Equity and Advocacy at Work

Following the voluntary recognition of the RAICES Workers Union in 2021, we have collaborated to redefine the standard for nonprofit workplaces. Our first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), ratified in June 2024, establishes an industry-leading foundation of equity, offering compensation and benefits that significantly exceed national averages for the sector.

Read Our CBA

Immigrant and worker rights are fundamentally aligned. From the eight-hour workday to ‘Day Without Immigrants’ protests, the U.S. is indebted to the contributions of immigrants. Yet basic safety, dignity, and legal protection—let alone family unity—are often denied. I stand with our team in the belief that no one should have to choose between providing for their family and living without the threat of deportation.

— Faisal Al-Juburi, Co-Chief Executive Officer

RAICES Workplace Protections

RAICES Workers Union is part of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, which represents several  trailblazing social justice nonprofits, including Southern Poverty Law Center, Indivisible, Lambda Legal, and several regional chapters of the ACLU.

  • Following the 2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement, union-eligible employees received an average salary increase of 8.4%. RAICES maintains a compensation structure where the base annualized salary is 14% higher than the reported average for Texas not-for-profit organizations, and the median salary stands 3% above the national median across both public and private sectors.

  • RAICES prioritizes employee health by providing 100% employer-paid medical, vision, and dental premiums. This full coverage applies to employee-only plans regardless of the specific healthcare plan selected by the staff member.

  • RAICES demonstrates its commitment to rest through robust leave policies, including holiday pay and significant annual PTO accruals ranging from 24 to 60 days based on tenure. These accrual rates are 37% to 243% higher than the 17.5-day national average for not-for-profit employees.

  • Full-time staff employed at RAICES for at least six months are eligible for 10 weeks of parental and postpartum leave. This leave can be taken in non-consecutive installments and represents a benefit that is 25% higher than the national average for paid maternal leave.

  • RAICES provides holistic support for staff, including access to mental health first aid and quarterly mental health training sessions designed to support the well-being of all employees.

  • To prevent burnout at RAICES, supervisors and employees collaboratively develop work plans that account for individual capacity. Employees who consistently work more than 80 hours per pay period have the right to request meetings with Union representatives to address workload management.

  • RAICES ensures fair compensation for additional hours worked by providing overtime pay for all non-exempt employees.

  • RAICES incentivizes professional advancement through a one-time $1,500 bonus for employees who successfully complete Department of Justice (DOJ) accreditation.

  • Every RAICES employee is eligible for professional development allocations ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 every two years based on position and tenure.

  • RAICES upholds rigorous standards where all disciplinary actions must be based on just cause. To support professional growth, disciplinary records are not factored into future progressive discipline after a set period.

  • RAICES is committed to a workplace that prioritizes physical well-being, including regular air quality testing and clear emergency office closure protocols to ensure employee safety.

  • To foster a culture of belonging, RAICES offers a voluntary informal process for interpersonal conflict resolution and addressing grievances.