Congressional Progressive Staff Association Statement on House Staff Pay Floor and Upcoming Vote on House Unionization Resolution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MAY 6, 2022
Media Contact:
Zoe Bluffstone, CPSA Press Steward
CPSA.info@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, leadership of the Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) released the following statement in response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement of a $45,000 salary floor for House staff and a scheduled vote on Congressman Andy Levin’s resolution to give House staffers the right to organize. CPSA represents over 1,000 staff members currently working in Congress.

“We are thrilled that Speaker Pelosi is instituting a chamber-wide $45,000 pay floor. The new floor will increase the wages of hundreds of House staffers and represents a multi-million dollar investment in Congress’s lowest paid workers. The pay floor will make the House’s highly-prized entry level positions more accessible to all Americans, which is a key step to making Congress’s staff representative of the American people. We thank the Speaker for listening to the staffers, staff associations, organizers, and members of Congress who have advocated for years to pay staff a living wage. We also thank Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman Jeffries and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez for their letters in support of this crucial effort.

“Since its founding, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association has advocated to improve working conditions and compensation for Congress’s most junior staff.  Our Congressional Working Conditions Survey released earlier this year revealed the dire financial situation facing congressional staffers. The pay floor will provide crucial relief to the 39 percent of staff who have taken out loans to cover their living expenses and the nearly 50 percent of non-management staff struggling to pay their monthly bills.

“The House pay floor is a critical first step to achieving a fair workplace for all congressional staff, and we look forward to working closely with congressional leadership to continue improving compensation and working conditions for young staffers in both the House and the Senate.

“Additionally, we thank House leadership for scheduling Congressman Andy Levin’s resolution recognizing Congressional Workers' Right to Organize for a vote on the House Floor next week. The Congressional Working Conditions Survey showed that over 91% of staff surveyed want more of a voice and more protections in their place of work. This is an historic opportunity for our membership–and all of our peers in the House–to win the right to organize and build a better workplace for all. This moment has been made possible through years of organizing and activism by congressional staff and allies. CPSA continues to stand proudly with the Congressional Workers Union in its efforts to provide workers in Congress the right to organize. 

“The pay floor and unionization drive should not be limited to the House. CPSA represents staff across both chambers of Congress, and our members and colleagues in the Senate deserve the same rights to advocate and organize as those in the House of Representatives. We will continue to build solidarity across all congressional staff and support Senate workers in their efforts for fair treatment in the workplace.

“Next week’s vote will make history in real time. Members of Congress know better than anyone how critical staff are to the successful functioning of the legislative branch. We hope their votes on this resolution next week will reflect that reality.”