Politics

/

ArcaMax

MOU money: Hill staff union announces pay bumps as talks continue

Jim Saksa, CQ-Roll Call on

Published in Political News

WASHINGTON — After months of negotiations, workers in two House offices announced Tuesday that they have signed memoranda of understanding with their managers, securing some of the first pay raises for unionized Hill staffers.

As collective bargaining agreement talks continue, aides for Reps. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and Val Hoyle, D-Ore., inked MOUs that provide bumps in salary while other contract provisions are negotiated.

Such a step usually — but not always — leads to signing a binding collective bargaining agreement soon after; the MOUs mean aides get pay raises while the negotiations continue. These two preliminary agreements run through the end of 2024.

“We’re proud to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that ensures better compensation, back pay, security, and clarity for staff as we continue working towards a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” Pocan’s staff said in a statement.

Pocan’s staffers received an 8.5 percent raise on average, with the most junior aides getting 10 percent bumps. Every bargaining unit member received a $7,500 advance on their bonuses. The pay increases were also backdated to the start of the year.

Eleven workers in Hoyle’s office received a cost-of-living adjustment averaging to a 4.7 percent increase in salary, with junior staffers receiving slightly larger bumps. Their increase was backdated to May.

“Today’s victories show that when congressional workers come together to bargain for the pay they deserve, they win — and we’re just getting started,” the Congressional Workers Union, an umbrella organization overseeing each office’s bargaining unit, said in a statement.

“We appreciate our management coming to the table ready to negotiate and working with us to secure these wins,” Hoyle staffers said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to work together towards a Collective Bargaining Agreement that increases salaries and reflects the value and contributions of our members.”

 

Hoyle and Pocan are both outspoken labor supporters. Before her 2022 election to Congress, Hoyle served as Oregon’s labor commissioner and pursued labor-friendly policies during her time in the state legislature prior to that. Pocan, a co-founder of the Congressional Labor Caucus who brought AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler as his guest to the State of the Union this year, was one of the first members to support his aides’ organizing.

“Last year, I was pleased that our office was one of the first in Congress to elect to join the Congressional Workers Union. It has been our focus to ensure that we approach our first contract negotiations in an interest-based manner. I am proud of the fact that we prioritize working with our staff on making sure our office is one where they feel their work and interests are valued,” Hoyle said in a statement. “I feel the Congressional Workers Union is a net positive for ensuring that workers’ interests are represented, and members can recruit and retain the highest quality staff to be able to represent the needs of our constituents.”

Through a spokesperson, Pocan said his office does not comment on internal personnel policies.

To date, only one congressional office has signed a CBA — Andy Levin’s, shortly before he left office after losing reelection.

Congressional staff began a labor organization push in 2022 amid demands for better pay and working conditions after years of stagnant wages in an increasingly expensive city. The House adopted a resolution allowing member and committee staff to form unions in May 2022. The Senate has yet to pass a similar authorization, but Democratic Sen. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts voluntarily recognized his staff’s union last year. So far, only Democratic offices have petitioned to form unions.

The post MOU money: Hill staff union announces pay bumps as talks continue appeared first on Roll Call.


©2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

 

Related Channels

ACLU

ACLU

By The ACLU
Amy Goodman

Amy Goodman

By Amy Goodman
Armstrong Williams

Armstrong Williams

By Armstrong Williams
Austin Bay

Austin Bay

By Austin Bay
Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro

By Ben Shapiro
Betsy McCaughey

Betsy McCaughey

By Betsy McCaughey
Bill Press

Bill Press

By Bill Press
Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

By Bonnie Jean Feldkamp
Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas

By Cal Thomas
Christine Flowers

Christine Flowers

By Christine Flowers
Clarence Page

Clarence Page

By Clarence Page
Danny Tyree

Danny Tyree

By Danny Tyree
David Harsanyi

David Harsanyi

By David Harsanyi
Debra Saunders

Debra Saunders

By Debra Saunders
Dennis Prager

Dennis Prager

By Dennis Prager
Dick Polman

Dick Polman

By Dick Polman
Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson

By Erick Erickson
Froma Harrop

Froma Harrop

By Froma Harrop
Jacob Sullum

Jacob Sullum

By Jacob Sullum
Jamie Stiehm

Jamie Stiehm

By Jamie Stiehm
Jeff Robbins

Jeff Robbins

By Jeff Robbins
Jessica Johnson

Jessica Johnson

By Jessica Johnson
Jim Hightower

Jim Hightower

By Jim Hightower
Joe Conason

Joe Conason

By Joe Conason
Joe Guzzardi

Joe Guzzardi

By Joe Guzzardi
John Micek

John Micek

By John Micek
John Stossel

John Stossel

By John Stossel
Josh Hammer

Josh Hammer

By Josh Hammer
Judge Andrew Napolitano

Judge Andrew Napolitano

By Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
Laura Hollis

Laura Hollis

By Laura Hollis
Marc Munroe Dion

Marc Munroe Dion

By Marc Munroe Dion
Michael Barone

Michael Barone

By Michael Barone
Michael Reagan

Michael Reagan

By Michael Reagan
Mona Charen

Mona Charen

By Mona Charen
Oliver North and David L. Goetsch

Oliver North and David L. Goetsch

By Oliver North and David L. Goetsch
R. Emmett Tyrrell

R. Emmett Tyrrell

By R. Emmett Tyrrell
Rachel Marsden

Rachel Marsden

By Rachel Marsden
Rich Lowry

Rich Lowry

By Rich Lowry
Robert B. Reich

Robert B. Reich

By Robert B. Reich
Ruben Navarrett Jr

Ruben Navarrett Jr

By Ruben Navarrett Jr.
Ruth Marcus

Ruth Marcus

By Ruth Marcus
S.E. Cupp

S.E. Cupp

By S.E. Cupp
Salena Zito

Salena Zito

By Salena Zito
Star Parker

Star Parker

By Star Parker
Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore

By Stephen Moore
Susan Estrich

Susan Estrich

By Susan Estrich
Ted Rall

Ted Rall

By Ted Rall
Terence P. Jeffrey

Terence P. Jeffrey

By Terence P. Jeffrey
Tim Graham

Tim Graham

By Tim Graham
Tom Purcell

Tom Purcell

By Tom Purcell
Veronique de Rugy

Veronique de Rugy

By Veronique de Rugy
Victor Joecks

Victor Joecks

By Victor Joecks
Wayne Allyn Root

Wayne Allyn Root

By Wayne Allyn Root

Comics

Tom Stiglich Randy Enos Steve Kelley Michael Ramirez Jeff Koterba Bob Gorrell