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.

BIG LABOR'S NEXT TARGET: GRAD SCHOOLS

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.

Over 55,000 public sector education workers strike in Ontario in violation of new law

Brady Knox

November 04, 05:02 PM November 04, 05:02 PM

Over 55,000 public sector education workers started a strike in Ontario, Canada, in violation of a new law, which fines school support staff $4,000 per day of striking.

The new law, labeled "draconian" by critics, was fast-tracked by conservative Ontario Premier Doug Ford earlier this week, the Guardian reported, in response to news of the planned strike. Negotiations with the government broke down after news of the strike broke, resulting in the government refusing to continue unless it was called off, despite major concessions such as the Canadian Union of Public Employees halving its original salary demands. The government has expressed dedication to go through with collecting the exorbitant fines for the strikers, including a $500,000-per-day fine on the union, costing in total an estimated $200 million a day.

ONTARIO PARLIAMENT MOVES FORWARD WITH FOUR-DAY WORKWEEK LEGISLATION

“Nothing matters more right now than getting students back in the classroom and we will use every tool available to us to do so,” provincial education minister, Stephen Lecce, said in a statement.

In response to criticism from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ford justified his harsh reaction on Twitter.

"I spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and made clear that shutting down classrooms would have an unacceptable impact on students. I reiterated that Ontario is determined, if necessary, to pass legislation to keep classrooms open and ensure stability for parents and students," he wrote.

The union represents custodians, early childhood educators, and educational assistants, among other low-earning school employees. Their original demands were an 11.3% increase in its members' wages, in response to rising costs of living due to inflation, which has battered much of the Western world. The government countered with a 2.5% annual raise for the lowest-income workers and a 1.5% annual raise for others, a stipulation they included in the bill that criminalized striking. The union lowered its demand by half but isn't accepting the government's counteroffer.

Ford's government attempted to petition Ontario's labor board to force the strikers back to work but was denied.

View: Biden speaks at PA union subsequent MAGA-bashing Milwaukee speech

Julia Johnson

September 05, 05:26 PM September 05, 06:07 PM

President Joe Biden will provide his next spherical of Labor Day remarks Monday night in Pennsylvania. This arrives soon after his speech early Monday afternoon at Laborfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he bashed "MAGA Republicans."

The function, at United Steelworkers of The usa Area Union 2227 in Pittsburgh, is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.

Watch: HECKLER DISRUPTS BIDEN LABOR Working day SPEECH IN MILWAUKEE

Upon his afternoon arrival in Pennsylvania, Biden was greeted by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA), Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA), Allegheny County Government Rich Fitzgerald, and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, in accordance to a White Dwelling report.

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When the president arrived at the venue, he greeted Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is managing from Republican Mehmet Oz in a heated struggle for the state's open up Senate seat.

At the before event in Wisconsin, Biden was heckled by a member of the audience, whom he referred to as an "fool." The heckler was escorted from the occasion by Magic formula Company.