus
Forensic Social Worker
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Diane Akerman
Queens CDP
ALAA/UAW

Anthony Posada*
Queens CDP
ALAA/UAW

Valerie LeBrew
Civil-Queens
1199SEIU Delegate

Omar Garcia
Civil-Brooklyn
1199SEIU Delegate

Jamaal Burnside
Juvenile Rights-Brooklyn
1199SEIU Delegate

Aisha King
Criminal Defense-Staten Island
1199SEIU Delegate

Javier Chuck
Civil-Harlem
1199SEIU Delegate

Magnus Mukoro
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU Delegate

Shawn Bosler
Juvenile Rights-Bronx
1199SEIU

Terence Davidson
Criminal Defense-Central Admin.
1199SEIU

Anastasia Taketomo
Juvenile Rights-LGBT Law and Policy Initiative
1199SEIU

Mily Rosa
Criminal Defense-Queens
1199SEIU

Lasalle Jones
Criminal Defense-Bronx
1199SEIU

Adriano De Gennaro
Civil-Prisoners’ Rights
1199SEIU

Abida Chaudhry
Criminal Appeals
1199SEIU

Phillip Guttman
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Susan Yousefi
Civil-Brooklyn
1199SEIU

Joseph Rivera
Criminal Defense-Queens
1199SEIU

Liliana Canela
Civil-Queens
1199SEIU

Michael Pate
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325

Pauloma Martinez*
Criminal Defense-Queens
ALAA/UAW

Cheryl Williams*
Criminal Appeals
ALAA/UAW 2325

Emily Poppish
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Sarah Marie Young
Parole Revocation Defense
ALAA/UAW 2325

Jess Braverman
Juvenile Rights-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

Catheranne Wyly
Juvenile Rights-Manhattan
ALAA/UAW 2325

Susan Sternberg
Civil-Lower Manhattan
Alternate Senior Attorneys Representative, ALAA/UAW 2325

Joshua Norkin, Esq.
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Bridget McDevitt
Criminal Defense-Bronx
ALAA/UAW 2325

Catherine Norris
Civil-Harlem Community Law Office
ALAA/UAW 2325

Alexander Smith
Criminal Defense-Brooklyn
ALAA/UAW 2325

——————————­——————————­——————–
ATTACHMENTS

From: Fox, Allan
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 4:16 PM
To: Letwin, Michael
Cc: Wright, Deborah
Subject: The Society’s email policy

In 2009 and 2013, The Legal Aid Society entered into agreements with the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys to achieve compliance with the Society’s longstanding e-mail policies and to clarify the parameters of Article 1.5 of the collective bargaining agreement with respect to ALAA’s use of the Society’s e-mail system.  (See copies of the attached agreements.)  The 2009 agreement provides that on an interim basis, the Society agrees to permit ALAA members to create personal e-mail groups, provided however that before and after setting up a personal e-mail group any and all potential or existing members of the personal e-mail group must be given an opportunity to opt out of the personal mail group.  Yesterday and today, we received several e-mails to ALAA members about a non-work-related matter sent by you involving the current situation in the Middle East, along with complaints from several ALAA members who received such communications who have elected to opt out of receiving them under the 2009 agreement.  As we have previously advised you, it is a violation of the Society’s e-mail policy and the 2009 agreement to send unwanted non-work-related communications to Society employees who have opted out of receiving such communications.  We are directing you to cease such actions and expect you to abide by your obligations under the 2009 agreement with ALAA and the Society’s e-mail policy. (Emphasis added.)

______________________________________________

From: Fox, Allan
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2014 3:05 PM
To: Herschel, Lucy
Subject: Email Policy & Usage

 

As we reiterated in an e-mail to all staff on June 26, The Legal Aid Society’s e-mail system is to be used for work-related communications. Our e-mail policy is clearly set forth in the Employee Handbook, which has been posted on LASnet for many years. Relevant portions were quoted in an e-mail today to all LAS staff. You recently sent a non-work-related e-mail communication to all ALAA and 1199 staff about recent events in the Middle East, and we have received a number of complaints from staff members who object to the communication. We are directing you to cease sending non-work-related communications that violate the policy and expect you to abide by your obligations under the Society’s e-mail policy. (Emphasis added.)

Pop-Quiz on Free Speech at LAS 101

From:  Letwin, Michael
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 12:55 PM
To: ALAA MEMBERS; 1199 Members
Subject: Pop-Quiz on Free Speech at LAS 101

(Don’t cheat — you probably know the right answers* anyway).

1. Free speech exists precisely to protect the expression of opinions that other people may find:

A. Untrue.

B. Inflammatory.

C. Offensive.

D. Boring.

E. Annoying.

F. Upsetting.

G. Provocative.

H. Too controversial.

I. They really don’t like to hear.

J. All of the Above.

2. “Hostile work environment” means:

A. You really don’t like what someone else says or does at work.

B. “[D]iscriminatory workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age or sex. Additionally, the harassment typically must be severe, recurring and pervasive.”

http://employeeissues.com/hostile_work_environment.htm

3. Under ALAA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, a message entitled “Stand with the People of Gaza & Palestine – protest tomorrow 3/9/2010” is just as protected as a “non-work” message about:

A. Tillikim and the other Whales at SeaWorld (e.g., Edda Ness, 3/3/10).

B. Public Petition to Support Qing Wu (Christine Bella, 3/1/10).

C. Contacting Your Representatives on Health Care Reform (Debbora Gerressu, 2/22/10).

D. Food for thought, the next time you think of spending any of your money at Whole Foods (David Affler, 2/6/10).

E. Cocktail Reception to Raise Funds for the Victims of the Haitian Earthquake – 2/4/10 (Allen Popper, 2/2/10).

F. A bit of wisdom from Sarah Palin (Jeffrey Bloom, 11/19/09).

G. RE: Ted Kennedy has Come and Gone (Sam Roberts, 8/26/09).

H. Queens Charter Event 5-13-09 (Mary Anderson, 5/8/09).

I. All of the above.

4. When someone writes a message you don’t like, union and free speech principles entitle you to:

A. Ignore it.

B. Selectively block messages from the sender and/or about that topic.

C. Express your own opinion.

D. Whine loudly until management agrees to selectively censor the union e-list.

E. A, B and/or C.

5. Since “New ALAA Email Policy” went into effect on October 7, 2009, there have been at least 555 “non-work” messages — not one of them sent to a specially created group.

A. True.

B. False.

6. Since the “New ALAA Email Policy” went into effect on October 7, 2009, management has issued a public warning only against the one entitled “Stand with the People of Gaza & Palestine – protest tomorrow 3/9/2010.”

A. True.

B. False.

7. Since everyone has the option to selectively ignore and/or block unwanted messages, we can reasonably infer that the real purpose of selective censorship is to inhibit criticism of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

A. True.

B. False.

8. People try to censor opinions they disagree with because they:

A. Have confidence in their own position.

B. Lack confidence in their own position.

9. I believe that Palestinian lives are just as precious as anyone else’s. (Be honest.)

A. True.

B. False.

10. In the last Sunday sermon before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. defended his opposition to the Vietnam War, explaining, “there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right.”

A. Yes, I agree with Dr. King’s philosophy.

B. No, this doesn’t apply to positions that I deem “too controversial.”

—————–

*Answers

1:J

2:B

3:I

4:E

5:True

6:True

7:True

8:B

9:A.

10:It’s not about Dr. King, it’s about us.

From: Letwin, Michael
Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 8:48 PM
To: ALAA MEMBERS; 1199 Members
Subject: Urgent Appeal to ALAA Members: Defend Free Speech at Legal Aid
Importance: High

The attached Word document provides background and context in opposition to the proposed surrender of free speech rights on the union email lists, which is scheduled for a vote at this Thursday’s Joint Council meeting.

*To endorse this statement, please say so in a “reply all” message.*

Urgent Appeal to ALAA Members: Defend Free Speech at Legal Aid
September 15, 2009

Decades of free speech rights at Legal Aid are under serious attack.

On its face, the threat comes from management’s attempt to ban free speech on the union email list,[1] and a parallel ban against postings on the outside of doors to internal offices and workspaces.

But according to management and ALAA leaders, the driving force behind these policies are demands by union members and others to censor speech critical of U.S./Israeli policies.

If implemented, the ALAA office will be allowed to post email messages, but “the system may not be used as a forum for discussion of those announcements.” The ban “will be strictly enforced,” and violators will face “disciplinary action that may result in discharge from employment.”

The union has previously voted to grieve such email restrictions. But now, to avoid arbitration, union leadership advocates a “compromise” (attached) that, citing the very management policies in dispute, prohibits discussion on the union email list, and offers no free speech protection on “personal” email groups.

For the reasons below, the undersigned urges all members—regardless of political opinion—to direct union representatives at the September 17 Joint Council to vote against surrendering free speech rights at Legal Aid.

Free Speech Rights at Legal Aid

ALAA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement provides unambiguous protection for free speech: “The expression of personal religious, political, social or economic beliefs of each and every attorney is fully guaranteed.” § 3.5.

In that spirit, the Society joined ALAA and 1199 to defend attorneys’ right to wear “Ready to Strike” buttons in court, Frankel v. Roberts, 165 AD2d 382 (1st Dept. 1991), and to challenge the Giuliani administration’s retaliation for the 1994 strike.

The CBA also provides that, “The Union will have reasonable use of the Society’s internal communication mechanisms.” § 1.5.

