Why Workers Deserve a Say in Their Workplace: An Interview with Office and Professional Employees International Union
Names and pronouns: Shelby Herrera (she/they) and Kelly Russo (she/her)
Organization: Nonprofit Employees United, an initiative of the Office and Professional Employees International Union
Digital: website, twitter, facebook, instagram
Email: frontdesk@opeiu.org
One of your favorite nonprofits: We have so many incredible nonprofit members, we can’t pick just one! From providing pro-bono legal services in support of immigrants’ rights, to providing holistic support to unhoused people—our members are at the front of the fight. Check them out!
ReproJobs: You’re both organizers with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU). Can you tell us about the union and your work?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: We’re part of the organizing team with the Nonprofit Employees United initiative (NEU), which is part of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU). As such, both of us focus on supporting nonprofit workers in unionizing. NEU has several thousand members across the country who work in reproductive rights, museums, international affairs, direct social services, civil rights, and other social justice organizations. Kelly is an organizer with OPEIU Local 2 based in DC, and Shelby is an organizer with OPEIU Local 277 based in Texas, but our network of NEU organizers serve workers on both coasts and anywhere in between!
As organizers, it’s our job to help workers form unions. Particularly in professional workplaces, employees haven’t typically been part of a union, so we help workers create a vision of what their union will look like and help them navigate the ins and outs of the process. How should you approach one of your tougher colleagues, what issues can your union bargain over, how should you handle your boss’s response? We’re here to answer questions and help workers strategize toward building a strong and inclusive union.
ReproJobs: Your union represents a few organizations in the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement. Can you tell us a bit about that work and what are common things you support the unionized workers on?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: Time and time again, we’ve seen management exploit the passion of workers who care deeply about the mission. But workers who seek to form unions understand the importance of empowering committed staff who bring passion, expertise, and empathy to their important work. If workers have to balance two jobs to provide for their families, they can’t provide quality care for the communities they serve. If they’re suffering under a manager who has created a toxic environment, they can’t focus their energy and attention on the mission.
At their core, most workers simply want a say in their workplace, and they want accountability from their leadership. Frequent issues include low pay, toxic managers and work environments, insufficient staffing in clinics, and a lack of opportunities for growth and advancement in the organization. Unions level the playing field to achieve a better workplace. Through a union, workers can come together and demand that organizations take the wellbeing of their workers seriously. Workers are the backbone of every workplace, and forming a union ensures they are treated as such.
ReproJobs: We know union-busting happens in the repro movement. Can you tell us a bit about what you’ve seen and how workers can fight back?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: Absolutely. It’s a sad reality, but “progressive” employers can be just as aggressive about union busting as large corporations. You might wonder why organizations like the ACLU or Planned Parenthood would do this (and have indeed done this), but in the end it all comes down to power. Without a union, management has the power to do whatever they please, and having to face their staff on a level playing field takes that power away from them.
We’ve seen a number of tactics: hiring a union-busting law firm to drag out the process, holding captive audience meetings intended to scare workers, spreading misinformation about unions, or even promising raises and asking for a second chance to finally take staff issues seriously. Nonprofit management will tell staff that the union will take away their ability to be flexible, that negotiations for fair wages and benefits will harm the organization, and that the union is a third party and will disrupt the “family” environment of the workplace, among many other pieces of misinformation.
The best way to fight back is to anticipate what they will almost inevitably say or do to discourage people from being part of the union. Have pro-active conversations with your coworkers to discuss why your boss might push back and what types of arguments they’ll use. If people are prepared to hear it, they are much less likely to be swayed by it. And if your employer continues to fight, know that the repro and labor movements will be behind you if you need to ask the public for support.
ReproJobs: Most people know that unions can negotiate contracts with employers focused on wages and benefits, but can you talk about some of the other issues union contracts can help address and negotiate?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: The best part about having your own union is that you and your coworkers define what you negotiate for. In recent years, many nonprofit unions have focused significant attention on addressing racial discrimination in the workplace. The union grievance process foremost provides a framework through which discriminatory managers can be held accountable—rather than just relying on HR, which generally works in the interest of the organization rather than workers. In addition, there are a number of provisions that unions have negotiated into their contracts. Here are some examples:
Eliminating salary history requirements in hiring and establishing transparent pay scales
Requiring transparency on hiring demographics and creating protocol to ensure that certain percentages of candidates (generally past a phone screening stage) come from underrepresented backgrounds
Ensuring dialogue and accountability on steps being taken to increase inclusivity in the workplace
Developing clear processes for addressing harm towards marginalized communities and workers
Instituting paid internships
ReproJobs: There’s a fair amount of people in our movement who have ‘manager’ in their title, but aren’t actually managing people. Can they join the unionizing efforts?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: Yes, but it depends! You may know that in the private sector, supervisors and managers (they’re interpreted differently) don’t have the same rights and protections to form a union that others do. But in the nonprofit sector, a lot of staff who have “manager” in their title aren’t actually responsible for supervising people and often aren’t considered a “manager” under policies of the National Labor Relations Board (the folx who interpret the law and help to manage relations between unions and their employers).
