Sierra Club floats ‘best and final’ contract offer to staff union

By Robin Bravender | 06/21/2024 01:38 PM EDT

The environmental group is inviting the union to mediation after months of tense negotiations over a collective bargaining agreement. The union says that’s premature.

Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous

Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous speaks with a reporter at the Sierra Club's offices in Washington on Oct. 26, 2023. Francis Chung/POLITICO

Sierra Club’s management is inviting its employee union to enter mediation over a collective bargaining agreement following months of tense negotiations.

The green group’s management and one of its employee unions, the Progressive Workers Union, have clashed over the specifics of a new contract since the previous agreement expired at the end of last year.

Sierra Club’s leadership sent what it called its “best and final offer” to the union this week and is now asking the union to participate in mediation, where an independent party would work with leadership and the union to hash out areas of compromise.

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“An independent and fair mediator will help both sides navigate any remaining areas of disagreement, which we believe is in the best interest of the Sierra Club,” the organization’s leadership team told staff in an email Friday. “Mediation is also the best option to help reach an agreement with PWU National without disrupting our work or undermining our ability to fundraise.”

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