We Organized Our Nonprofit and Lost Our Jobs, But We'd Do It Again - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly

"My job was providing peer support to folks coping with eating and mental health concerns via the NEDA Helpline, the organization's only direct service arm. The Helpline was run by a small team of full-time workers with the help of hundreds of remote volunteers. We all loved our jobs-we just didn't love our working conditions. We were burning out. When we raised our workplace concerns, we were reminded to "practice self-care," as if a cup of tea could meaningfully address our burnout."

"So, we organized a union, Helpline Associates United. We wanted our jobs to embody the justice NEDA claimed to stand for. We demanded transparency, training, more staffing, our mental health prioritized, and inclusion in decision-making. They fired every single one of us and attempted to replace our lived experience with a dangerous AI chatbot named "Tessa.""

"But what NEDA leadership did to my coworkers and me next was even worse. Upon petitioning management for better working conditions, we were subjected to a months-long campaign of targeted retaliation and workplace abuse built on lies, intimidation, humiliation, and bullying. They fired every single one of us and attempted to replace our lived experience with a dangerous AI chatbot named "Tessa.""

Helpline associates at the National Eating Disorders Association provided peer support to people coping with eating disorders and mental health concerns through the NEDA Helpline. The helpline was staffed by a small full-time team and hundreds of remote volunteers, and associates experienced severe burnout from poor working conditions. Management responded to workplace complaints by advising "self-care" rather than systemic change. The associates formed Helpline Associates United, demanding transparency, training, increased staffing, prioritization of mental health, and inclusion in decision-making. Leadership fired the organizers, engaged in months-long targeted retaliation and workplace abuse, and attempted to replace lived-experience staff with an AI chatbot named "Tessa."

Read at Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly