Animal Legal Defense Fund United Ratifies First Union Contract
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2023
CONTACT: Valeria Mejía-Guevara, NPEU, contact@npeu.org; Mike Heymsfield, media@aldf.org, 201-679-7088; ALDFUnited@gmail.com
The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Union Ratifies First Contract
SAN FRANCISCO — The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and its staff union, ALDF United, are pleased to announce the ratification of their first collective bargaining agreement. This announcement marks the end of extensive, yet productive, inaugural contract negotiations between the union and ALDF leadership. During the negotiations, both groups developed a constructive working relationship to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement that was unanimously ratified by members of ALDF United.
ALDF United was unionized through the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU), a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE). ALDF United was officially recognized in March 2021 following a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.
ALDF welcomed its new Executive Director, Chris Green, one month before this agreement was ratified. “It is my goal for the Animal Legal Defense Fund to attain a standard of organizational excellence that will serve as a model to which the rest of the nonprofit community can aspire—and ALDF United’s open and productive communication during this period is making that vision a reality,” said Chris Green, Executive Director of ALDF. “The talented individuals who make up our team are ALDF’s greatest asset, and the terms and improvements memorialized in this agreement will help us ensure that every single staff member feels fully valued and empowered to accomplish their greatest work at the Animal Legal Defense Fund.”
With this new contract, staff at ALDF have secured improvements in pay and benefits, including equitable and guaranteed salary increases for staff, a retroactive cost of living adjustment for this year, a monthly remote work stipend, and expanded holidays for all staff, along with ALDF’s commitment to continue to provide generous benefits such as paid sabbaticals, alternative work schedules, and a health insurance plan with 100 percent of the premium paid by ALDF. ALDF and ALDF United feel very positive about the results of these contract negotiations and are looking forward to this next chapter partnering under their first collective bargaining agreement.
"After years of hard work, we are thrilled to have ratified our first collective bargaining agreement," said ALDF United leaders. “We are so grateful to NPEU and IFPTE for their support and for their leadership in the labor movement, and we look forward to continuing to work with ALDF management to build a stronger, more equitable, and effective ALDF."
"Congratulations to ALDF United on the ratification of their first collective bargaining agreement,” said NPEU Interim President, Amy Chin-Lai. “By taking a seat at the table, ALDF United has created a more just and respectful workplace and empowered its members to do their best work for animals. NPEU is thrilled to see you set the bar in animal protection organizations.”
About the Animal Legal Defense Fund:
The Animal Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1979 to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. To accomplish this mission, the Animal Legal Defense Fund files high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm; provides free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are held accountable for their crimes; supports tough animal protection legislation and fights harmful legislation; and provides resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law. For more information, please visit aldf.org.
About ALDF United:
ALDF United is a bargaining unit of NPEU, IFPTE Local 70. Inspired by ALDF's mission and in accordance with its core values, ALDF United was formed to empower ALDF staff members to do their best work for animals. The union strives to create a workplace that is anti-racist and more cooperative, equitable, inclusive, just, respectful, and transparent.
About Nonprofit Professional Employees Union:
The Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU), a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, represents employees at over fifty nonprofit organizations, including Food and Water Watch, ACLU, Friends of the Earth, the Brookings Institution, and National Women's Law Center. With over a thousand members, NPEU gives nonprofit workers a voice to strengthen their workplaces and continue to do work that makes a difference in people’s lives.