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This week, the labor movement in architecture scored a win. Sage & Coombe Architects<\/a>, a women-led firm based in New York City, unanimously approved a collective bargaining agreement. It\u2019s the second American practice to ratify a contract, after Bernheimer Architecture in 2024.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThis contract, the second in the industry, sets a standard for workers at Sage and Coombe and beyond,\u201d Architectural Workers United (AWU), a group that has been helping firms organize, announced on April 1 via Instagram<\/a>. The agreement\u2019s details have yet to be made public.<\/p>\n The milestone marks a significant move in the design industry\u2019s unionizing efforts, especially after high-profile setbacks. <\/p>\n In 2022, the New York-based firm SHoP abandoned its unionizing efforts following what AWU called<\/a> a \u201cpowerful anti-union campaign.\u201d Then in 2023, the American arm of the multidisciplinary design firm Sn\u00f8hetta voted against unionizing. In January, the National Labor Relations Board filed a formal complaint against Sn\u00f8hetta<\/a>, alleging the firm illegally dismissed eight employees in relation to organizing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Architecture\u2014a field known for long hours and low pay\u2014has historically been difficult to unionize in the United States. \u201cIt\u2019s oddly different than other industry,\u201d Andrew Daley, a staff organizer at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, told Fast Company<\/em> back in 2023. \u201cThere\u2019s literally no proliferation of unions in any way, shape, or form. Like, zero density when we started.\u201d<\/p>\n Sage & Coombe\u2019s contract comes after three years of unionizing efforts. In 2023, employees at the firm formed a union<\/a>, which the office\u2019s managerial team voluntarily recognized.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are pleased to announce that we have signed a collective bargaining agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers,\u201d Sage & Coombe said in an Instagram post<\/a>. \u201cWe respect the efforts of our colleagues who initiated this process, and we believe the agreement will affirm the workplace conditions we established\u00a0over\u00a0the last 30 years and contribute\u00a0to our continuing\u00a0success in delivering great projects for our clients.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n