For decades, the union and its members have exercised that right through access to LAS bulletin boards, individual office doors, staff mailboxes, telephones, fax machines, and/or conference rooms. This discourse has often included controversial political speech.

By the late 1990s, discussion had largely migrated to the Society’s email system. In 2000, management established union email lists.[2] Recognizing that free speech is essential, most members have debated, blocked or simply ignored content they dislike.

9/11: Censorship Rears Its Head

The following details the progression of censorship at Legal Aid since 9/11.

*October 26, 2001. Allen Popper (then ALAA Vice-President for CDD-Queens) unsuccessfully demands that the United Auto Workers remove ALAA president Michael Letwin for his vocal leadership of New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW), which opposes the Bush administration’s post-9/11 policies.[3]

*October 28, 2001. ALAA’s citywide officers refute false claims that, in opposing the war, Letwin has purported to speak on behalf of the union.[4]

*February 21, 2002. After five months of obstruction by Popper and others, the ALAA Delegate Council overwhelmingly condemns the Bush administration’s attack on civil liberties and immigrant rights.[5]

*April 5, 2002. Popper files a grievance claiming that email messages “condemning Israel, supporting the Palestinians” are “antisemitic” [sic]. On threat of legal action against Legal Aid, he demands that the senders “be suspended or fired,” and that any staff attorney “who attends said [Palestinian rights] rally as a legal advisor be suspended.”

*June 13, 2002. Management unsuccessfully tries to impose a unilateral ban of all discussion on the union e-mail lists.

*2003-2006. Popper and other members—while posting their own political or other “non-work” messages—reportedly continue to demand that management ban messages critical of the war and/or Israel.

*July 2006. Popper (now in CDD-Brooklyn) files a grievance about an allegedly “anti semetic [sic] flyer” left on his desk.[6] The grievance is denied.

*June 12, 2007. Management and union leadership says that Popper, other unidentified union members, and/or the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith (ADL) have threatened to contact the City Council about “anti-Semitic” Antiwar Bulletins posted on the union email lists.[7] As a result, management tells Letwin not to post any messages about Israel or Iraq.[8]

*October 28, 2008. Management says that, in response to complainants that management would not identify, Letwin must remove a “Free Palestine” sticker from his office door. Brooklyn CDD members protest this policy by posting various materials on their own office doors, in response to which management suspends its order pending arbitration of the overall speech ban.

*January 13, 2009. Forty-four ALAA and 1199 members (many of them Jewish) issue a statement condemning Israel’s attack on Gaza.[9][9] Management receives additional censorship demands.

*May 12, 2009. After extensive discussion, Brooklyn CDD ALAA proposes an Open Letter to Steven Banks: Defend Free Speech at Legal Aid (below*), which is designed to enlist members in a campaign to have the free speech ban withdrawn, before ever reaching arbitration.

ALAA’s Executive Board rejects Brooklyn’s proposal as needlessly provocative to management, unpopular with members and insulting to union leaders. The leadership has yet to inform all members of the history and context of management’s censorship plans.

*August 2009. Union leaders criticize the targeted political speech as “divisive,” and argue that “we have no choice” but to accept management’s “compromise” that forbids collective discussion on union email lists.

*September 17, 2009. ALAA Joint Council to vote on management’s free speech ban.

Expediency or Principle?

For the reasons below, the free speech ban is just plain wrong.

*As Brooklyn CDD union representatives (both supporters and opponents of Israeli policy) have pointed out to management, antiwar and “Free Palestine” opinions are—like earlier demands to “Free South Africa”—clearly not ethnic slurs, but protected political speech.

*Accepting such a content-motivated speech ban—without even a fight—would make us complicit in the very post-9/11 witch-hunting, Islamophobia and erosion of civil liberties ALAA has previously vowed to oppose. It also invites demands for givebacks in other areas, of which there have already been many.[10]

*Surrender to a ban on email discussion (or posting on office doors) won’t resolve this issue. Those of us who are against the war and who support Palestinian rights will employ other forms of speech at the workplace and on newly established off-site union lists. What happens when the censors try to silence that free speech?

*The “compromise” isn’t. It simply tracks a speech ban that blatantly violates our contractual rights.

*By taking the moral high ground, a public membership-based campaign, with support from civil liberties and community allies, can effectively generate pressure on management to withdraw its free speech ban—without ever going to arbitration.

Signers

(List in formation; affiliations listed for identification only.)

