Employees of Jewish Federation Los Angeles and three affiliated nonprofits plan to picket outside Mid-Wilshire office Tuesday . Unionized workers say federation management broke verbal agreement during contract talks.
Back on June 25,during a bargaining session,federation reportedly promised a 5% salary bump for first year of a proposed three-year deal. But after union dropped other demands,federation cut the offer to 4%. “Feels like bad-faith negotiations,” said Lilia Arbona,union leader,who’s been with federation 35 years. She called it “disrespectful and distasteful to the community.”
About 75% of union's 93 members work for federation,while rest are with Jewish Community Foundation,managing over $1 billion in charitable assets,closely tied to federation. Other two groups involved,Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles and Builders of Jewish Education,get funding from federation but run as separate entities. Federation negotiates for them.
Arbona said union previously agreed to drop proposals on healthcare,leave,and severance pay for yearly raises of 5%,4%,and 4% over contract's three years. Structure mirrors last contract's terms,expiring Tuesday. Arbona argued management blamed missing 1% raise on healthcare costs,but said hikes in those costs didn’t justify cut .
Picket isn't a strike; union members will join during lunch. Arbona mentioned union might file unfair labor practices complaint with National Labor Relations Board,but worried about long process and potential bias from Trump-era board appointees.
Rob Goldenberg,federation's communications lead,didn’t address Arbona's claims directly but called picket a routine part of negotiations. “Every three years,the Jewish Federation,representing several Jewish agencies,negotiates with local union,” said Goldenberg,also federation’s chief creative officer. He described picket as common during talks,hoping for a resolution benefiting all parties .
The situation highlights broader tensions in nonprofit sector labor talks,where workers seek fair pay amid financial constraints of their organizations. As picket nears,federation management and union members remain locked in a standoff,hoping to settle things…
