Unlike other worker-friendly measures, this one doesn't need the Senate to sign off on it, too.
Staffers in the U.S. House of Representatives are a step closer to unionizing following a vote by their bosses on Tuesday night.
House lawmakers approved a resolution that grants legal protections to staffers who are trying to organize their offices on Capitol Hill. Workers involved in the union effort say it constitutes a crucial change to a congressional workplace law that would allow them to form unions without fear of retaliation.
The House approved the resolution on a party-line vote. But instead of holding a vote on the resolution itself, Democrats embedded it into a procedural measure setting up votes on several other pieces of legislation, including aid for Ukraine.
The staff union measure can be implemented in the House without a companion resolution being passed in the Senate. The measure only benefits employees in House offices.
House staffers on the Democratic side have spent more than a year building a union campaign they hope will improve working conditions inside Capitol offices. The newly created Congressional Workers Union has been sharing stories of employees who work ridiculous hours, contend with abusive bosses and discrimination and can’t afford to live in Washington on low salaries.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who supported the measure, said having unionized House staffers could ultimately result in Congress passing better legislation down the line.
“The staff people that I’ve talked to, in and out of my office, that are interested in the union are probably the most committed to public policy,” Grijalva told HuffPost.
Separately this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced a minimum salary for House staffers, setting the floor at $45,000.
Much more at the link below...
www.huffpost.com
Great news for staffers! However, the details sound messy. What do you think?
Staffers in the U.S. House of Representatives are a step closer to unionizing following a vote by their bosses on Tuesday night.
House lawmakers approved a resolution that grants legal protections to staffers who are trying to organize their offices on Capitol Hill. Workers involved in the union effort say it constitutes a crucial change to a congressional workplace law that would allow them to form unions without fear of retaliation.
The House approved the resolution on a party-line vote. But instead of holding a vote on the resolution itself, Democrats embedded it into a procedural measure setting up votes on several other pieces of legislation, including aid for Ukraine.
The staff union measure can be implemented in the House without a companion resolution being passed in the Senate. The measure only benefits employees in House offices.
House staffers on the Democratic side have spent more than a year building a union campaign they hope will improve working conditions inside Capitol offices. The newly created Congressional Workers Union has been sharing stories of employees who work ridiculous hours, contend with abusive bosses and discrimination and can’t afford to live in Washington on low salaries.
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who supported the measure, said having unionized House staffers could ultimately result in Congress passing better legislation down the line.
“The staff people that I’ve talked to, in and out of my office, that are interested in the union are probably the most committed to public policy,” Grijalva told HuffPost.
Separately this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced a minimum salary for House staffers, setting the floor at $45,000.
Much more at the link below...
House Lawmakers Approve Resolution Allowing Their Own Staffers To Unionize
Unlike other worker-friendly measures, this one doesn't need the Senate to sign off on it, too.
Great news for staffers! However, the details sound messy. What do you think?
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