The US House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday night allowing staffers to begin unionizing for the first time in the chamber's 233-year history.
The vote was passed with Democratic support.
The balance of power between members of Congress and their staff could be restructured if enough offices and employees organize their workplace.
The resolution opens the door for over 9,000 workers to unionize without fear of being retaliated against, according to the sponsor.
Congress passed a law in 1995 that allowed its staff to form unions, but it required the House and Senate to first pass resolutions to extend legal protections to their legislative staff. The House passed its resolution on Tuesday. The Library of Congress is represented by unions.
The resolution only applies to staffers in the House. The Senate has not considered a resolution that would affect its workers, and it is unclear if it will do so before the elections.
There is no resolution that will create a union for congressional staff. It extends legal protections to employees that would prevent their bosses from retaliating against them if they choose to form unions, giving House staffers the green light to begin organizing in the open.
Ahead of the vote, the Congressional Workers Union praised the effort in an interview.
One member of the Congressional Workers Union said that they want to ensure the next generation of congressional workers is able to have it better than we did.
Representatives from the Congressional Workers Union were granted anonymity due to the fear of professional retaliation for organizing. Insider knows their identities.
The resolution will kick off an unprecedented process where staff in each individual member's office, committee, and eligible nonpartisan office will have to form their own units. It could take months if not years for the process to play out.
The Congressional Workers Union will be an umbrella organization to support each bargaining unit.
The victory of the staffers is the latest in a growing wave of unionizing efforts by Democratic employees.
The legislative victory on Tuesday was the culmination of a year of underground organizing by the Congressional Workers Union and their allies.
The Dear White Staffers account published horror stories from within the halls of Congress over the course of two years.
In February, the union organizers went public after Nancy Pelosi said she would support House staff unionizing. The Congressional Workers Union began working with their allies, and the sponsor for the resolution was Levin.
He confirmed to Insider that he worked with the Congressional Workers Union to get the legislation through but wouldn't go into detail.
Many Capitol Hill staffers take second jobs just to get by, as their salaries start in the low $20,000s. The possibility of being blacklisted in politics for speaking up against a member or manager has helped enforce a culture of silence around bad behavior.
Over the course of its existence, the Congressional Workers Union has included about 30 members. The mental and physical well-being of Hill staff was greatly affected by the January 6 insurrection and the Pandemic. Insider has reported on the mental health struggles of congressional employees as they deal with the effects of the Pandemic and workplace issues.
It seems that the stress of that year has taken a toll. Hill staff departures hit their highest levels in 20 years in the year of 2021, and departures were up by more than 50% from the year before, according to Legistorm.
One member of the Congressional Workers Union told Insider that at some point in time, there was a recognition that these conditions wouldn't change. It was going to require coming together and demanding changes.
One way for us to do that is through a union, the person said.
Do you work for Capitol Hill and are trying to organize your office? We want to hear from you. The reporter can be reached at kepstein@insider.com.
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