The LGBT Community Center, a hub of queer organizing in New York City since 1983, quickly recognized a staff union after workers presented a list of demands to management last month.
The union’s recognition was welcomed by both The Center and the union itself, which is known as Center Workers United. Workers are represented by Communications Workers of America Local 1180.
“Our organization deeply values the dedicated work of our staff for the LGBTQ+ community and the importance of what each of us brings to our shared cause,” The Center’s CEO, Dr. Carla Smith, said in a written statement on April 2. “The Center believes that empowering LGBTQ+ people and building a strong LGBTQ+ community are essential common goals and will work with the union toward reaching a collective bargaining agreement as thoughtfully and expeditiously as possible.”
On March 13, Center Workers United first posted on Instagram to announce the unionization push, saying employees sought “to ensure that workers at The Center can best serve and support New York City’s LGBTQ+ community.” That same day, workers delivered a vision statement to management, signed by a “supermajority” of staffers, seeking recognition of the union within one week.
“Our community members, who very often face discrimination on the basis of their identities, deserve excellent services,” the union’s March 13 statement noted. “We can only effectively provide those services when we are given the necessary tools and support to do our jobs. Fair working conditions allow The Center to retain skilled, experienced workers who are satisfied in and dedicated to their roles.”
Silas Norum-Gross, a youth substance use treatment counselor at The Center, said in an interview with Gay City News that it took just one day for management to commit to recognizing the union.
“It caught me off guard,” said Norum-Gross, who recalled being pleasantly surprised by the quick response. They said they have always admired The Center’s values, but acknowledged that there can sometimes be inconsistencies between what non-profits say and do.
The Center is known for its meeting spaces, resources, support groups, services, and high-profile gatherings — including political events and historic moments such as the late activist Larry Kramer’s pivotal speech in March of 1987 that led to the formation of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT UP.
Smith, who succeeded Glennda Testone as CEO in February of last year, emailed employees at The Center on March 14 to informally announce voluntary recognition of the union. It was officially recognized on April 2 after a neutral party reviewed union cards signed by members, according to Communications Workers of America. The bargaining unit — the employees covered under the union — is made up of 56 union members.
“[Smith’s] reception of the union was very positive,” Norum-Gross said. “Carla has been nothing but supportive.”
Salem Joseph, a youth leadership coordinator and fellow union member, also praised management for choosing “to build with us.”
“I’m excited to showcase our commitment to both the workers and the institution,” Joseph said.
In laying out their demands, workers are aiming to address “short-staffing, burdensome caseloads, minimal safety planning, a lack of opportunities for career growth, and low compensation, among other grievances,” Center Workers United said in their initial statement.
The union’s goals are to guarantee existing benefits in a union contract, including a summer workweek, sabbatical, and hybrid schedule; high-quality affordable health insurance, including gender-affirming care; a living wage that includes salaries/wages, overtime pay, comp time, raises, cost-of-living adjustments, employer retirement contributions; job security; sustainable caseloads; safety measures for community-facing and facilities staff and hazard pay; pathways to grow and retain internal talent; and staff decision-making power on organizational policies.
“I know that job security is a big one and wages is a big one,” Norum-Gross said. “There are people who are working at The Center who have two jobs and there are people who can’t necessarily afford all of their medical appointments.”
While management has yet to respond to those individual goals, Norum-Gross said workers are planning to address them when they enter negotiations on a contract. Norum-Gross said union members elected individuals to lead a bargaining committee, which will be tasked with meeting with management and negotiating on behalf of workers.
There were multiple motivating factors that prompted workers to begin the organizing process in the first place, according to Norum-Gross. Some employees who started working at The Center, for example, were surprised that workers did not already have a union, leading to years of behind-the-scenes discussions. Others simply realized there was a need for a collective voice on the staff.
“Throughout their organizing campaign, these workers have shown an unwavering commitment to their union, to The Center, and to the LGBTQ+ community,” Gloria Middleton, president of CWA Local 1180, said in a written statement. “By choosing to voluntarily recognize the union, The Center has met us with the spirit of mutual respect that we hope will carry over to the bargaining table as we negotiate a union contract.”
Some unionization drives have been smoother than others among organizations serving LGBTQ individuals in New York City. In 2021, employees working for what was then known as Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund — which fought for trans rights through impact litigation and other means but eventually merged with the National Center for Transgender Equality to create Advocates for Trans Equality — announced plans to form a union, leading management to immediately recognize it.
But at Housing Works, an organization serving people experiencing homelessness and living with HIV/AIDS, employees stormed off the job in 2019 as part of a contentious, drawn-out unionization effort after workers said they faced resistance from the organization’s leader, Charles King. Employees ultimately voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
In recognizing The Center’s union, Smith acknowledged the hostile anti-LGBTQ political climate and indicated that she wanted to take steps to avoid a messy fight with workers.
“This past year has been tumultuous and the future remains uncertain for our community,” Smith said. “Recently, we’ve seen unionization efforts and internal conflicts fracture other organizations in the LGBTQ+ and social justice movements. We want to take a different path. This moment is an opportunity — an opportunity for a lot us at The Center to live our values, strengthen our mission, and ensure The Center remains a vital resource for our community for years to come. The Center’s success is driven by the dedication and talent of our staff, whose contributions are at the core of our mission to serve the LGBTQ+ community.”
Smith further added that she, along with the leadership team and board, “are fully committed to working in partnership with the union.”
