The Public Interest Network voluntarily recognizes union

For Immediate Release:

Monday, March 14, 2022

For more information contact:

Taran Volckhausen, tvolckhau@gmail.com, 720-212-9955

DENVER – In a card check held Friday, workers at The Public Interest Network (TPIN) have earned voluntary recognition for their union, The Public Interest Union (TPIU). This union includes staff for TPIN-affiliated groups, including the Fund for Public Interest, Green Corps and national and state staff for Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and Environment America. This follows a landmark agreement reached between the two parties last month.

Overwhelming public support for TPIU helped to convince TPIN management to voluntarily recognize the union. So far, the union has received support from:

• An overwhelming majority (more than 80%) of eligible staff submitting authorization cards

• More than 50% of eligible staff signing onto a public letter in support of the union to CEO Doug Phelps

• 14 U.S. Senators

• 46 Members of the House

• 596 former TPIN workers or “alumni”

• 73 PIRG chapter student leaders

Rishi Shah, a Maryland PIRG Advocate with The Public Interest Network, issued the following statement on behalf of The Public Interest Union:

“A union at The Public Interest Network is a win not just for staff, but for the public interest. More support and empowerment for our organizers and workers will better achieve our goals of protecting consumers and preserving the environment.

This is an exciting first step toward a stronger organization.”

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The Public Interest Union represents those who carry the clipboards, the boxes of petition signatures and the social-change banner for The Public Interest Network. We are committed to building our workplace into the strongest and most-effective public advocate it can be. For more, visit twitter.com/TPINunion and publicinterestunion.org.