Pathfinders Milwaukee Workers Form Union to Improve Job Safety, Wages, and Transparency in Nonprofit for Unhoused Milwaukee Youth

Pathfinders workers, community leaders, and supporters will gather outside of the Pathfinders offices at 4200 N. Holton Street from 5:30-6:30 PM on Monday, August 4th to officially announce their union and request for Pathfinders management to voluntarily recognize their union. After giving speeches, workers will be available for interviews.

On Wednesday, July 30th, 2025, employees at Pathfinders Milwaukee organized together and petitioned the NLRB for a union representation election with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 39. According to OPEIU Local 39, over 70% of employees have signed union authorization cards. Workers have requested voluntary recognition of their union from Tim Baack, the CEO and President of Pathfinders Milwaukee. As of this time, Pathfinders management has not responded to the workers’ request.

Pathfinders Milwaukee formed in 1970 for Milwaukee’s homeless and runaway youth and continues to be an essential resource to the youth of Milwaukee who are facing crisis and who have needs for comfort, care, and support. Workers are proud to be a part of the mission, and some have been that young person themselves only years ago. However, in recent years, employees have found that the care and empowerment they provide to their clients has not been reflected in the organization’s employment practices.

Rachel Janiak, a Street Outreach Coordinator at Pathfinders, states that “Staff working conditions and impactful, trauma-informed client services are intrinsically tied together. If staff come to work feeling unsupported, or unsafe, it can lead to burnout… that takes away from the consistency and support our youth are searching for.”

One of the workers’ top priorities is to curb a concerningly high employee turnover rate. In the last 6 months, over half a dozen workers were fired and a similar number have quit the organization. Often, fired workers receive no notice and are escorted off the premises without a chance to say goodbye to coworkers or provide an explanation to their clients. Many current employees also describe a hesitancy to bring issues and concerns to their supervisor for fear of retaliation. Aside from desiring better job safety and protections, unionizing workers are also fighting for higher wages, increased organizational transparency, and a seat at the decision-making table.

Megan Gulland, a Youth and Family Advocate, has worked at the Pathfinders Shelter for almost a decade and believes unionizing will be a win-win for staff and clients. She says that “with a union, shelter staff can be empowered and supported so they are able to provide stronger and more effective care in a safe and healthy environment.”

Despite concerns about retaliation, worker-organizers are optimistic about the future of Pathfinders. Development Specialist Michael Clouthier expressed that “Pathfinders has always prided themselves on their ‘Nothing for us without us’ philosophy towards programming. Now that the workers are unionizing, we can show the community that we advocate for our youth while holistically practicing the tenets of a trauma-informed, empowerment-focused organization!”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.