Job titles alone don’t determine status. If they’re not functioning as high level managers and/or supervisors, they may well be able to join the unionizing efforts—despite their job title.
We advise you to proceed with caution, if in doubt, and discuss this with your union organizer before making any moves. Unfortunately, true supervisors and managers don’t have the same protection from retaliation that the rest of staff do, so this will have to be an informed move. We are always happy to answer questions around this.
ReproJobs: We hear from folks who say they don’t know where to start when choosing a union to represent them. How would someone determine which union is best for them? What should they be looking for in their representation?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: When looking for the right union for you and your colleagues, it’s important to ask questions about the union’s organizing culture, what types of workers they typically represent, and whether they represent any workers in your field. Many unions will specialize in certain fields, and having a union that is familiar with your sector means that they will be better equipped to conceptualize and fight for what you want out of a contract. It will also be helpful if the union already has some great union standard contracts in the nonprofit sector to help with the creation of your own contract.
One of the most important aspects will be your relationship with your organizer and the staff representative who will help you negotiate your contract. Is your sector an important focus for them? Do they seem genuinely interested and willing to commit time to support you whenever needed? You want to know that the organizer you work with is there for you 24/7 during the organizing campaign.
Like ReproJobs’s resident organizing expert Emily Likins-Ehlers says, trust your gut.
ReproJobs: If some employees are thinking about unionizing, how would you suggest they start? How should they reach out to you for support and what resources can you offer them?
Shelby Herrera and Kelly Russo, OPEIU: Congrats! First, start quietly. You are protected by the law in your efforts to unionize, but being discreet is key to ensure that your effort is strategic and successful. Speak with a few trusted colleagues to develop an understanding of workplace issues and experiences. Do union things outside of working hours, and don’t hold conversations over employer-provided platforms like your company email or Slack channel.
It’s also important to contact a union organizer early on in the process. Your organizer can talk you through the process, help you draft a plan to win, and serve as a resource for the numerous questions that always pop up.
Our organizers at NEU are ready to support you. We are similarly deeply mission- driven people, looking to empower workers to make positive change in their workplaces and in their communities. Before becoming organizers, several of us organized our own workplaces with NEU and OPEIU, and we value and understand the challenges of forming a union as a worker. We are here to help you navigate every tough workplace situation that arises through your campaign. At NEU, we’ve got your back!
ReproJobs: Who inside the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement inspires you and why? Who outside the movement?
SH: Recently, we’ve been so inspired by workers at Women Deliver, Planned Parenthood Greater New York and Greater Plains, the International Women’s Health Coalition, and so many more who have been speaking out about their experiences with racism in the workplace and pushing for repro organizations to do better and stand true to their values.
KR: We’re also so proud of and inspired by our members at Planned Parenthood Metropolitan Washington, who have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-era to ensure that people in need are still receiving safe, quality reproductive care.
ReproJobs: What’s a work-related behavior you’re working on changing?
KR: Apologizing unnecessarily, most definitely. Being from the South, courtesy is in my blood. But I think there are more constructive ways to be conscientious towards others and also understand that in this incredibly hectic time, we are all owed some grace.
SH: Disconnecting from work! It’s hard to disconnect mentally when you care about what you do. I’m sure a lot of us can relate especially in the middle of this crisis. Holding and sharing space with other organizers, like my pal Kelly, helps me feel supported and reminds me that I’m never alone in the fight.
ReproJobs: What do you do first to get your day started and organized?
KR: Being a union organizer can be a nearly 24/7 gig, so I usually start every morning by checking WhatsApp, Signal, and email to catch up on what I’ve missed from different groups. Then, I’ll go through my always-being-updated to do list to determine what tasks rely on the input of others, and which I can pick up at any time to figure out what comes first!
SH: Similar to Kelly’s morning, but add coffee!
ReproJobs: What’s your favorite Instagram account?
SH: @the.holistic.psychologist. They share lots of quality posts on the unlearning of harmful behaviors towards oneself. I’m working really hard to unlearn generational trauma, so this account is a great resource for that!
KR: @withwendy. I’ve been looking for ways to consume less in all aspects of life. Wendy is super talented at sewing, and she does the most incredible thrift flips to give clothes a second life. I have no clue how to sew, but she’s inspired me to give it a shot!