May 10, 2022 - Politics & Policy

House passes bill enabling staff to unionize

Axios

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House following a meeting with President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., US., on Tuesday, May 10. — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks to members of the media outside the White House on Tuesday. Photo: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The House approved a resolution Tuesday recognizing congressional staffers' right to collectively bargain and unionize, per AP.

Why it matters: The resolution would enable some 9,000 staffers on Capitol Hill to access the same basic federal legal protections other workers have when organizing, Axios D.C.'s Chelsea Cirruzzo writes.

What they're saying: Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), who sponsored the resolution, said he expected it would enable Congress to be more effective as turnover should be lower if staffers have a say in working conditions and pay, according to AP.

Worth noting: Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently set a minimum annual pay for House staff at $45,000.

Add Axios on Google

House passes bill enabling staff to unionize

What to read next