A strong majority of the over 270 shelter, housing, case management, and behavioral health workers at Do Good Multnomah asked their employer for voluntary recognition of their union after signing union authorization cards. Should Do Good Multnomah refuse to voluntarily recognize the workers’ union, union authorization cards will be submitted to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) next week to trigger an election.
Do Good Multnomah, a nonprofit that offers veteran-focused housing, shelter, case management, and behavioral health support to community members at over ten sites across the Portland Metro Area and Vancouver.
Workers cited the urgent need for a standardized safety protocol, fair and equitable hiring and firing practices, improved compensation and benefits, and critical incident leave to recover and heal from repeated traumatic situations at work.
"The amount of near and actual death we encounter as front-line workers for Do Good is cumulative and takes a massive toll on our mental health. We need a protocol surrounding traumatic events, so that the burden of having to choose between self-care and a loss of income, doesn’t fall on an already taxed nervous system” said Kelli Schaefer, a Case Manager at Do Good’s Roseway location.
Workers at Do Good Multnomah love their work but recognize that a pattern of staff burnout and subsequent turnover threatens the organization’s sustainability, longevity, and overall quality of services.
“Burnout and turnover are synonymous with our field,” said Davis Nafshun, a Case Manager at Do Good’s Downtown shelter, located in Chinatown. “While the work of getting individuals housing can be so rewarding, it’s also extremely demanding, and it is not made easier by extensive short staffing problems and a lack of resources. At our location, we have no air conditioning. The day-to-day life of both the people we help and Do Good staff would largely improve from having a voice at the table in the decisions made at our job” continued Nafshun.
