Union pickets new work policies for Brooklyn and Queens public defenders

he union representing Brooklyn Defender Services workers announced a new round of pickets in response for changes to work from home policies.Eagle file photo by Noah Powelson

By Noah Powelson

The organization that took over Queens Defenders legal defense contract continues to see problems, after union members took to the picket line again in response to new work policies.

Union members of Brooklyn Defender Services held a picket demonstration on Monday after new work policies requiring staff to work. On September 2nd, all BDS staff – which includes former Queens Defenders staff members – were required to work in-person at the office five days a week, with the exception of attorneys and social workers, who are permitted to work from home one day per week.

Previously, staff could work at home two days a week with flexible scheduling.

Picketing workers are also demanding BDS repeal the required use of a third-party application that uses location tracking services.

The app, which BDS told the Eagle is called UKG, requires staff to clock-in and clock-out from the office using the company’s wi-fi and location tracking services in their devices. Union workers say the app violates their privacy and carries a disproportionate burden on staff who are required to travel around the city for their work.

BDS said UKG has been used in pre-pandemic times, and said the app does not track worker’s location outside of the office or at court. BDS also said staff could clock-in or out through an office computer instead of through their personal devices.

Reportedly, BDS had agreed to delay requiring the clock-in application on September 2nd, directly in response to the backlash from staff. The delay is apparently no longer in affect, and BDS staff were informed they would be required to use the application

The union had previously filed grievances on Aug. 22 following the policy announcements and pointed the finger at BDS’ Executive Director, Lisa Schreibersdorf, who they claim has violated labor laws by not consulting with the union before making these policy changes.

“Ms. Schreibersdorf, having previously implemented the in-office requirement on

September 2, 2025, announced yesterday that she would be steamrolling ahead with

mandating use of the controversial app, despite the Union having filed formal labor grievances,meeting to address them last week, and as of yet having received no response from BDS ontheir resolution,” the BDS union said in a statement.

“The Union has announced its intention to continue picketing the new policies until BDS repeals them and agrees to bargain over any further changes to the workplace or the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the union added.

In a response to an Eagle inquiry, Schreibersdorf said BDS was well within the requirements of the Collective Bargaining Agreement to change the work from home policy. Schreibersdorf said their contract authorized BDS to reconsider the in-person rules once every six months, and they had provided workers advanced notice months in advance.

Schreibersdorf also said the decision to bring people back to the office was made for the benefit of clients.

“I understand that these changes may be hard for some people,” Schreibersdorf said in a statement to the Eagle. “However, given that our work is focused on other people, our clients, who are facing extremely serious consequences from a complicated legal matter, we stand on our decision to change the requirements and we are confident that this is the right thing to do for each of the people we represent as well the communities we serve in Brooklyn and Queens.”