National Audubon Society Charged with Breaking Labor Laws & Discriminating Against Union Members

Bird Union Members Prepare to Strike with National Day of Action

NEW YORK – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against the National Audubon Society for violating federal labor laws and unlawfully discriminating against its own employees for union membership. The complaint consolidates eleven instances when Audubon broke the law and violated the rights of its union workforce, represented by the Communications Workers of America (Bird Union-CWA Local 1180).

The NLRB has determined that, in contract negotiations with the Bird Union-CWA Local 1180 that have dragged on for more than two years, Audubon has violated federal labor laws, including by refusing to bargain over minimum salaries, making unilateral changes to healthcare benefits, and denying union members benefits that were given to non-represented staff.

The NLRB has identified a dozen different benefits that Audubon has granted non-union employees but denied to union-represented staff since the start of contract negotiations. The NLRB complaint described this discrimination as “inherently destructive of the rights guaranteed employees” by federal labor law.

Audubon’s unlawful discrimination against union staff even targeted sensitive employment benefits, such as the time a new parent could take parental leave. Union staff at Audubon are currently eligible for only two weeks of paid parental leave to care for a newborn, while non-union staff have received enhanced parental leave benefits since the start of contract negotiations.

In violation of federal labor law, the organization unilaterally imposed changes to the union members’ healthcare plan without negotiating with the union. The new plan raised costs for union members. Healthcare benefits are a mandatory subject of bargaining that must be negotiated in good faith. Audubon also refused to bargain with its union employees over minimum salaries and refused to share the market wage data used to develop the new salary structure.

“This complaint confirms what CWA has been saying for years: Audubon broke the law when it bargained in bad faith with its own dedicated staff,” said Gloria Middleton, President of CWA Local 1180. “This lawless behavior must stop, and it is time for Dr. Elizabeth 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.”

Last week, union members voted overwhelmingly to authorize union leadership to call a strike if the national environmental nonprofit continues to violate the workers’ rights under federal labor laws. The Bird Union-CWA Local 1180 announced that union workers will take part in a National Bird Union Day of Action on Saturday, August 17, holding rallies to raise awareness of Audubon CEO Dr. Gray’s union busting and inequitable treatment of represented staff.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion