The Bronx Defenders, the holistic public defense organization serving 20,000 low-income borough residents each year, recently fired one of its immigration attorneys in what the Bronx Defenders Union called a “blatant act of union busting.”
Sophia Gurulé has worked for eight years with the Bronx Defenders with no disciplinary record but was terminated on June 27 after an “abrupt suspension,” according to an Aug. 28 statement from the BxD Union. The Bronx Times contacted Bronx Defenders management and has not yet received a response.
Gurulé is a prominent union member who served on the first and second bargaining committees and held leadership roles until her termination.
The BxD Union said she “regularly spoke truth to power” and that her firing was “designed to silence a powerful voice for fairness and justice and discourage other workers from vigorously engaging in union activity.”
This summer has been marked by contentious labor disputes within the Bronx Defenders.
BxD Union members briefly went on strike last month for the first time in the organization’s history, but resumed work just a couple of days later following an agreement with management.
The deal included a wage floor of $68,000 for all staff, raises for attorneys and social workers and longevity bonuses, all aimed at recruiting and retaining critically-needed public defense employees.
Gurulé spoke with the Bronx Times in July about the deal, which she said would “force” the Bronx Defenders and similar organizations to “examine where is the money in these organizations really going and how is it being prioritized for the people who are actually providing the day-to-day legal services that thousands of New Yorkers depend on.”
‘A violent act’
In addition to Gurulé’s firing, the union also objected to management’s actions regarding her insurance coverage, which ended about 15 days sooner than the date specified on her termination letter, Aug. 31.
After Gurulé and the union complained, management agreed on Aug. 28 to reinstate her coverage until the end of the month, but the late decision left her with, most likely, “a single day of functional coverage before the cutoff,” according to the union.
“Such a belated and inadequate response demonstrates not good faith, but deliberate delay tactics and punitive decision-making designed to intimidate and retaliate against a worker asserting her rights,” said the union.
In response to Gurulé’s termination, the union has filed a grievance and collected 1,000 signatures on letters and petitions calling for Gurulé’s reinstatement. They said they have received no response and the case will go to arbitration in late Oct.
The union is calling for Gurulé to be immediately reinstated with a public apology and an “end to union-busting tactics,” which they say has included disciplinary actions and firings of “numerous” employees without just cause.
“Sophia’s termination is not merely unfair—it is received as a violent act against a steadfast defender of our most vulnerable communities,” said the BxD Union’s statement.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
