Window for Congressional staffers to unionize may close this fall By Luke Perry and Jordan Conestabile
Congressional staffers recently went public with their effort to unionize. Last month Democratic staffers, who had been meeting secretly under the volunteer group entitled Congressional Workers Union, announced their interest in pursing the possibilities of collective organization.
Staffers often work long nights and weekends, often for pay that qualifies them for welfare benefits. Washington D.C. is the fifth most expensive city to live in. The cost of one-room apartments exceed $2,000 per month on average.
“After more than a year of organizing as a volunteer group of congressional staff, we are proud to publicly announce our efforts to unionize the personal offices and committees of Congress, in solidarity with our fellow workers across the United States and the world. ”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer initially expressed support for staffer interest in unionizing. Achieving their objectives will not be easy. Staffers need both chambers pass a resolution legally enabling them to unionize, then they can seek to collectively bargain for better compensation and working conditions.
Photo by Library of Congress
Interest in unionizing is not new. The effort gained momentum when Democratic leaders, including President Biden, publicly supported the notion of a unionized Congressional workforce. This was buoyed by challenges and dangers resulting from COVID and the January 6th domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol.
“While not all offices and committees face the same working conditions, we strongly believe that to better serve our constituents will require meaningful changes to improve retention, equity, diversity and inclusion on Capitol Hill ”
Timing is critical as the mid-term election quickly approaches. If the Democrats lose control of the House or the Senate there will likely to be much less support for unionization.
The president’s party typically loses House seats in a president’s first midterm. Election analysts are currently focused on how badly Democrats will lose more than if they will retain control of their slim majority.
Luke Perry is Professor of Political Science at Utica University. Jordan Conestablie is a student of Political Science at Utica University.
