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
