Audubon Society good to birds but awful to its own staff

National Audubon Society workers, Communication Workers of American members and supporters rallied outside the conservation organization’s Varick Street headquarters in April in support of a first contract and, highlighting John James Audubon’s history as a slave-owner, to get the NAS to change its name. | CWA District 1

NEW YORK—When it comes to the treatment of its unionized staffers, the Audubon Society is in trouble with the National Labor Relations Board.

It has also forced the 260 unionized Audubon staffers, members of the “Bird Union” unit of Communications Workers Local 1180, to take to the streets, and not just to aid bird watchers. They’ll have a National Day of Action on August 17, bringing their case to the public.

In 12 separate areas, NLRB New York Regional Director John Doyle Jr., decided on August 14, that Audubon shorted its union staffers, as opposed to its non-unionists, and that it therefore broke the law.

That also intentionally discouraged the non-union staffers from joining the union, Doyle added. The local represents Audubon staffers both at its New York headquarters and in state and regional offices.

When they weren’t dragging their feet, seven times, on turning over basic data the union needs to bargain, Audubon bosses unilaterally changed health insurance, making it more expensive. They also refused to bargain over minimum salaries.

The society gave two new paid holidays to non-unionists but not to Bird Union members. It increased paid sick and newborn care leave for the non-union workers, but not for the unionists.

That was particularly harmful, e-mailed Moira Bulloch of the CWA Communications Department. Just as adult birds need time to feed their nestlings, adult “Bird Union” members need time to feed and bond with their newborn kids.

“Audubon workers only get two weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of their child, and have to share that leave if both parents work for Audubon,” Bulloch explained. “When union members began bargaining for a fairer parental leave benefit, Audubon gave additional leave to non-represented staff and denied it to union staff. That is time that a new parent will never get back with their child.”

New hires could get paid time off during their first 90 days on the job if they’re non-union. Paid break time and bereavement leave rose, for only the non-unionists. Even time for new mothers to express breast milk and refrigerate it, if fridges were available in local offices, went only to non-unionists.

So were bonuses, recognition, and every other Friday off from Memorial Day through Labor Day—the height of the bird-watching season.

Put all those differences and more together and Audubon bosses were “inherently destructive of the rights guaranteed employees by Section 7 of the [National Labor Relations] Act,” Doyle wrote. Section 7 gives workers the federally guaranteed right to band together to protect and advance themselves. In laypersons’ words, to unionize.

Local 1180 President Gloria Middleton has a succinct description for what Audubon boss Dr. Elizabeth Gray is doing: Union-busting.

All this won Doyle’s attention at the NLRB. Now, repeating a successful tactic the staffers used to win their recognition vote in the first place, they’re taking their cause public.

Last time, the staff went public and went union due to “a toxic work environment” and management chaos at Audubon three years ago, plus favoritism, plus low pay, a common occurrence in non-profit groups. It culminated in a mass firing of 100 Audubon field workers on Earth Day—and the union recognition vote, which the local won, soon afterwards.

“This lawless behavior must stop, and it is time for Dr. Gray to join us at the table and bargain in good faith for a contract that strengthens this important organization, for the people, and for the birds. Our members’ strength is in their solidarity, and they are ready to stand together for their rights as workers,” Middleton says.

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CONTRIBUTOR

Mark Gruenberg

Award-winning journalist Mark Gruenberg is head of the Washington, D.C., bureau of People's World. He is also the editor of the union news service Press Associates Inc. (PAI). Known for his reporting skills, sharp wit, and voluminous knowledge of history, Mark is a compassionate interviewer but tough when going after big corporations and their billionaire owners.