NPQ’s column, We Stood Up, features first-person stories from workers, builders, activists, and organizers of their work and world. From inspirational stories to strategic insights and powerful solutions, these stories may offer a moment to breathe, collective wisdom, and the community solidarity we need to keep pushing toward a just and equitable future.
Nonprofits, even unionized nonprofits, often fail to fully appreciate the value of their workers. The organization’s mission is usually what brings people to the organization, so workers often help to fill gaps in pursuit of the mission—only to feel exploited afterward.
Such was the case for a former coworker of mine who was covering for her boss and a colleague who just resigned from the organization, on top of working her regular job. She told me she felt exhausted, burnt out, and frustrated—even as she was being praised for being the most efficient member of the team.
Working without equitable pay is a problem—even a common form of wage theft.
I could tell that she was proud of her work ethic and didn’t want to give up her responsibilities. But she wanted more pay for the extra loads she was carrying.
Fortunately, as a union steward, I knew our labor contract held a solution: Any additional duties that a union member takes on that lie outside of their job description had to come with additional compensation. Under the contract, she would not only be owed increased wages, but she would also receive back pay for weeks of covering two jobs in addition to her own.
Being asked to cover for a colleague isn’t uncommon. It offers a chance to develop new skills, manage new projects, and add to your resume.
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But working without equitable pay is a problem—even a common form of wage theft. The truth is, your nonprofit benefits from your work, and it’s just good sense to ask for a piece of the pie you’re helping create. Having a union is essential for enforcing this, where the staff collectively stand up and say to management, “Our work is valuable, and you must pay for it.”
A good contract is important, but for the contract to be meaningful, nonprofit workers need to stand up.
Every time I heard of a colleague who had taken on extra projects without getting a raise, I would inform them of our contract language and their rights. And every time, it opened a discussion with HR about their role, their developing skills, and what an equitable future looked like.
Sometimes that discussion resulted in a simple increase in pay based on hours worked or the number of new projects; sometimes it was a lengthier review of their job description and future growth at the organization. We sometimes had to ask ourselves hard questions like, “How long would you be willing to work two jobs before you expected a salary increase?”
Ultimately, because my coworker and I stood up, we secured a good resolution. But it took a lot of documentation, and management didn’t accept our first proposal. Over a period of months, HR reviewed the position, the worker and their manager documented the new responsibilities, and we bargained. The good news is that we secured a new job description and higher salary for my coworker.
There is a lesson here. A good contract is important, but for the contract to be meaningful, nonprofit workers need to stand up. This requires knowing how to advocate for yourself and supporting volunteer stewards in enforcing the rights that colleagues fought hard at the negotiating table to secure. The more we defend what is ours by right, the stronger we become—and the better workplaces we have.