*Noha Arafa (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn; ALAA Alt. Vice-President)
*Julie Fry (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn; ALAA Vice-President)
*Michael Letwin (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn; former ALAA Pres., 1990-2002)
*Susan Olivia Morris (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn; ALAA Executive Bd., LGBT Rep.)
*Ivan Pantoja (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn; ALAA Executive Bd., Jr. Atty. Rep.)
*Azalia Torres (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn; former member, ALAA Executive Bd.)
*Jennifer Burkavage (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn, Delegate)
*Steve Terry (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn)
*Florence Morgan (Criminal Defense-Queens)
*Mimi Rosenberg (Civil-Brooklyn)
*Antonia Codling (Criminal Defense-Bronx; former member, ALAA Executive Bd.)
*Roslyn Morrison (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn)
*Patrick Langhenry (Civil-Brooklyn)
*Marisa Benton (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn)
*Janet Forrester (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn)
*Lisa Edwards (Harlem Community Law Office)
*Brian Hutchinson (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn)
*Reda Woodcock (Criminal Defense-Brooklyn)

*Open Letter to Steven Banks: Defend Free Speech at Legal Aid

Submitted by Brooklyn CDD, May 12, 2009

The undersigned ALAA and 1199 members at The Legal Aid Society in New York City are alarmed and disappointed by your attempt to undermine our longstanding free speech rights by seeking to prohibit posted materials on individual office doors and to abolish collective discussion by union members on the Legal Aid email system.

The new policy violates ALAA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, which provides that “The expression of personal religious, political, social or economic beliefs of each and every attorney is fully guaranteed,” and that “The Union will have reasonable use of the Society’s internal communication mechanisms.” §§ 3.5, 1.5.

The policy also betrays decades of past practice and fundamental democratic principles. Moreover, it would have a devastating effect on our individual and collective ability to function as union members.

It is especially reprehensible that the new policy reflects an ongoing attempt to silence particular political opinions. Regardless of whether we agree with those viewpoints, attempts to chill their expression — either directly or indirectly — are an indefensible attack on the rights of all union members.

We expect you as Attorney-in-Chief to stand up for free speech at The Legal Aid Society by withdrawing this new policy, and look forward to your prompt reply.



[2] Rather than continuing to enumerate each and every type of rapidly changing communications technology, § 1.5 was shortened to its current overarching language.

[3] NYCLAW’s initial statement of September 27, 2001 was ultimately signed by 1,254 trade unionists, including fifty-eight union presidents (three from the UAW); fifty-eight ALAA members; and twenty-three Legal Aid 1199 members. 9.11 5th Anniversary: NYC Labor Against the War(9.27.01), http://nyclaw01.wordpress.com/2006/09/10/911-5th-anniversary-nyc-labor-against-the-war-92701/.

[4] Michael Letwin, George Albro and Charlotte Hitchcock, Labor Against the War Statement(October 28, 2001), http://nyclaw01.wordpress.com/2001/10/28/labor-against-the-war-statement-re-alaauaw-local-2325/. See also, Zuss: 9/11 and NYC Labor Against the War (NYCLAW), http://bobzuss.wordpress.com/2007/05/31/september-27-2001-nyc-labor-against-the-war-nyclaw/; Michael Letwin, Support for UAW Local 2325 Antiwar Resolution (April 14, 2003), http://nyclaw01.wordpress.com/2003/04/14/support-for-uaw-local-2325-antiwar-resolution/.

[5] “As a labor union whose members fight each day for the statutory and constitutional rights of indigent New Yorkers, The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325, is deeply opposed to the Bush administration’s broad assault on precious civil liberties and democratic rights.” In Defense of Civil Liberties, February 21, 2002, http://www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/ENews/2002e30?opendocument.

[6] Questioned by management, Letwin replies, “While I did not leave anything on Allen Popper’s desk, the flyer in question condemns U.S.-Israeli policy—a position shared by many Jews, including me—and is in no way anti-Semitic.”

[7] The ADL routinely brands as “anti-Semitic” supporters of Palestinian rights (including those who are Jewish). Its recent targets include Nobel peace laureates Jimmy Carter, Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; United Nations Special Rapporteur Richard Falk; former Irish President and 2009 Medal of Freedom recipient Mary Robinson; Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson; former US Congress Member Cynthia McKinney; university professors; and trade unionists. Last month, for suggesting modest limits on illegal Israeli settlements, the ADL fired warning shots across Barack Obama’s bow.

[8] Antiwar Bulletins and other materials continued to be posted by Letwin and others, including Antonia Codling (July 2, 2007), Noha Arafa (September 10, 2007), Azalia Torres (October 23, 2007), Julie Fry (March 21, 2008), and Marisa Benton (April 15, 2008).

[9] Legal Aid NYC Union Members: Stop Israel’s Massacre in Gaza and End the Siege Now(January 23, 2009), http://laborforpalestine.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/legal-aid-nyc-union-members-stop-israel%E2%80%99s-massacre-in-gaza-and-end-the-siege-now/.

[10] See, e.g., Bob Zuss and Susan Morris, Vote No (December 13, 2004),http://bobzuss.wordpress.com/2004/12/13/vote-no/ ; Michael Letwin, The Real Issues in This Election (May 16, 2007), http://bobzuss.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/the-real-issues-in-this-election-michael-letwin/ .