FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2020
Contact
Yadira Huerta | Justice in Motion | yadira@justiceinmotion.org
Alexi Shalom | ALAA | ashalom@alaa.org
Justice in Motion, ALAA Announce Recognition of Staff Union Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
BROOKLYN, NY — Today, Justice in Motion recognized the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325 as the collective bargaining representative of its workers, pursuant to a card check. Justice in Motion management and staff now look forward to negotiating a contract that will safeguard and reinforce the organization’s long-standing values of transparency and collaboration.
“We are pleased to have our outstanding staff add their talent, social justice commitment and voice to the labor movement,” said Cathleen Caron, Justice in Motion Executive Director and Founder.
During this time of economic precarity, Justice in Motion remains committed to its mission and the employees who make its work possible. Staff emphasize that while the coronavirus pandemic is not the reason they organized, it brought to light the need to work together for the sustainability of the organization and set a positive example for other nonprofits during the current crisis.
“As Justice in Motion staff members deeply committed to migrant rights, we are inspired to take the important step of unionizing in order to create a more sustainable and just future for the organization and everyone it serves. We are dedicated to our work, to our colleagues, and to making our workplace the best it can be. We firmly believe that our union will benefit the organization as a whole by improving retention and giving employees the security we need to do our best work,” said the Justice in Motion Union in a statement.
“We applaud Justice in Motion for living up to its values and setting an example for other legal services nonprofits,” said Jared Trujillo, President of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325. “This is the kind of leadership we need during a difficult period for workers across the country.”
About Justice in Motion
Justice in Motion protects migrant rights across borders through its unique network of on-the-ground human rights defenders in Mexico and Central America. By connecting U.S. advocates to its Defender Network, Justice in Motion helps parents separated from their children at the U.S. border, migrant workers exploited by U.S. employers, and children in detention. Improving the lives of thousands every year, Justice in Motion is dedicated to ensuring that wherever migrants go, their rights will follow.
About ALAA – UAW Local 2325
ALAA – UAW Local 2325 is the nation’s oldest union of attorneys and legal workers. Justice in Motion employees now join the almost 2,000 members of ALAA who are employed at the Legal Aid Society of New York City, the Nassau County Legal Aid Society, Federal Defenders of New York, The Legal Aid Society of Orange County, Youth Represent, CAMBA Legal Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, New York Legal Assistance Group, Asian Americans for Equality, Center for Family Representation, and Safe Passage Project.
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