RAICES and RAICES WORKERS UNION REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT ON FIRST COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
SAN ANTONIO, TX – On this International Workers’ Day, RAICES is proud to share that Management and Union representatives have reached tentative agreements on all relevant articles for our first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). We anticipate that the Union will take this to a vote for ratification in the coming weeks.
Nearly three years since RAICES voluntarily recognized the RAICES Workers Union and after two years of effective and good faith negotiations, both parties have arrived at a mission-driven agreement rooted in our shared values and commitment to supporting our RAICES community, including our colleagues and clients.
In our most recent negotiations, we finalized a wage scale that, upon ratification of the complete CBA, ensures an immediate average 8.4% increase for union-eligible employees, in addition to the 3% across-the-board (ATB) raise effective as of the first full pay period in 2024.
The updated annualized base salary at RAICES is 14% higher than the reported average nonprofit salary in Texas, and the median annualized salary for union-eligible employees is 3% higher than the national median across public and private sectors.
Other highlights of our first CBA at RAICES, all of which are already in effect, include:
24 to 60 day annual paid time off (PTO) accruals, based upon tenure — or 37% to 243% higher than the national average of 17.5 days for nonprofit employees
10 weeks of paid parental and postpartum leave — 25% higher than the national paid maternal leave average across public and private sectors, a fivefold increase since 2021, and a 66% increase from the more recent six-week policy for which management sought union approval prior to voluntary implementation in 2022
30% to 54% increase since 2021 in employer contributions toward medical insurance premiums, reflecting 100% employer paid medical premiums for employee-only coverage regardless of the plan selected
Professional development allocations for every employee ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 every two years, based upon position, licensing, and tenure — in addition to the previously announced one-time $1,500 bonuses for employees who complete Department of Justice (DOJ) accreditation while working at RAICES
We believe that our CBA, as tentatively agreed upon, is a meaningful step for RAICES in fostering the equitable, inclusive, and impactful workplace that we all envision, as well as becoming an employer of choice in the immigrant rights movement. Together, we are growing a workplace environment that responsibly and sustainably supports our shared commitment to advocating for our immigrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking community members and we look forward to all that’s best ahead.
For more information, visit raicestexas.org/union.
RAICES, formally known as the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Headquartered in Texas and with national reach, RAICES promotes migrant justice by providing legal services, social services case management, and rights advocacy for immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Learn more at raicestexas.org.
