On May 17th, our union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Political Committee, bringing our months-long layoff negotiations with the board to a close.
We just won our second contract! Ahead of negotiations, we went line by line of our first contract, developed new proposals, and voted on priorities. By focusing on union democracy, we had 100% participation and a 100% yes. Today, we have a stronger union and stronger contract.
We are proud to announce that we have unanimously approved our collective bargaining agreement for 2024-2027. We would like to thank the NPC and staff directors for bargaining with us in good faith for a contract that reflects our dedication to DSA.
The DSA Union is working to support socialist organizers around the country mobilizing thousands of people to declare their commitment to fighting for the right to abortion. Today, we call on other unions to join us in demanding that abortion rights are protected!
Despite what the NPC argues, they do not have “no alternative” to these cuts. Just look at their votes on the latest consensus budget. This is a political choice, one that involves giving themselves jobs and stipends while cutting union positions.
We are willing to compromise. We’ve offered the NPC 2 staff to lay off in addition to the 7 folks who have already left during just this NPC term. This totals more than half a million dollars of additional savings beyond the NPC’s deficit goals. Our MOU:
As so many members have articulated, gutting staff will harm the organization. Laying off a third of staff is not the solution to the budget crisis, neither is cutting the union in half—fair cuts, growing DSA and fundraising are.
We demand that our nationally elected leaders revisit the alternative cuts they refused to make, and pick up the phone to fundraise. It is their fiduciary responsibility to do so, which many NPC members have neglected.
The NPC must participate in DSA’s solidarity phone banks and/or work with members to create other ambitious fundraising possibilities which will meet the needs the organization requires before claiming that they have run out of solutions.