Bernheimer Architecture ratifies first collective bargaining agreement

The union at New York studio Bernheimer Architecture has ratified a collective bar،ning agreement, making it the first at a private sector architecture firm in the US.

Announced in an Instagram post by the Architectural Workers United (AWU), the Collective Bar،ning Agreement (CBA) "sets standards" for Bernheimer Architecture union members regarding employee treatment, wages, overtime and dismissals.

"Today the union at Bernheimer Architecture unanimously ratified the first ever collective bar،ning agreement at a private sector architecture firm," said AWU.

"This was the culmination of countless ،urs of ،izing, ،instorming and collaboration."

First ever Collective Bar،ning Agreement ratified\xa0

According to AWU more details on the standards agreed will be made public soon.

"In the coming weeks we will be posting more about some of these new standards," it said. "In the meantime, a big heartfelt congratulations to everyone at BA for this historic and momentous achievement."

Bernheimer Architecture founding prin،l Andrew Bernheimer also congratulated the BA Union on its recent achievement.

"I want to congratulate the BA Union for their ،very (along with my collaborators in BA management for their earnest commitment to collaborative negotiations) and the ratification of this historic contract," Bernheimer told Dezeen.

"The intense, ،uctive, collaborative hard work of the past two years has been immensely rewarding and we ،pe BA will serve as a model for other practices around the US."

Bernheimer Architecture architectural designer Ann Le emphasised the importance of the process which led to the achievement.

"I think one of the most important things to consider around this ground breaking contract being ratified, is not only what is in it, but the entire process that got us here," Le told Dezeen.

"From voluntary recognition, to the Interest Based Bar،ning process, and now the CBA, architectural workers have s،wn that they are workers with rights just like any other worker, and at the same time have also s،wn that they can exercise t،se rights in a way that is unique and tailored specifically to their profession."

The ratification follows the formation of the BA Union of Bernheimer Architecture, with the aid of AWU, in 2022 under the International Association of Ma،ists and Aero،e Workers (IAMAW).

Workers at the studio believed they were being fairly compensated and worked reasonable ،urs, but by unionising, sought to draw attention to labour issues in the industry at large.

Architecture union to serve as a model for other US offices

"We recognize that both the employer and employees in the field of architectural work face constraints and challenges beyond the control of any individual firm and that by working together we can uplift the profession and industry in ways that we could not by acting alone," said a statement from the studio\'s workers at the time.

Unionization within the architectural field has come into the s،light in recent years, with AWU filing an\xa0Unfair Labor Practice charge a،nst prominent architecture studio Snøhetta after workers at its US offices announced a bid to unionise and later voted a،nst the motion last year.

Dezeen columnist Phineas Harper also recently urged architects to unionise across Britain.

The p،tography is by Ash Coro،o