Brooklyn, NY: Council Member Chi Ossé rallied at Brooklyn Borough Hall alongside unionized CAMBA IT workers to condemn CAMBA’s threat to replace its IT department with an outside contractor while CAMBA IT Workers Union (ALAA – UAW Local 2325) has been on strike since the end of 2025. In a letter, Council Member Ossé, alongside 18 other Council Members, called on CAMBA to immediately withdraw this threat, return to the bargaining table, and reach a fair contract with its IT workers.

CAMBA, one of New York City’s largest social services providers, abruptly ended contract negotiations by announcing plans to outsource the union jobs of its entire IT Department to an unidentified managed service provider. The announcement came amid workers’ demands for pay equity under a three-year contract.

After the union was formed, workers say CAMBA began reassigning their duties to managers, removing access to data servers, and steadily reducing daily work responsibilities. At a January 6, 2026, contract negotiations meeting, a CAMBA representative read from a scripted statement asserting that eliminating the IT Department was a cost-saving measure. Workers dispute that claim, noting that managed service providers typically charge per user and would likely increase costs for an organization employing roughly 3,000 people.

The union has accused CAMBA, led by CEO Valerie Barton-Richardson, of violating federal labor law by refusing to bargain in good faith, making unilateral changes, and surveilling workers engaged in union activity. Proposing to lay off an entire IT Department, including workers on an Unfair Labor Practice Strike, is antithetical to the principles of economic justice the organization claims to champion.

More than 99% of CAMBA’s revenue comes from public funds, entrusted to deliver housing, education, economic development, and legal services to New Yorkers. In today’s world, those services depend on secure, fully digital systems run by experienced IT workers, many of whom have served CAMBA for decades. Replacing longtime New York City workers with unknown outside contractors raises serious concerns about CAMBA’s ability to meet its core program obligations.

“CAMBA’s attempt to outsource its entire IT department is unconscionable and a blatant act of union busting,” said Council Member Chi Ossé. “These workers are the power behind critical services for New Yorkers and deserve nothing but respect and a fair contract. I’m proud to stand with CAMBA’s IT workers today and every single day until they win a fair collective bargaining agreement. CAMBA must drop this threat immediately, negotiate a contract, and do right by its workers.”

“We are calling on CAMBA to negotiate in good faith and to end their union-busting tactics immediately. The IT Workers Union deserves a fair contract. It is unacceptable to outsource work, rather than to negotiate a fair contract with your workers. I stand in firm solidarity with CAMBA IT workers and will support them as they continue their fight,” said Council Member Alexa Avilés.

“CAMBA must bargain in good faith and stop jeopardizing the livelihoods of these union workers with threats of outsourcing,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse. “Replacing New York City workers who protect CAMBA’s IT security with unidentified contractors puts Brooklyn families’ personal information at serious risk. I stand with CAMBA IT workers in their fight for a fair contract.”

“CAMBA’s IT workers are not expendable, they are the digital backbone of life-saving services New Yorkers rely on every day,” said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. “I am deeply discouraged that CAMBA is threatening to outsource an entire unionized IT department in the middle of bargaining. These workers safeguard sensitive data, maintain critical systems, and ensure public services function securely and reliably. Replacing experienced, long-tenured IT staff with an outside contractor puts programs, privacy, and continuity at risk.”

“When worker protections are weakened, public trust and service quality suffer,” said Council Member Harvey Epstein. “CAMBA must return to the table, negotiate in good faith, and keep these jobs in-house. I stand in solidarity with CAMBA’s workers who deserve a fair contract and improved working conditions.”

“The decision to eliminate an entire unionized IT department during a labor dispute raises serious concerns,” said Council Member Amanda Farías. “Organizations that rely on public funding have an obligation to bargain in good faith, not penalize workers for organizing. CAMBA needs to return to the bargaining table and resolve this dispute fairly and responsibly.”

“Threatening to fire striking IT workers and replace them with contractors is a blatant attack on workers’ rights,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “Retaliation against unionized workers has no place in New York City, and especially not in an organization funded by public dollars. These workers perform essential services for the public and are asking for fair conditions. CAMBA must withdraw this threat and return to the bargaining table in good faith.”

“CAMBA has betrayed their stated values. Despite whatever statements they make about serving the Brooklyn’s community, today we saw that they’re unafraid to retaliate against actual New Yorkers with families and lives,” said Bargaining Committeeman Jose D. “This retaliatory action uproots the families and lives of the Brooklynites who have built the CAMBA’s technological backbone over decades.”

“We can see this transparently for what it really is: union-busting,” said CAMBA IT Union Bargaining Committeeeman Rafael F. “As a CAMBA employee of twenty-seven years, I know this has nothing to do with efficiency or cost-savings. CAMBA management is infuriated that CAMBA workers bravely and rightly unionized to demand better working conditions.”

“When we were negotiating, I kept wondering why CAMBA wouldn’t agree to a 3-year contract, and now it shows that they never intended to deal with the union long-term or at all, if they could help it,” said Mark B, an impacted union member. “I saw the contract time dwindle from our requested 3 years to 1 year to 6 months over the course of a few months.”

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