On January 20, 2021, staff at the Association of Community College Trustees kicked off their election to officially certify their union. The organization declined to voluntarily recognize their staff's wishes, despite a clear majority of staff being vocal supporters of their union. 

"In my nearly four years at ACCT, I can confidently say that all members of staff are committed to and care deeply about the work we do to support students and community colleges. We are unionizing to make sure we have as strong a workplace as possible within which to do our jobs. I'm excited by the opportunity to collaborate with leadership to ensure ACCT is a great place to work for years to come," noted Associate Writer Jacob Bray. The mail-in election will conclude on February 10, 2021 with a vote count overseen by the National Labor Relations Board. 

Employees at the D.C.-based EMILY’s List are the latest to join the growing number of nonprofit employees choosing to be represented by OPEIU Local 2 and become members of our Nonprofit Employees United (NEU) initiative.
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Today, EMILY’s List management voluntarily recognized the EMILY’s List staff union through a card check process conducted by a neutral party and now will be represented by OPEIU Local 2 in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Contract negotiations will begin in the coming weeks.

On December 16, 2020, staff at Emily's List overwhelmingly moved to form a union by requesting voluntary recognition from Emily's List leadership. 

"We work every day to ensure pro-choice Democratic women have a voice in every political office and a seat at every table. Now we’re asking for our own seat at the table. We’re proudly pro-choice, pro-union, and ready to work together to build an even stronger," remarks the Emily's Union Organizing Committee. 

Staff at the Association of Community College Trustees requested voluntary recognition on December 7, 2020 after several months of working together to form a union. Staff notified management that a supermajority of non-supervisory, non-managerial, non-confidential employees at the ACCT had joined together to form a union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2. 

Staff at the National Association of County and City Health Officials requested voluntary recognition from NACCHO management on November 23, 2020 with an overwhelming show of support from eligible staff. Through their work, NACCHO employees strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of local health departments around the United States - their expertise ranging from healthcare equity to pandemic preparedness. 

Employees at DC SAFE overwhelmingly moved to form a union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2 on Friday, October 30, 2020 by filing for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. DC SAFE is Washington, DC’s foremost resource for victims of domestic violence - as the District’s only 24/7 domestic violence crisis intervention agency. ​

Employees at the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)’s national office unanimously decided to form a union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2 on Friday, October 2, 2020. By taking this step, staff are seeking to live the values of APALA and enable the organization to better protect and advance workers’ rights within the labor movement and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
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By Daphne Assimakopoulos, Programs Associate for the Middle East and North Africa

​In the fall of 2018, a handful of staff members at PartnersGlobal started discussing what a union could look like in our workplace. We had ideas about how to improve workplace processes to make for a more equitable experience for staff across the organization in terms of pay, benefits, and policies. More importantly, we knew a union could be the vehicle needed to push our organization to live up to its values—a commitment to democracy and a culture of dialogue. ​

On October 30, 2019, 87% of workers overwhelmingly voted YES to form a union with OPEIU Local 2. The National Endowment for Democracy is an international grant making organization who works to strengthen democracy and governance around the world. Read more in the press release below. 

Employees at PartnersGlobal joined Local 2 as a newly organized unit on Monday, March 11th. Staff spent months building power among their colleagues before making a request for voluntary recognition in January. PartnersGlobal, based in Washington, DC, works internationally with grassroots organizations to fund sustainable peace-making efforts and to support local democratic initiatives.

A new piece by Devex highlights the movement to form a union at the National Democratic Institute in July 2018. NDI is an international development organization that works to strengthen democracy and governance around the world. Through their work, the organization supports labor unions globally. By having the opportunity to work with its union, management at NDI have an exciting opportunity to live out its commitment to democracy in its own workplace. Read the piece below. 

Yesterday, a majority of eligible staff members at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), voted to join the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2, in an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “With their newly solidified rights on the job, these new union members will help NDI remain true to its democratic values at home as well as abroad,” said Jessica Maoirca, a Local 2 staff representative who helped guide NDI staff through the process.  

On February 1, 2017, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington's first contract officially went into effect, bringing stability and the opportunity to have a voice on the job in the workplace. Among other highlights, workers at PPMW bargained for a $6,000 increase to wage floors for incoming workers, bringing starting salaries up from around $31,000 annually. Additionally, they put in place a system where workers can no longer be let go without "just cause" and severance pay. To ensure entry-level staff have measurable goals to earn promotions, staff also worked to outline clearer paths to advancement within the organization. Congrats PPMW!