Lambda Legal and Lambda Unites, the employee union representing 60 percent of Lambda’s staff, announced the ratification of a five-year collective bargaining agreement. Lambda Unites ratified the contract, the second in the union’s history, with 98% of union participants voting “yes.” Lambda Unites is affiliated with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, Local 32035.
“This successor agreement is the product of more than two years of bargaining. Dozens of staff members participated in the drafting, bargaining, and editing of each article, lending their voices and their lived experience to the final product,” said Amy Cook and Ronald Lizcano, Lambda Unites Co-Chairs. “The emotional labor brought to this delicate and exhausting work was enormous. We could not be prouder of this contract, which reflects a Lambda Legal for which we are all grateful.”
“We are thrilled to have reached a fair, mutually beneficial agreement that celebrates everyone’s contributions toward advancing and defending the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and those living with HIV,” said John Roane, Lambda’s Chief Operating Officer and Crystal Costello, Lambda’s Chief of People and Culture. “Lambda Legal employees should have the tools, resources, and environment with which to excel in our mission and their careers. We are proud of our longstanding partnership with Lambda Unites and are already rolling up our sleeves together to implement this five-year contract.”
The new agreement includes:
- A new step structure for salaries, affording unit members salary growth, predictability, as well as internal and market equity. 86.7% of unit members will see an increase in their salary upon implementation.
- An expanded comprehensive health care package which includes Health Reimbursement Account funds for fertility and infertility services, abortion care, gender affirming care, and HIV/AIDS care services.
- Increased benefits beyond health care such as retirement contributions and professional development reimbursements.
- A more collaborative grievance procedure, and a clearer discipline procedure.
- Clear consideration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) into the hiring process.
- Two new paid holidays: Juneteenth and Veterans Day.
- Expanded bereavement leave that recognizes the diverse kinship of our staff and communities, and a new leave bank to add flexibility for paid time off.
- A greatly clarified Anti-Discrimination and Harassment article that covers a full range of settings where our staff and communities work.
- New articles on work locations (including working from the office, home, and hybrid), public health and safety, job descriptions, promotions, and temporary employees/contractors.
Union members are located across the country in Lambda Legal’s six regional offices in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Georgia, and Washington D.C., as well as remote locations. The union includes staff from all parts of the organization, including Legal, Communications, Development, and Finance and Operations. Lambda Unites began the effort to unionize in 2017 and ratified its first collective bargaining agreement in 2019.
The duration of this successor agreement continues through 2029.