House Speaker Pelosi Raises Congressional Staffers' Min. Salaries, Announces Vote To Allow Staffers To Unionize
On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to her Congressional colleagues announcing a new minimum salary of $45,000 for Congressional staffers as well as announced that there will be a vote on House Resolution which, if passed, will recognize Congressional workers' right to organize.
In her letter, Pelosi stated:
“…I am writing to announce two important new reforms to strengthen workplace rights for our staff, while improving our ability to retain and recruit the next generation of public servants.
First: the House will vote next week on Congressman Andy Levin’s resolution recognizing Congressional workers' right to organize. When the House passes this resolution, we will pave the way for staffers to join in union, if they so choose. Congressional staffers deserve the same fundamental rights and protections as workers all across the country, including the right to bargain collectively.
Second: I am pleased to announce that, pursuant to the statutory authority of the Speaker in 2 U.S.C. 4532, the House will for the first time ever set the minimum annual pay for staff at $45,000. The deadline to implement this new Pay Order is September 1, 2022, and additional guidance is forthcoming.”
The Congressional Workers Union, a “volunteer group of staffers that are organizing to unionize the personal offices and committees of Congress” tweeted a statement following Pelosi’s announcement.
Read Speaker Pelosi’s entire letter here.