National Labor Relations Board Seeks Injunction Against Covenant House NY
Feds Say Nonprofit’s Actions
“Are Patently Unlawful & Astonishing”
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) filed a petition in federal court seeking an injunction against Covenant House New York (“Covenant House NY”) to stop their illegal union-busting behavior. Earlier this year, Region 2 of the NLRB issued an unfair labor practice complaint against Covenant House NY for repeatedly breaking federal law by unlawfully threatening workers and failing to bargain in good faith.
“The petition speaks to just how egregious Covenant House New York’s union-busting conduct has been; we applaud the NLRB for taking this step and our members for their courageous testimony in the trial. The staff of Covenant House New York care for many of the most vulnerable young people in New York City, and it is crucial that their rights as workers are respected. It’s time for Covenant House New York to follow the law and negotiate a fair contract without any further delay,” said Patricia Marthone, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.
In July 2022, 190 staff at Covenant House NY overwhelmingly voted to form a union with 1199SEIU. For almost three years, nurse practitioners, social workers, case managers, and others working at locations in Manhattan and the Bronx have been fighting for a fair contract. Yet, New York City’s largest provider for unhoused youth has refused to bargain for almost fifteen months and engaged in a hostile campaign of intimidation against their staff–instead of negotiating a first contract with their dedicated staff.
The NLRB escalated its enforcement against Covenant House NY by seeking an injunction on May 1 that would require the nonprofit to cease violating the law and immediately come back to the bargaining table—even before the underlying trial about their unfair labor practices is decided (and even if Covenant House NY appeals that decision).
The NLRB briefed the court on the many “patently unlawful and astonishing” ways by which Covenant House NY violated the rights of their employees by illegally threatening workers with discipline if they talked about the union with their co-workers or communicated at all with union representatives. The independent federal agency also alleges that the nonprofit failed to bargain in good faith by canceling several bargaining sessions, failing to make proposals, refusing to meet, and refusing to provide requested information.
The dedicated staff at Covenant House NY say that they would like management to stop breaking the law and start negotiating a fair contract.
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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in New York and nationwide. We represent over 450,000 members throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.
