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Albany County public defenders urge Legislature to press for union recognition amid steep staff losses
Summary
Public defenders, legal secretaries and support staff told the Albany County Legislature on July 13 that more than 20% of their office left this year and asked legislators to press County Executive Dan McCoy to recognize a wall‑to‑wall union so bargaining can begin.
Public defenders and support staff asked the Albany County Legislature on July 13 to press County Executive Dan McCoy to recognize a newly organized union, saying recent leadership changes and an exodus of staff have harmed the office’s ability to represent indigent clients.
“At this point, we've had an attrition of over 20% of staff in the public defender's office just this year,” said Eva Agree, an assistant public defender, during the public comment period. She said staff submitted information on May 2 indicating intent to form a union with the Association for Legal Advocates and Attorneys and asked legislators to apply pressure on McCoy so bargaining can begin.
Teresa Catugno, a legal secretary with the Public Defender's Office for 19 years, told legislators that separating attorneys and support staff into different bargaining units would be impractical because “we work together every day” and the office depends on that teamwork. “A wall to wall union reflects the reality of how our office operates and gives us the best opportunity to address workplace issues together,” she said.
Attorney Brooke Clemons Coates said staff organized out of care for their work and clients. “We signed [union cards] because we love what we do,” she said, asking legislators to recognize a single unit for the entire office.
Public defender Daniel Speranza urged the Legislature to recognize one bargaining unit for attorneys and non‑attorneys, saying the county executive had told staff they were separate classes. “We are not in two different classes,” Speranza said. “We all work together on a day by day basis.”
The Legislature later approved Resolution 252, which amends prior budget language and the 2026 Public Defender's Office budget, by voice vote. The resolution text was read and adopted during the meeting; the transcript does not specify dollar amounts associated with the amendment.
Speakers asked the Legislature to press the executive branch to move from the county’s position that attorneys and non‑attorney staff belong in separate bargaining units to recognition of a single unit that represents both groups. No formal response from County Executive Dan McCoy was recorded at the meeting.
The public comment portion closed before the board proceeded to its listed resolutions.
