The union at New York studio Bernheimer Architecture has ratified a collective bargaining agreement, making it the first at a private sector architecture firm in the US.

Announced in an Instagram post by the Architectural Workers United (AWU), the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) "sets standards" for Bernheimer Architecture union members regarding employee treatment, wages, overtime and dismissals.

"Today the union at Bernheimer Architecture unanimously ratified the first ever collective bargaining agreement at a private sector architecture firm," said AWU.

"This was the culmination of countless hours of organizing, brainstorming and collaboration."

First ever Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified 

According to AWU, more details on the standards agreed will be made public soon.

"In the coming weeks we will be posting more about some of these new standards," it said. "In the meantime, a big heartfelt congratulations to everyone at BA for this historic and momentous achievement."

Bernheimer Architecture architectural designer Ann Le emphasised the importance of the process which led to the achievement.

"I think one of the most important things to consider around this ground breaking contract being ratified, is not only what is in it, but the entire process that got us here," Le told Dezeen.

"From voluntary recognition, to the Interest Based Bargaining process, and now the CBA, architectural workers have shown that they are workers with rights just like any other worker, and at the same time have also shown that they can exercise those rights in a way that is unique and tailored specifically to their profession."

Bernheimer Architecture founding principal Andrew Bernheimer also congratulated the BA Union on its recent achievement.

"I want to congratulate the BA Union for their bravery (along with my collaborators in BA management for their earnest commitment to collaborative negotiations) and the ratification of this historic contract," Bernheimer told Dezeen.

"The intense, productive, collaborative hard work of the past two years has been immensely rewarding and we hope BA will serve as a model for other practices around the US."

The ratification follows the formation of the BA Union of Bernheimer Architecture, with the aid of AWU, in 2022 under the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW).

Workers at the studio believed they were being fairly compensated and worked reasonable hours, but by unionising, sought to draw attention to labour issues in the industry at large.

Architecture union to serve as a model for other US offices

"We recognize that both the employer and employees in the field of architectural work face constraints and challenges beyond the control of any individual firm and that by working together we can uplift the profession and industry in ways that we could not by acting alone," said a statement from the studio's workers at the time.

Unionization within the architectural field has come into the spotlight in recent years, with AWU filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge against prominent architecture studio Snøhetta after workers at its US offices announced a bid to unionise and later voted against the motion last year.

Dezeen columnist Phineas Harper also recently urged architects to unionise across Britain.

The photography is by Ash Coronado