OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA (Feb. 23, 2022) – The 56 employees of Impact Justice, a criminal justice reform nonprofit, received from management today voluntary recognition of their union with OPEIU Local 29.
"We are pleased yet unsurprised by our president's decision to do the right thing and recognize our union," said Bry Law, an Impact Justice United (IJU) spokesperson and a program coordinator at the criminal justice reform nonprofit since November 2020. "Impact Justice United is excited to work collaboratively to build a stronger organization and a more prosperous staff.
"That work begins at the bargaining table," Law added.
Earlier today, a supermajority of Impact Justice employees asked their president, Alex Busansky, to bypass the lengthy and arduous National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election process in favor of a collaborative approach. In recognizing Impact Justice United, both management and employees can now focus on negotiating a first contract that benefits both the organization and the people who make it run.
In their letter requesting voluntary recognition, IJU identified some of the issues they hope to solve at the bargaining table. Through the collective bargaining process, employees are hoping to enshrine more equitable decision-making processes and improve organizational transparency and accountability.
"Impact Justice staff are proud to be engaged in the fight for justice at work," continued Law. "Forming a union is a natural extension of that mission – a mission every staff member at Impact Justice shares.
"We look forward to meeting management at the bargaining table soon to not only negotiate pay, benefits and working conditions, but to agree upon real solutions that will make Impact Justice a place that lives up to its mission -- one that brought every one of us here in the first place and one that continues to drive our work here each and every day."