The National Audubon Society’s employee union has voted to authorize a strike as the conservation group and its workers continue to spar over pay and benefits.
The Bird Union, represented by the Communications Workers of America, alleges that Audubon’s management unlawfully changed employees’ benefits, refused to bargain over minimum salaries and withheld some benefits from union members that were given to other employees.
The vote to authorize a strike comes as the union and Audubon’s management have been working for more than two years to finalize their first collective bargaining agreement. The group is one of several major environmental organizations that have unionized in recent years and have struggled to finalize a contract. Staff at Defenders of Wildlife went on strike for two days in July. Also in July, the Sierra Club and its union reached a deal just before the group’s employees planned to strike.
“We formed our union with the goal of sitting down with management and working through persistent problems that have driven away dedicated workers, undermining our work,” said Shyamlee Patel, a Bird Union-CWA Local 1180 member.
