We are very pleased to tell you that your voices were heard and Admin Staff have officially been granted hazard pay and personal protective equipment ("PPE")! This is a HUGE win for Admin staff, who cannot thank you all enough for your support. Because of your efforts to support our cause, management agreed to provide:

We fight for thousands of children and families as they navigate the complicated labyrinth of the foster care system which is rife with racial and socio-economic bias, and we are the voice of children as young as seven that are involved in the traumatizing and often dehumanizing juvenile enforcement system. In New York City, approximately 60% of the children in the foster care system are black, and nearly 34% are Latino. Similar racial over-representation exists for the children, who are as young as seven, that have been accused of delinquent acts. These children are overwhelmingly from indigent and low-income families. Due to these factors, the children and families we represent are some of the most marginalized New Yorkers, with limited political power and visibility.

We are disappointed by Mayor DeBlasio’s plan to completely eliminate the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) this upcoming summer. This is a vital program for thousands of young New Yorkers whom our members serve every day. It is bad policy to disenfranchise 75,000 young people that want to work, without consulting with work placement sites to find solutions. The City must fund SYEP and work with advocates and placement sites to ensure young people can participate in the program safely.

The bail reforms passed at the end of last session went a long way to correct these injustices, and the reforms are among the most significant civil rights victories in New York’s history. It is shameful and offensive that our elected officials are trying to roll back these reforms during a global pandemic.

Manhattan, NY — Staff members at Safe Passage Project (“SPP”) announced their intent to join the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys – UAW Local 2325 on Monday, March 16, 2020. The staff at SPP supports immigrant youth throughout New York State in fighting their deportation. Staff members are calling on SPP to immediately recognize their union after an overwhelming majority signed cards in support. On Monday afternoon, a broad cross-section of employees across roles—legal, social work, and administrative staff—announced their intent to unionize.

See full testimony here.