Our Story

OUR HISTORY

In 2021, a group of IFES staff began having conversations with eligible staff, with the interest of organizing at union at IFES. Staff sought a seat at the table and want to live IFES' values of transparency and accountability to create a more democratic workplace. 

In April 2022, the IFES Staff Union went "public" and requested voluntary recognition from IFES management. Management denied our voluntary recognition request, and the IFES Staff Union filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In the weeks leading up to the election, IFES Management held several captive audience meetings and sent union-busting emails to discourage staff from voting "yes" in the election. 

Ballots for the election were mailed in June 2022, and votes were counted on July 13, 2022. A majority of IFES staff voted "YES" for the union, and the IFES Staff Union was officially certified by the NLRB. After winning our election, IFES Bargaining Unit Staff elected a Collective Bargaining Committee, and began negotiating our first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in September 2022. 

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Equality and Inclusion: We will ensure that the rights and diverse perspectives of all staff members - of all races and ethnicities, genders, across all teams, at HQ and in the field - are represented and supported.

Solidarity: We have more power when we work together to support, advocate for and learn from each other.

Trust, Mutual Respect, and Empathy: We will value everyone for who they are to ensure people are treated with dignity and professionalism, as people, not as titles and job descriptions.

Accountability and Integrity: We seek to be transparent in our decision-making and actions and expect the same of others.

Like any true democracy, we want our union to be built by and advocate for the people who are part of it.

OUR CORRESPONDENCE

The letters below represent correspondence between us and IFES Management as we went public with our organizing campaign.

Letter 1: On April 26, 2022, we went public with our organizing effort and asked IFES Management to voluntarily recognize our union.

Letter 2: On April 28, 2022, IFES Management sent an email to all headquarters staff denying our request of voluntary recognition.

Letter 3: On May 17, we sent a letter to the IFES Board of Directors asking for their support in our unionization efforts.

Letter 4: On May 20, then-Board Chair Tad Devine responded noting that IFES Management "enjoys the full support" of the board.

OUR CERTIFICATION