Support Staff at Queens Defenders Announce Unionizing After Years of Uncertainty

The hardworking support staff at Queens Defenders have officially announced their intent to join a preexisting attorney and social worker union after years of working without union protection,  partnering with the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 (ALAA).

Despite playing a crucial role in the firm's success, support staff have often been left vulnerable to sudden policy changes, excessive workloads, and inadequate benefits. The formation of this union signals a collective demand for fairness, better wages, job stability, and improved working conditions.

“When I think about the union a quote that comes to mind is, ‘The union taught me how to fight for what I needed and what I had, and if it was something I wanted, how to go after it.’ And that’s exactly what we plan on doing” said Liliana Penneyfather, a Spanish Interpreter- Anger Management Facilitator.

The staffers have first called on the organization to recognize their union and begin contract negotiations, avoiding a lengthy legal process like the one experienced by Queens Defenders’ attorneys in 2021. Read more here and in the Queens Eagle!