Do Good Multnomah workers are calling on the nonprofit operator of the homeless shelter to recognize the newly formed union, saying they need representation to advocate for better safety protocols and guaranteed leave needed due to workplace trauma.
“The number of near-fatalities and actual deaths we experience as frontline Do Good staff is adding up and taking a massive toll on our mental health,” said Kelli Schaefer, case manager at Do Good’s Roseway shelter, in a statement. “We need a traumatic event protocol so that the burden of having to choose between self-care and loss of income is not placed on an already strained nervous system.”
A majority of Do Good’s 270 workers signed union cards asking Do Good to voluntarily recognize the new union, according to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers, which is organizing the workers. If Do Good refuses, the union cards will be sent to the National Labor Relations Board next week to trigger an election, AFSCME said.
A Do Good spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The union push is the latest sign of discontent at Do Good, which operates homeless shelters with Multnomah County. Last month, an anonymous complaint to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleged that Do Good exposed 16 employees to dangerous heat at its shelter in the old Greyhound bus station in downtown Portland, it was reported WW.
Do Good Multnomah was founded in 2015 to provide low-barrier housing for homeless veterans. Since then, it has expanded to serve other populations, including transitional housing, permanent assisted housing, mental health and peer support.
Do Good workers say that in addition to better safety protocols and time to recover from trauma, they also want higher wages and benefits and fairer employment practices.
“Burnout and turnover are synonymous in our field,” Davis Nafshun, a case manager at the downtown Do Good shelter, said in a statement. “While the work of getting individuals into housing can be very rewarding, it is also extremely demanding and is not made easier by significant staffing shortages and a lack of resources.”
Nafshun also mentioned the lack of air conditioning at his city center accommodation, which has 90 beds, according to Do Good’s website. Couples, pets and all gender identities are welcome there.
Portland-based Do Good Multnomah had revenue of $17 million in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, according to its federal tax return. Expenses totaled $17.3 million. Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hovanas received total compensation of $129,000 during the year, the tax return shows.
