FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Katie Barrows
Communications Manager
P: 202-549-5991
kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org

WASHINGTON, June 9, 2020 - Today, the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) launched an initiative to educate and connect with professionals about how organizing unions can protect their health and safety as many businesses resume in-person operations, even as the threat of COVID-19 remains. Over the next month, DPE will conduct outreach to nonunion professionals in order to emphasize the importance of organizing unions to secure a voice in conversations about office reopenings, personal protective equipment, and work-from-home policies.

“As stay-at-home orders are lifted and employers begin to call employees back to their physical offices, the only legally-protected way for professionals to have a say in these important decisions is with a union,” said DPE President Jennifer Dorning. “Throughout this pandemic, union professionals have been able to negotiate with their employers on health and safety measures, implementation of telework, and ways to avoid layoffs, and they will continue to have input in workplace changes as organizations deal with the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

Over six million doctors, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals are union members, and in the last year more than 90,000 professionals joined unions. The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped professionals from organizing unions, instead nonprofit employees, musicians, theater professionals, and many others have continued to unionize to create stability and have a seat at the table in these uncertain times. 

Professionals can find more information about organizing unions during the COVID-19 pandemic here. 

About DPE

The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.