Staffers for Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced progress in their push to unionize Monday.
“On the one year anniversary of our request, we are proud to have received voluntary recognition and come to a strong Ground Rules Agreement,” the Massachusetts Democrat’s staff said in a press release from the Congressional Workers Union (CWU).
“We look forward to further engaging in the collective bargaining process to reach a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the statement continued.
The CWU said in a post last week on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that all of Markey’s staffers had “come forward and requested voluntary recognition.”
“Once recognized, this Office will be the first ever unionized United States Senate office!” the CWU said.
In his own X post, Markey congratulated his staffers for their effort, saying he is “proud of their commitment not to agonize, but to organize.”
“I recognize their effort to unionize and look forward to engaging with them,” he said Wednesday.
Last May, the House passed a resolution allowing staffers to unionize, but the Senate has not done the same.
“As the Senate fails to act to pass a resolution extending organizing and collective bargaining protections to Senate congressional staff, we commend the workers of Senator Markey’s office who have come together to forge their own path—collectively bargaining for an unprecedented Voluntary Recognition and Ground Rules Agreement,” the CWU said in a statement in the press release.
“We applaud this historic step and look forward to continued negotiations as these workers move towards a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the statement continues.
In an emailed statement to The Hill, Markey said that “[t]he work of the Senate and our democracy wouldn’t happen without Congressional staffers, and I am proud to recognize their contributions and the effort of my staff to unionize.”
“I thank them for everything they do every day, and I look forward to continuing to engage with them and the Congressional Workers Union,” Markey continued.
Updated at 2:44 pm.