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Over 600 workers from New York City’s two largest prison re-entry organizations went public with their unionization efforts Friday morning, just in time for the May Day marches. Staff at Fortune Society —formerly run by DOC commissioner Stanley Richards — and the Osborne Association are calling for improved wages, benefits and working conditions.
The two unions represent over 400 workers at Fortune Society and around 200 workers at the Osborne Association. They’re joining forces in Local 153 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union.
Osborne Association’s workers began organizing last summer, and their peers at Fortune Society followed suit in the fall. Many of them went through the justice system themselves.
Caleb Knight, the creative arts senior associate at Fortune Society, is among the 50 percent of the organization’s staff with a history in the justice system.
“We are the lifeblood of the agency,” Knight, 33, said. “We’re here because we care and believe in the work we do. This is why we’re building our union, because we as workers deserve the same respect, dignity, and care that we show to the participants we work with.”
Many employees entered the organizations through their re-entry programs, which span housing support, workforce development, education, mental health care, substance use treatment, court support and programming in jails and prisons.
Kymani Johnson, 26, a case manager at the Osborne Association who came through one of its re-entry programs, said he makes $27 an hour working with 22 clients. But his hours are capped at 35 a week, and he finds himself working unreported hours to finish the job with no overtime pay.
“I am definitely stuck,” he said, noting how difficult it is to find employment after leaving the justice system. Formerly incarcerated people are unemployed at a rate of 27 percent — five times higher than the general U.S. population, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.
Johnson wants to make more money, but says promotions are rare for justice-impacted workers. He said he’s seen at least ten people leave the organization since he joined less than a year ago.
“Management would rather bring in their own people, and that’s unfair because they look past the people that have experience and knowledge for the roles that they’re looking for,” he said.
While hiring biases deter many employees at Osborne and Fortune from leaving, another factor compels them to stay: A dedication to their organization’s mission.
"I just can't keep on changing careers, right? I wanna stick through this,” said Nicole Matthews, a justice-impacted career coordinator at Osborne, who facilitates group sessions for elderly inmates on Rikers Island. “This is something that I love to do, but I also wanna be properly compensated and cared for in the process of doing this."
Across New York City’s human services nonprofit sector, which ranks the third lowest-paying industry in the city, average annual pay for individual and family services jobs was $36,688 in 2023, according to a 2025 report by the New School’s Center for New York City Affairs.
Matthews said many of her coworkers are on food stamps and face housing security.
"There's an employee that shows up to work every day, but they're actually living out of a shelter,” she said.
Workers at Fortune and Osborne say pay increases will bridge persistent wage gaps in their organizations. They are also seeking security protections, mental health services, and an agreement from management to abide by the little-known labor peace agreements laws NYC passed in 2021.
Both organizations rely heavily on government funding. In 2023, Fortune received almost $64 million — 84 percent of its revenue — in contributed revenue, and listed over $23 million in government grants. Government grants account for 74 percent of Osborne’s revenue, with over $20 million received in 2024.
Over twenty members of the City Council wrote a letter to Osborne and Fortune’s leadership Friday, expressing support for the unionization efforts.
“We believe that an organized workplace represents an opportunity to deepen Fortune/Osborne’s values of collaboration, equity, and compassion,” the letter reads.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani selected the Fortune Society as the developer and service provider for his Just Home initiative earlier this year, and appointed its former CEO Stanley Richards, who is also justice-impacted, to lead the city’s Department of Corrections.
Jeff Simmons, a spokesperson for Fortune, said the organization is working to respond to the request from OPEIU Local 153 to represent its employees. “As always, we will act with the best interests of our staff in mind, and in compliance with all legal obligations,” he said.
Reynaldo Muniz, a spokesperson for Osborne, said they recognize their workers’ right to unionize and will discuss with them in good-faith. “We will listen to their demands and do all we can to support our staff as they continue providing critical services and advocacy on behalf of people impacted by incarceration.”
Workers from both Osborne and Fortune celebrated their newly public campaigns by joining the May Day Rally at Washington Square Park Friday.
“In the past, my rights were diminished,” Johnson said. “Now I'm basically demanding my rights as a worker to have a seat at the table and to make positive changes for my colleagues who also face similar challenges of low pay, lack of raises and lack of accountability from management.”
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