On Wednesday, workers at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit run by and for autistic people, announced their intent to unionize as the Autistic Self Advocacy Union. All 14 workers requested voluntary recognition to join the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521.
The workers want to cultivate greater equity, transparency, and collaboration in the workplace so they can better live up to the values of the organization through their work. Workers want to truly and meaningfully center and uplift autistic people who are marginalized even within the autistic community. Above all, they seek to further cultivate a respectful, equitable, and accessible work environment that allows all staff members to sustainably thrive and, in turn, more effectively serve our community.
Alex Grandstaff (they/them), Program Manager at Autistic Self Advocacy Network says, “the rallying cry of the autistic self-advocacy movement has been ‘Nothing about us without us.’ Every day, ASAN lives that mission by fighting for better public policy, better research, and better programs, ones that are built with autistic people, not around us. By unionizing, I believe ASAU will bring ‘Nothing about us without us’ fully into the heart of ASAN.”
Workers want a union to improve the nonprofit. “Making a union will help us make the Autistic Self Advocacy Network the best it can be.”
You can stay updated with their unionization campaign by following them on X/Twitter @AutSelfAdvUnion or on Bluesky @autselfadvunion.bsky.social.