Congressional staffers gain traction in push to unionize House offices

Virginia Aabram

November 21, 03:35 PM November 21, 03:35 PM

Staffers in a growing number of congressional offices are pushing to unionize, with Rep. Chuy Garcia's (D-IL) becoming the 13th to begin the organizing process in an 11-0 vote.

"It's a good day for unions on the Hill," the Congressional Workers Union tweeted on Friday after the vote. Unionizing on the Hill gained steam this year after some staffers started speaking out about low pay and harassment. The vote by Garcia's office comes as staff for Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Mark Takano (D-CA), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) filed union petitions of their own.

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Garcia, a progressive who recently announced his bid for Chicago mayor in 2023, saluted his office, calling it a "historic step as one of the first congressional offices to do so." His office declined to offer additional comment.

The first office that voted to unionize was Andy Levin's (D-MI) back in September. The outgoing Michigan lawmaker, known for being vocal on labor issues, headed the effort to pass a House resolution to allow staff to unionize that passed in May and took effect in July.

The Congressional Workers Union, the organization overseeing and supporting the unionization effort on the Hill, says staffers too often face unwelcoming work environments. "To better serve our constituents will require meaningful changes to improve retention, equity, diversity, and inclusion on Capitol Hill. That starts with having a voice in the workplace," the group said in a statement earlier this year.

A viral Instagram account called "Dear White Staffers" played a role in triggering discussion about the workplace on Capitol Hill in early 2022, with anonymous tips recounting bad bosses, racial and gender discrimination, and wages low enough to qualify for assisted housing and food stamps.