Brooklyn Defender Services union goes on strike

The Brooklyn Defender Services union went on strike on Thursday morning. Eagle file photo by Noah Powelson

By Noah Powelson

Over 500 attorneys and legal staff at the city’s second-largest public defender organization went on strike Thursday.

Unionized staff at Brooklyn Defender Services – which has about 500 attorneys representing indigent clients in criminal, immigration, and family court cases in the city’s two largest boroughs – officially went on strike Thursday morning, both the organization and the union confirmed.

The union, a chapter of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys, and leadership of Brooklyn Defender Services failed to reach an agreement on a new labor contract – the previous contract expired on June 30 – by the strike deadline voted on by the union. A union spokesperson said the last bargaining session began on Wednesday morning and continued on through Thursday morning just before the strike deadline, but no deal was made in time.

Union contract demands include a higher wage floor for all staff, improved health insurance premiums, flexible remote work options and more paid-time-off. A disagreement over a change to the length of a probationary period for new hires has also held up negotiations. The union said BDS management is attempting to extend the probationary period from six months to a year, a change the union said they won’t accept in a new contract.

Union demonstrations outside BDS offices in Brooklyn and Queens were cancelled Thursday because of poor air quality brought on by smoke from Canadian wildfires, but union officials said they were planning on picketing until a deal is made.

No future bargaining sessions have been scheduled as of reporting time, according to the union.

With most of BDS staff taking to the picket line, the organization's remaining supervisors and staff will take over active cases until the strike is called off.

“After months of intensive and good faith bargaining with the BDS Union, we regret to announce that we have not yet reached a tentative agreement, and staff have begun a work stoppage this morning,” Lisa Schreibersdorf, the executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services, said in a statement. “In keeping with our mission of providing outstanding legal representation, BDS supervisors will handle the cases of the people we represent and be available to New Yorkers who rely on our critical services. It is our highest priority to ensure that our clients are not negatively impacted by the work stoppage.”

While the strike is currently contained to BDS, it could soon double in size as ALAA chapters at Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem and Bronx Defenders both passed strike authorization votes last week. If all three unions go on strike, the city could see over 950 public defender attorneys and staff walk off the job.

Al Baker, a spokesman for the Office of Court Administration, previously told the Eagle the courts were aware of the ongoing labor conflicts with public defender organizations around the city, and were in communication with stakeholders to avoid court disruptions.

“The UCS is aware of this situation and is in contact with our partners in the city and the public defender organizations,” Baker previously told the Eagle. “While we always hope that our courts and those they serve experience no disruptions, our entire judicial system remains committed to ensuring full operations should any arise. For now, of course, the courts remain fully open.”

“As in the past, the UCS continues to closely monitor these developing circumstances and hope the parties can forge meaningful resolutions,” Baker added.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.