Bird Union Members Rally at Audubon Society

Members of the Bird Union (affiliated with Communications Workers of America) rallied Thursday outside Audubon Society headquarters to demand that their employer agree to a more equitable organization. The workers were joined by supporters including the NYC CLC and elected officials, with no shortage of bird puns. The Bird Union has been at the bargaining table for nearly a year, working to codify policies and practices in their collective bargaining agreement that will help make Audubon a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse organization.

Audubon CEO Dr. Elizabeth Gray, through her bargaining chair, Athena Buenconsejo, has rejected even the most standard contract language found in numerous nonprofit shops. In doing so, she is disregarding research and management best practices that would help guarantee inclusion, support, and protection for all employees. On top of this, Audubon leadership has unilaterally cut workers’ healthcare benefits, pushing costs onto the organization’s most vulnerable staff while rejecting more equitable proposals produced by the union.

The union needs our help to tell Dr. Gray, Board Chair Susan Bell, and the Board of Directors to treat the hundreds of Audubon union employees with respect by getting serious about negotiating a fair contract. Click here to tell them why you think it’s important to work with the union to improve the workplace, support conservation work, and create a more equitable and inclusive environmental movement, and when you're done, check out more Bird Union Rally photos on the union's Twitter page.