‘New Georgia Project’ staffers say union efforts got them fired
ATLANTA, Ga. - Recently fired employees at one of Georgia’s most prominent nonprofits spoke out against what they say is retaliation for trying to unionize.
New Georgia Project, a group focused on voting rights, health care and other social issues, was founded by two-time gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. It recently laid off nearly 20 employees after efforts to organize.
Abrams has said she’s no longer d with the group she founded and on Tuesday, her other organization, Fair Fight Action, posted its for the fired workers.
New Georgia Project is credited with helping bring about Georgia’s blue wave in 2020, ing thousands of Georgians to vote and knocking on millions of doors around the state.
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Some employees say they had raised issues about poor recent spending habits at the nonprofit and had gone as far as to formally start the unionization process, only to be fired days later with no notice.
“Right after we announced it, we marched on the bosses, we would say, and demanded recognition. They started laying our ers off,” said Chuck Stiles, a leader with Teamsters Local Union 728. “We believe that every worker should be able to stand up for what they feel is right.”
Workers, both former and current, say the issue is with management, namely the NGP Action Fund board and its chairman Francys Johnson, a Statesboro attorney. The money issues, they say, is leading to donors cutting their .
Speaking to Atlanta News First on the phone Tuesday, Johnson said the layoffs were tied to a slow time for election activity, but did not address the allegations about finances.
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“NGPAF has long worked in solidarity with Organized Labor to move Georgia forward for working families,” a spokesperson said in a later statement. “NGPAF is committed to following up with our partners in Organized Labor to ensure compliance with applicable law.”
Stiles says it’s illegal to fire workers for trying to unionize and he plans to file a formal complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on behalf of the workers. He said it may be possible to get them their jobs back with backpay. Fired employees say they’re hopeful that will happen.
“I’m stuck trying to find a job, no health insurance,” said JaMae Rooks, one of the fired workers. “I just bought a home, and now I don’t know if I can stay in my home because I no longer have a job.”
“It’s been a strong struggle since I got laid off,” said Jon’Luk Young, another fired worker. “I was grateful to be an employee for NGP because I had the opportunity to get out here and be amongst the people. Now that’s gone and I feel some type of way.”
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Workers who were let go find irony in the whole thing. They say for an organization that’s grassroots and heavily involved in outreach, it’s antithetical to the mission.
“You pay me to organize and make this thing a better place – make Georgia a better state for all of us to live in,” said Rooks, “and as soon as I try to make my workplace a better place, you’re like no, you’ve got to go.”
Complicating the issue is the fact that the NLRB isn’t fully staffed early into President Donald Trump’s term. Stiles says there’s no quorum, so complaints like the one he plans to file on behalf of NGP workers may not get attention right away, as is true for labor issues across the country.
“It’s a big labor problem, yes,” he said. “It’s a problem for work – not just labor – but working folks in general. Union and nonunion, it’s going to be a huge problem for them.”
NGP employees are worried that without a full staff and full donor , their efforts may suffer and voters may be losing out.
“The work of NGP is still strong if it’s funded and if it’s staffed,” said Stephanie Ali, a current NGP employee who stood with fired workers on Tuesday. “Those are people who are going to go untouched, those are people who are not going to be encouraged to turn out to vote, who are possibly not going to get ed to vote.”
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