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Employees at Do Good Multnomah are asking the nonprofit shelter operator to recognize a newly formed union, saying they need representation to push for better safety protocols and guaranteed leave time made necessary by trauma inflicted on the job.
“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,” Kelli Schaefer, a case manager at Do Good’s Roseway shelter said in a statement. “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.”
A majority of Do Good’s 270 workers signed union authorization cards and asked Do Good to voluntarily recognize the new union, according to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers, which is organizing the employees. If Do Good refuses, union cards will be sent to the National Labor Relations Board next week to trigger an election, AFSCME said.
A Do Good spokesman didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment.
The union push is the latest sign of discontent at Do Good, which contracts with Multnomah County to operate homeless shelters. Last month, an anonymous complaint sent to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division alleged that Do Good had subjected 16 employees to dangerous heat at its shelter in Portland’s old Greyhound bus station downtown, as reported by WW.
Do Good Multnomah was founded in 2015 to create a low-barrier shelter for houseless veterans. Since then, it has expanded to serve other populations. It also provides transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, mental health services, and peer support.
In addition to better safety protocols and time to recover from trauma, Do Good employees say they are seeking more robust wages and benefits and fairer employment practices.
“Burnout and turnover are synonymous with our field,” Davis Nafshun, a case manager at Do Good’s downtown shelter, said in a statement. “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.”
Nafshun also mentioned the lack of air conditioning at Do Good’s downtown shelter, which has 90 beds, according to Do Good’s website. It welcomes couples, pets and all gender identities.
Do Good Multnomah, based in Portland, had revenue of $17 million in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, according to its federal tax filing. It had expenses of $17.3 million. Chief executive Daniel Hovanas had total compensation of $129,000 during the year, the tax filing shows.