Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is backing Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI) and joining House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in pushing for Congressional staff to unionize.
“On Capitol Hill, interns are often unpaid, many staffers don’t make a living wage, and lack of work protections can pave the way for unhealthy environments,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Thursday.
“@RepAndyLevin is right – sounds like a perfect place for a union.”
Business Insider reported on the left-wing Democrats support for unions:
On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s said she would support staffers forming unions, following questions about a Dear White Staffers Instagram account, which calls out issues including a lack of diversity on Capitol Hill and low pay for congressional staffers.
“Like all Americans, our tireless Congressional staff have the right to organize their workplace and join together in a union. If and when staffers choose to exercise that right, they would have Speaker Pelosi’s full support,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said in a statement to Insider.
“The hardest thing for us is when we see members who are charging progressive causes, and even after knowing everything we’ve been through this year, say, ‘Here’s a turkey club sandwich and a salary that wouldn’t even get you an apartment you can afford,'” one legislative aide of a House Democrat said.
“You’re living at the poverty level, but you’re in the room for decisions of national implications,” the aide said.
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