House Votes to Allow Staff Unionization

[applegrove]

House Votes to Allow Staff Unionization

May 10, 2022 at 9:55 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 45 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2022/05/10/house-votes-to-allow-staff-unionization/

"SNIP.....

“The House of Representatives will officially allow congressional staffers to unionize, marking a historic milestone following years of workplace complaints on Capitol Hill,” the Washington Post reports.

New York Times: “The vote came amid pressure from aides, particularly junior staff members, who have become increasingly open about their frustrations with the low pay, long hours and notoriously difficult work environment on Capitol Hill.”

Politico: “The move comes amid a swelling tidal wave of grievances from staff, along with efforts by leadership and lawmakers to stem burnout and brain drain among employees who serve vital roles in the legislative branch, including serving constituents, conducting oversight of federal agencies and drafting legislation.”

.......SNIP"

[MichMan]

1. Do they bargain for one contract covering all 435 house members?

Or does each individual member of congress determine the compensation of their own staff?

[Deuxcents]

2. Most likely one contract

I would think they all hold the same job title so it would be one for all..imo. Happy for them..now my question. Will the senate have to pass this, too? Will senate staffers be included?

[bottomofthehill]

3. 441 different contracts for Member offices

Plus a hand full of committee offices and some professional staff.

Each member office gets just under $950,000 to pay staff and no member office can have more than 18 full time and 4 part time staff members. You can pay all 18 full time $47,500 and your part time $22,000 a year.

When AOC came in, she had some ideas of a fair way to pay her staff. I don’t know what happened to those ideas.

They really need to increase the number of staff and the payroll number. A congressional district has about 750,000 people in it. That’s a lot of people for 18 full time and 4 part time people to help.

I fail to see how organizing a members office helps anything.

I am a union guy though so what the hell, union yes! Have at it.

[MichMan]

4. If the total payroll and staffing levels are already prescribed what can they bargain for?

Personal time off?

Or can they bargain for $75k each and 22 full time positions, requiring their congress person to come up with the money through additional appropriations.

In other words, is the 18 full time staffing level and $950k currently permitted no longer applicable now?

[Midwestern Democrat]

5. I don't quite get it either. I always thought that staffers on Capitol Hill and in the White House

accepted brutal work hours and well-below market rate salaries for two main reasons:

a) They're genuinely committed to government and politics and feel this work is something they have to do (some have ambitions of running for office one day themselves)
b) They know this tour of duty in government will be quite the resume enhancer when they enter the private sector.

I wasn't under the impression that congressional offices were having to "beg" for staff - I thought it was a situation where there were a ton of applicants and the Chief of Staff pretty much got to pick and choose among the resumes.

[bottomofthehill]

6. There are hundreds of applicants for every low paying job

Kids from Ivy League schools to community colleges. There is not much they can collectively bargain for.