The New Orleans City Workers Organizing Committee is building a worker-led union!
How We Fight for Workers
NOCWOC is a caucus of rank-and-file union members at the City of New Orleans who have joined together to win better working conditions and push for a democratic, member-led union.
As the union organizing committee for New Orleans city workers, NOCWOC has won a $15/hour minimum wage for all city employees and city contracted workers. We have led important struggles for workplace safety throughout the pandemic. We defeated a ballot proposition that would have defunded our public libraries, closed locations, and led to layoffs. We won the election to renew library funding and secure its future for the next 20 years. Since our inception, we have been fighting for a robust, radical, member-led union for city workers.
On June 16, 2022, Mayor Latoya Cantrell officially recognized the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) as the official union for city workers, taking over the contract previously held by Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
However- we still have work to do. Many opportunities lie ahead of us: from improving job conditions and making New Orleans city government a great place to work, to pushing for changes in local law to protect workers. We are fighting for a truly member-led union, as well as transparency and accountability from all levels of administration that make decisions about workers and public services.
That’s why now is the time to get involved and join NOCWOC! Learn More
Our Past Campaigns and Actions
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Right to Organize Ordinance
Our latest major campaign involved collaborating with the New Orleans City Council to pass a local ordinance protecting the rights of city workers to collectively bargain. The ordinance was drafted in collaboration with the other local labor organizations and unions. This major win not only codifies bargaining rights and processes, but also delineates the process for union certification and decertification and mandates timelines for the city to respond to the bargaining unit.
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The Rank-and-File Project
In our collaboration with United Teachers of New Orleans, we came to realize the great need for building solidarity among rank-and-file union members outside of traditional union networks. Along with UTNO, we began this project in 2023 as a way to address the needs of workers that have historically been neglected or ignored entirely by some unions, such as education, training, and collaboration. Our Rank-and-File meetings and socials continue today!
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COVID-19 Safety and Protections
NOCWOC began in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic when we realized that government and administration were waiting to close public institutions and risked further spreading the virus. Workers in the public library system successfully organized petitions and public outreach to force the closure of the New Orleans Public Library system, preventing the libraries from being a vector of transmission during that time. It also demonstrated that we can win when we come together.
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Fight for $15
New Orleans worker’s movement fought for over 10 years to win $15 minimum wage. In August 2021, NOCWOC rallied with the Firefighters union and our community allies Step Up LA, DSA, and the AFL-CIO to demand $15/hr minimum wage for all city workers. We seek justice for workers who need it the most, and are working for true equity, dignity and respect for our colleagues.
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Save Our Libraries Campaign
In December 2021, a coalition led by New Orleans city workers, the Save Your NOLA Library (SYNL) campaign, defeated an attempt to defund the library system by 40%. The millage proposed by the mayor would have gutted the libraries for the next 20 years. Running an on-the-ground electoral campaign against these ballot propositions, NOCWOC and SYNL proved that public support for libraries and city workers is enormous, and that we do have power when we organize and reach out to the community.
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DPW Strike
In July 2021, a dozen workers in the Department of Public Works struck for better wages and safer working conditions. They walked off the job and rallied at city hall to demand repairs to the vehicles they used for fixing our streets, but which lacked air conditioning. NOCWOC supported our coworkers and organized with them for better wages.
