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A) We are workers with rights.
For years many of us had been manipulated into the identity of healers responding to a calling that bypassed our need for security and stability. Actually, both can exist — a deep sense of service AND fair pay and working conditions.
For years many of us had been manipulated into the identity of healers responding to a calling that bypassed our need for security and stability. Actually, both can exist — a deep sense of service AND fair pay and working conditions.
We educated ourselves on the National Labor Relations Act, including protections for concerted activity. We encourage you to learn about your rights and exercise them!
B) The isolation of yoga teachers keeps power in the hands of a few in our industry. When we started talking to each other we broke through that separation and realized a couple of things:
1. The inequities are real. Pay disparity, exploitation, and exclusion based on race, ability, body size and culture are rampant. And the people in power are not going to change it unless we come together and demand change.
2. There are really cool connections to be made. Beautiful relationships form when you get to know your fellow workers. When our efforts became public, we heard from many of you across the country and the world that it was a relief to be seen and have these issues aired out.
Our circle got much bigger, and that is one of our greatest achievements.
C) Organizing works! When people join around a mission of well-being for each other, a shift happens. Individuals’ strengths and creativity rise up on the tide of the group’s support.
As our new union began collective bargaining, our voices that had been placated for so long were being heard and responded to. With the expert guidance of the @MachinistsUnion organizers, we made history in forming the first ever yoga union.
And though the outcome wasn’t the contract we were working toward, in the midst of the CoVid crisis we were able to negotiate severance for the suddenly jobless YogaWorks NY teachers.
Past experience tells us that severance wouldn’t have happened at all if we hadn’t organized. This isn’t the end, though; the first chapter is written, and we can’t wait to read the rest of the book….
