FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Audrey Ann Ross, AccessMatters
215-985-2619, audrey.ross@accessmatters.org
Sasha Faust, AccessMatters Union
570-590-6504, accessmattersunion@gmail.com
AccessMatters and AccessMatters Union Reach Agreement on First Collective Bargaining Agreement
PHILADELPHIA, PA (September 1, 2023): AccessMatters and the bargaining committee of the AccessMatters Union, NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia – Local 38010 of the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, CLC have reached agreement on their first collective bargaining agreement. The new contract was ratified by the members of the AccessMatters Union on August 29, and is now in effect, with a term of three years.
Highlights include:
- Reduced healthcare costs for staff
- Enhanced family leave policy
- Salary minimums across classes of positions
- More flexible and accessible paid sabbatical policy
- Increased retirement contributions and the elimination of a vesting period
- Transparent processes for progress reviews, performance management, and disciplinary action
- Guaranteed COLA for term of agreement
- New extended office-wide closures twice per year to encourage restorative time
- Accountability regarding equity and inclusion commitments
“We extend congratulations to the AccessMatters Union leadership and members along with gratitude for your hard work, dedication, and investment in our staff and our agency,” said Melissa Weiler Gerber, AccessMatters’ President & CEO. “We also want to express our thanks and congratulations to our management team for its valuable feedback and input throughout this process which helped shape this contract. This contract is cause for celebration for all of us at AccessMatters, strengthening our commitment to staff, ensuring we live our values, and positioning us to deliver on our mission from a position of collective respect, strength, and integrity.”
“Our membership is thrilled to have ratified our first collective bargaining agreement with AccessMatters’ management. Our members work tirelessly to ensure folks living in and around Philadelphia can access the health care and information they seek. Our new contract will improve quality of life for workers both in and outside of the workplace through improved employee benefits, protections, and policies. These changes have been a long time coming,” said Alana Leger, Chair of the AccessMatters Union. “We hope that other area nonprofits take notice and recognize the value of providing more than the standard.”
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About AccessMatters
AccessMatters, a non-profit, public health organization located in Center City Philadelphia, envisions a future where every person has the health care and information they seek. In service to that vision, AccessMatters’ mission is to protect, expand, and enhance equitable access to sexual and reproductive health care and information for all people. AccessMatters’ fulfills its mission by providing services and information directly to people, by supporting a large network of healthcare provider organizations, and through research, training, and advocacy. The organization’s work reaches more than 100,000 people each year, across Greater Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, and throughout the nation, positively impacting people’s health and wellness. For more information about AccessMatters, visit our website at www.accessmatters.org or follow us @AccessMatters4U on Twitter, and @AccessMatters on Facebook.
About AccessMatters Union
The mission of the AccessMatters Union is to build collective power, shared understanding, and a strong sense of community among all staff employed at AccessMatters. The AMU aims to improve and equalize working conditions across our office to the benefit of employees, management, and clients alike. For more information, visit our website at www.accessmattersunion.org.