Amid ongoing strikes by legal services organizations throughout the city, attorneys representing Bronxites in housing court are now entering their fourth week off the job, disrupting crucial services.
Attorneys with the Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project overwhelmingly represent Bronx tenants facing eviction and have been among the 60 UJCU members on strike since July 15, according to Staff Attorney Eric Horowitz. Phone calls to UJC were not answered on Aug. 4.
The organization counts New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker as one of its famed alumni and represents other vulnerable groups, including street vendors, domestic violence survivors, sex workers and the incarcerated.
Like their counterparts at Bronx Defenders, who recently went on a one-day strike before reaching a tentative agreement with management, UJCU members are also striking for the first time in their organization’s history. The union is fighting for higher pay, more reasonable workloads and greater employment protections that they say will lead to more proactive, comprehensive client service in the long run.
UJC attorneys make $10,000 to $15,000 less than those at comparable organizations, and their lowest-paid member makes $48,000, which falls short of meeting the cost of living in New York City by tens of thousands, the union said in a statement.
While the Bronx Defenders won a wage floor of $68,500 in their contract fight, UJCU said its last offer from management included a wage floor of $52,000.
Horowitz said he and 18 other Safety Net Project attorneys often juggle 40 or more cases at a time while being paid less than the industry average, he said in an Aug. 4 interview.
At the same time, UJC’s 2024 tax records show the organization has $1.3 million in surplus revenue, and Executive Director Doug Lasdon earns $286,000 annually, according to the union.
In addition to higher pay and caseload maximums, the union also seeks protection against discipline and termination without due process and just cause, and against “spinoffs” to restructure the organization that would cause affected employees to lose their union membership.
Under existing conditions, attorneys are often forced to do “damage control” instead of fighting for longer-term improvements to their clients’ housing situations, said Horowitz.
Although he said the “predatory nature” of New York City’s housing system requires systemic change, better conditions at UJC could prevent more Bronxites from being hauled multiple times into housing court, he said.
The decision to strike for the first time was difficult but necessary due to management’s stalling tactics, according to Horowitz.
UJCU said it requested to start bargaining back in January, but management made “no meaningful proposals” until just weeks before contract expiration in June.
Recently, the union was presented with what management called their last, best and final offer that still left some provisions open to negotiation, said Horowitz. The union is now working on its response.
“It’s definitely been tough on everybody,” he said. “We all care deeply about our clients.”
Supervising attorneys signed a letter of support for the union and have their hands full trying to cover for those on strike. Until an agreement is reached, the union will continue to advocate for improvements that will benefit workers, clients and courts in the long run.
“I am confident that this effort will result in better outcomes for our clients when we do return to work,” said Horowitz.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
