FAQs
What union are WCA staff working with?
CWA: Communication Workers of America. CWA represents workers in private and public sector employment in 1,200 chartered CWA local unions. The Evergreen Workers Union would be affiliated specifically with CWA Local 7800.
Why are we taking the step to unionize at WCA?
A union is a way to maintain the positive things that do work in our workplace and to have a voice in the conditions of our work place. With an ambitious new strategic plan, unionizing is a way to support our vision for equity across the organization. As WCA has grown over the years, our policies, pay, and worker protections have not kept up. Unionizing is an act of care by WCA employees to ensure the organization can grow in a positive direction that cares for employees and drives forward progress on environmental justice.
Are unions only for helping salaries?
No, we decide what we want to fight for. Through collective bargaining, WCA staff can negotiate better salaries, increased benefits, and anything else that is an urgent issue to address. Also, the members democratically decide bargaining priorities by distributing a bargaining survey to all members and electing a bargaining committee. Every member has an equal voice in identifying the priority of the improvements the union is negotiating for at the bargaining table.
How would a union help WCA lower staff take part in higher level organizational stances and decisions about racial justice and racial equity work?
The bargaining unit will fight for the issues that the unit democratically wants in the contract, such as opportunities for staff to provide input on decisions and hold our senior management team accountable to our racial justice and equity work. For example, the League of Conservation Voters union negotiated to develop a Racial Justice and Equity Review Board, which convenes at least four times a year to “create and sustain an inclusive, transparent, and participatory process to assess the organization’s racial justice and equity work and hold it accountable for moving this work forward.”
This has nothing to do with the environment, why would an environmental non-profit unionize?
Advocating for environmental progress and justice has always been intertwined with the advancement of labor rights and dignity of work. WCA has publicly supported the labor movement for years and recognized the need for labor voices in the environmental movement, yet we have struggled to build honest and trusting relationships with unions and labor advocates. Unionizing is one very important way that our organization can show earnest support for the dignity of work by valuing us as their workers. We believe unionizing is an act of care, it is an act of progress towards a more just and equitable environmentally conscious society.
Why should I support the Evergreen Workers Union?
Your support will help us show that the union has broad support among community members, leaders, former staff and interns and WCA, donors and supporters, and friends of the organization. If you support workers being in a safe and positive work environment where they are valued, supporting the Evergreen Workers Union is a great step! Supporting the union is a way for you to show your support for the organization and the workers. It does not mean that you don’t value the organization or that you have any negative feelings about our leadership and values. It means you believe in us, our work, and our capacity to take this bold next step.