ORGANIZING UPDATE: Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) Staff Votes to Affiliate with IFPTE Local 70

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) staffers have unionized! In late March, a super majority of staffers voted in an NLRB election to join the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU/IFPTE Local 70). The staff union, ALDF United, emerged victorious from the NLRB election following a months-long union busting campaign waged against staffers by ALDF’s management and board of directors, which hired a prominent union busting law firm in an attempt to squash organizing efforts. Victory in hand, ALDF United looks forward to creating a more equitable, inclusive, and just workplace that will empower staffers to achieve their mission of protecting the lives and advancing the interests of animals throughout the legal system. IFPTE President Shearon commented that, “IFPTE and Local 70 are pleased to welcome the ALDF staff to the IFPTE family. It certainly is disheartening that management at this progressive organization decided to take the union busting route commonly taken by corporate America to deny workers an ability to have voice on the job. However, the staff at ALDF stood strong and prevailed. We congratulate them, Local 70 staff, and IFPTE international organizers who worked so hard on this successful campaign.”