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

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