CWU ANNOUNCES FIRST UNION IN U.S. SENATE OFFICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Congressional Workers Union (CWU) announced that staff in the Office of Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) are seeking voluntary recognition to form the first staff union in United States Senate history.

On February 9, 2023, CWU urged Senate leadership in a letter to expeditiously pass a resolution to extend labor rights to Senate congressional staff. Following Senate leadership’s failure to heed the union’s call to action, the workers in Senator Markey’s office are bravely seeking voluntary recognition of their union. 

“Every single worker deserves the right to organize and bargain collectively, including in both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Last year, after organizing by many courageous congressional staff, the U.S. House of Representatives finally made good on their promise to extend protections to organize and bargain collectively to House staff,” said the Congressional Workers Union. “Yet, it's been nearly a year and the Senate has failed to act, continuing to deny Senate workers basic human rights by refusing to pass a simple resolution to apply the same protections for Senate congressional staff. We commend the workers of Senator Ed Markey’s team who are joining together arm-in-arm in an unprecedented move to demand their rights—not ask for them.”

“On Team Markey we don’t agonize—we organize,” said the Markey Unit. “As members of the staff of the Office of Senator Markey, we are honored to work everyday on behalf of the people of Massachusetts and this nation. And now, we couldn’t be more proud to announce that we have signed a petition to form a union, and request voluntary recognition.”

If you are a Senate congressional staffer interested in unionizing your office, you can email CongressionalWorkersUnion@gmail.com. To learn more about CWU, visit CongressionalWorkersUnion.org.