We, the undersigned city employees, community leaders, labor activists, and elected officials, firmly request that AFSCME Local 1635 formally withdraw its petition to accrete the unit of Police Accountability Board employees seeking to be represented by Workers United Upstate New York.

Last Fall, PAB employees moved to unionize with Workers United Upstate New York. Many other unions, including AFSCME, expressed support, but declined to offer representation to the workers in question. 

Since then, Workers United has been unwavering in its support for the staff of the PAB, and the staff have been adamant in their intention to be represented by Workers United. The Taylor Law, which governs public sector labor relations in New York State, is unambiguous with respect to questions about representation:

§ 202. Right of organization. Public employees shall have the right

to form, join and participate in, or to refrain from forming, joining,

or participating in, any employee organization (union) of their own choosing.

PAB Employees have now spent over a year without representation, and have continued to endure the working conditions which led them to seek recognition with Workers United last October. For this reason, we reiterate our request for AFSCME Local 1635 to respect the will of the workers and uphold the Taylor Law:

Please formally withdraw the petition to accrete the unit of Police Accountability Board employees seeking to join Workers United.