CONGRESSIONAL WORKERS UNION APPLAUDS 130 CO-SPONSORS OF HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXTEND ORGANIZING PROTECTIONS TO HOUSE STAFF
“Now is the time to demonstrate your commitment to all workers - including your own - through action. The world is watching.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Congressional Workers Union released the following statement after 130 members of the U.S House of Representatives joined Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09) in the introduction of H.Res.915 to grant Congressional staff the right to organize and bargain collectively. This resolution would extend the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute to congressional staff, immediately granting them federally protected rights to organize their workplace without fear of retaliation.
Since the Congressional Workers Union announced its organizing launch, at least 87 members of Congress have issued public statements of support for staff unionization. On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden supports the push by Capitol Hill staff to organize after the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment released a report detailing nearly 70 recommendations promoting worker organizing and collective bargaining for public and private sector employees.
“We need labor rights now. Just last year, a majority of the House voted to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act—promising to protect millions of people’s voices at work. Now is the time for Congress to live up to that promise in our own offices. While we welcome the outpouring of support from lawmakers in the days since our organizing launch, we as staff remain exposed to retaliation for our organizing efforts and will remain exposed until the House passes the Resolution to extend protections under Congressional Accountability Act. We urge House leadership, who has voiced support for the union effort, to bring it to the floor for a vote at the earliest opportunity. Now is the time to demonstrate your commitment to all workers - including your own - through action. The world is watching.” said the Congressional Workers Union.
“Earlier this week, President Biden talked about how collective bargaining rights for federal workers makes a big difference for the American taxpayer,” continued the Congressional Workers Union. “This is especially true in Congress, where decades of efforts to keep staff pay down, reduce the number of staff, and make conditions worse have resulted in a brain drain from the Legislative branch to the powerful special interests seeking to influence it. Our boss’ ability to better serve our constituents hinges on meaningful changes to improve the shameful workplace conditions on Capitol Hill–from livable wages to a safer workplace and protections against discrimination and harassment. None of that can happen without us having a voice in the workplace.”
The following labor unions and advocacy organizations released statements of solidarity with the Congressional Workers Union:
“Everyone, no matter where they work deserves a union, whether on factory floors, retail stores, airplane cabins, or the halls of Congress,” said Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. “Congressional staffers can count on the full support of their sisters and brothers at 17 airlines, 50,000 strong, who fly as members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. We’re proud to stand with the Congressional Workers Union. We call on Members of the House to lead by example on worker rights by passing the resolution to immediately protect the right to organize for Congressional Staff.”
Elizabeth H. Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO said, “America’s labor movement stands with the brave Congressional staffers sharing their stories and speaking out for change. All workers, including Congressional staff, deserve dignity and respect on the job and the power of a labor union.”
International President of Service Employees International Union, Mary Kay Henry said, “SEIU members and worker leaders in the Fight for $15 and a Union stand in solidarity with Congressional staffers as they fight for the right to organize and join a union. Every worker —no matter what they do, who signs their paychecks, what they look like, or where they’re from— should have a voice in their workplace and in their government. These staffers who have helped keep our government running through the COVID-19 pandemic, January 6 insurrection and other challenges continue to be underpaid, overworked and exposed to consistent hostile work environments. We are inspired by their courage to challenge the status quo in one of the most powerful institutions in our nation and will not give up until every voice is respected, protected and paid a livable wage on Capitol Hill.”
DCCC Staff Union Spokesperson Harrison Redmond said, “The rights of workers to organize, regardless of party, is paramount to a well-functioning, inclusive, and healthy workplace. We stand in solidarity with the Congressional Staff Union’s work and thank Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Andy Levin for their support of unionization efforts on the Hill and beyond.”
Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) said, “Every day, congressional workers go to work hoping to be the change they wish to see in the world, and today they are one step closer to that reality. Congressional staffers devote their careers to public service, working to ensure that every American—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation—has the chance at a more equal and just tomorrow, but their work environment lacks the wages, benefits and respect they fight so hard for. Every working person deserves a voice on the job, and Congressional staff have made clear it’s long past time for theirs to be heard. We stand with the Congressional Workers Union as they begin their path toward.”
Everett Kelley, National President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said, “All workers deserve a union, including those on Capitol Hill. In their efforts to join together to have a collective voice in their working conditions, congressional staffers have the full support of the 700,000 federal and D.C. government workers we represent at AFGE.”
Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association in support of the organizing efforts of the Congressional Workers Union said, “America’s largest labor union, the National Education Association representing 3 million public service workers nationwide, is proud to support the organizing efforts of the Congressional Workers Union. Every worker deserves the right to join a union and collectively bargain. Uniting the collective voices of Hill staff can only strengthen the offices in which they serve, regardless of party. We encourage Congressional leadership to support CWU and voluntarily recognize the union."
“Congressional staff, just like every other group of workers, deserve to have their right to organize recognized. It is unacceptable that the staffers we rely on to make our representative democracy possible don’t have access to this most basic of workplace rights,” said the Transport Workers Union of America.” The Transport Workers Union stands strongly behind the Congressional Workers Union and we are calling on Congress to immediately pass resolutions acknowledging these workers’ right to form a union and to collectively bargain.”
“Every worker deserves a union, including congressional staffers. National Nurses United, representing 175,000 unionized registered nurses, strongly supports the efforts of congressional staffers to organize a union and bargain collectively to improve their working conditions, ” said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN, President of National Nurses United.
“Demand Progress welcomes the explosion of support within the House and Senate to provide all congressional employees with the ability to join a labor union,” said Daniel Schuman, Policy Director at Demand Progress. “Within 48 hours of the issuance of statements in favor of unionization by Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer, one-third of House Democrats and one-quarter of Senate Democrats publicly endorsed the right for congressional staff to unionize. Until the House and Senate pass resolutions to implement the Congressional Accountability Act, however, staff remain exposed to retaliation for their organizing efforts, and so we urge the House and Senate to act immediately to pass simple resolutions to protect the right to organize and the hard work of the nascent Congressional Workers Union.”
“Congressional staff are a central pillar of our democracy, and extending legal protections for them to unionize will improve our government for all of us,” said Andrew O’Neill, Associate Director of Economic Justice at Indivisible. "From navigating casework for constituents to drafting complex legislation, congressional staff can best serve the country if they have a voice on the job. These workers deserve safe working conditions and basic protections, and we are all better off if Congress can retain talented staff committed to public service. Indivisible congratulates the congressional staff who have organized with their colleagues to form the Congressional Workers Union, and we urge Congress to enshrine legal protections for this activity by passing a simple resolution."
If you are interested in learning more about congressional staff organizing efforts or fill in our interest form visit CongressionalWorkersUnion.org. To inquire for more information email CongressionalWorkersUnion@gmail.com.
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