Brooklyn Defender Services Union called the deal "a historic step forward for frontline staff at Brooklyn Defender Services," in a statement sent to Law360 on Thursday, one week after walking off the job.
"The Union has secured across‑the‑board economic gains, including higher wage floors, better wages for all, increased retirement contributions, and strong healthcare protections," it said. "The contract also improves working conditions by guaranteeing reasonable remote work for most staff, more sick leave and new programs like student‑loan assistance. Importantly, the contract ensures union members are no longer forced to submit to a location-tracking surveillance app."
Wednesday's deal brings hundreds of lawyers and social workers back to their posts in both Brooklyn and Queens.
The organization assumed the criminal defense contract of the Queens Defenders last year when its executive director, Lori Zeno, was arrested and charged with embezzling from the organization. Zeno pled guilty in February in Brooklyn federal court.
"We are thankful to Mayor Mamdani for additional public defense funding, which enabled BDS to provide significant salary increases and hold the line on employee contributions to their health insurance plans," executive director Lisa Schreibersdorf said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Every day, New Yorkers are threatened with family separation, incarceration, deportation, and other serious harms in the legal system. As a public defender office serving over 40,000 people across Brooklyn and Queens each year, Brooklyn Defender Services is there to uphold people's rights, freedom, and dignity," Schreibersdorf added. "We are proud of this resolution and are pleased to see our staff return to deliver zealous defense, compassionate advocacy and support to all people in Brooklyn and Queens in need of our help."
The deal comes as Schreibersdorf prepares to retire from her role at the end of the year, after she was accused by the union of trying to convince a union representative to start a decertification campaign. As part of the tentative agreement, the Brooklyn Defender Services Union says it will participate in choosing her successor.
"We are excited to get back to work today serving the community," the union added in its statement. "But we want to be clear: it should not have taken a strike for BDS management to step up."
Brooklyn Defender Services Union is one of five members of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys, or ALAA — a United Auto Workers affiliate that represents more than 3,500 legal services workers in the New York City metro area — whose contracts expired at the end of last month.
One of them, the Bronx Defenders union, announced on Tuesday that it will go on strike Monday if it does not reach a deal with its managers. The union most recently went on strike just one year ago, and is looking to secure a two-year contract this time, while management is seeking a five-year deal.
The union authorized the strike last week. The Bronx Defenders' management told Law360 at the time that, while it "cannot comment on the specifics of an ongoing and confidential bargaining process, we are committed to finalizing a union contract that is fair and equitable, just as we did two years ago, and with the wage reopener last year."
The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem union, meanwhile, plans to go on strike if it does not reach a deal by Friday at 8 a.m.
The other two ALAA shops — the Center for Family Representation and Catholic Migration Services — have not authorized strikes. The CFR union, however, held a picket on Monday, alleging in an Instagram post on Friday that the organization has failed to fill 60 vacancies, causing unsustainable caseloads for its current staff.
"We are proud of the offer we presented to the union, which reflects our deep appreciation for the dedication and expertise our staff bring to supporting New York City parents, families, and communities every day," CFR executive director Tehra Coles told Law360 by email on Thursday.
"Our latest proposal includes substantial offers in terms of significant salary increases, recognition of paid sabbatical time and bereavement leave, unlimited vacation carryovers, decreased health insurance costs, contributions to the UAW student loan fund, longevity bonuses, and more," Coles added. "We remain committed to bargaining in good faith and look forward to returning to the bargaining table on July 29. We are hopeful that we can reach a fair agreement, allowing us to continue providing the high-quality legal and social work advocacy that families rely on."
--Editing by Nicole Bleier.
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