People at 775 work tirelessly because the endeavor is a noble cause and the narrative is a compelling one: we stand up to bad employers and lift caregivers out of poverty. Once the honeymoon is over, the cracks in the facade become visible and the allegations of favoritism, sexism, harassment and intimidation surface.
In these last three years, there have been some unsettling new developments; plummeting morale, an unyielding adherence a strict hierarchy and deference to those with elevated titles, increased workloads with more micromanagement, and the stifling of ideas and dissent. Burnout and turnover is particularly felt by people of color and women in the Member Resource Center and in the organizing department.
Cronyism runs rampant and is the leading cause of workplace dysfunction at 775. Deputy Directors seem to hire and promote friends or people loyal to them—with seniority and qualifications often taking a backseat. Professional and constructive criticisms are often perceived as personal slights by the higher ups; which results in being blacklisted and retaliated against. This can look like being denied or delayed into the senior program, being demoted, or having opportunities for internal jobs suspiciously disappear.
I’ve seen people get berated in team meetings by Deputy Directors; some of these bosses have patterns of abusive behavior, gaslighting, and driving people out of 775 yet the officers seem to shield them from any accountability because the same toxic behaviors persist. It’s hard to say if there’s any training or review process for managers because of the lack of transparency and inconsistencies in workplace policies.
The weekly all staff meetings increasingly feel like management’s attempt to portray the Union in the most favorable light; tight and scripted (with no time for conversation or follow up questions), these meetings come off as propaganda. Managers all seem to use similar corporate jargon (“we’re family/this work isn’t for the faint of heart/all hands on deck”) and chants and wearing purple outfits gives off cultish vibes.
The pay may seem higher than average but when you take into account all the extracurricular work, mandatory and “volunteer” opportunities, you’re putting in some long irregular hours throughout the year—whether it’s phone banks, canvassing, conventions, happy hours, and rallies.