About Us

Our Mission

We are the union representing employees at the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG). We provide free legal services, financial counseling, and engage in policy advocacy to help people experiencing poverty. Our union seeks a workplace that will allow us to best support and fight for our clients as they strive to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Our History

A Better NYLAG started with a whisper. During the summer of 2018, a small group of employees met with an organizer at UAW Local 2325, the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (“ALAA”), about some of our working conditions. Originally, we focused on improper disciplinary actions taken against employees, failure to respond appropriately to sexual harassment allegations, and lack of job security. We left that meeting believing in a NYLAG where employee safety and security is predominant; where we aren’t afraid to go into work; and where we feel valued and respected.

That summer, that small group of employees began talking to NYLAGers in other units. We began inviting NYLAGers to come to “The Farmers Market,” our code name for post-work meetings where we discussed what issues were most concerning to NYLAGers in different units and positions.

The promise of A BETTER NYLAG was passed from employee to employee, unit to unit, over lunches, happy hours, and Farmers Market meetings. Together, we proposed a NYLAG with higher pay, better health insurance, retention and recall rights, and a grievance process to ensure only proper disciplinary action is taken against employees. By May of 2019, our movement had grown to include nearly 80% of all eligible NYLAG employees.

On June 6, 2019, we announced our intention to unionize to NYLAG management. We met with Beth Goldman and explained that an overwhelming majority of NYLAGers had signed on to the union. We hoped that she would agree to recognize the union immediately and let us get to the important work of bargaining a contract.

Though NYLAG management did not voluntarily recognize our union, we ultimately won an National Labor Relations Board election by a landslide – 152 votes to 29, or 84% of the vote.

NYLAGers soon began the work of structuring our union, voting on bargaining committee representatives, and negotiating our first Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) with management.

On October 2, 2020, NYLAG’s first CBA was ratified by an overwhelming vote of 98%. This contract is in place until July 1, 2022. At least 30 days before July 1, 2021, NYLAG and the Union will begin to engage in contract negotiations concerning wages for the second year of the contract.

Our Union Members

We designed our union to be as inclusive as possible. After the National Labor Relations Board issued a decision in our favor, our union includes is made up of NYLAG employees with the following titles: Coordinating Attorney, Senior Staff Attorney, Staff Attorney, Administrative Clerk, Coordinating Paralegal, Paralegal, Data Coordinator, Driver, Financial Counselor, Grants and Data Coordinator, Reception & Administrative Assistant, Receptionist, Senior Financial Counselor, Senior Paralegal, Special Projects Coordinator, Office Coordinator, Grant Writer, Senior Grant Writer, Data Analyst, Fellow (paid), and Volunteer and Program Coordinator.

The union does not include the following roles at NYLAG: non-DAP Public Benefits Unit Coordinating Attorney, Payroll Specialist, Senior Accountant, Intern, AVODAH fellow, Fellow (unpaid), Confidential Employees, Communications Coordinator, Development Coordinator, and Supervisory and Managerial Employees.