AOC says Congress ‘sounds like a perfect place for a union’ in call for higher staff wages

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew attention to the low wages paid to congressional staffers and interns, saying that Capitol Hill "sounds like a perfect place for a union”.

According to Insider, she made the comment in a tweet on Thursday night, agreeing with Congressman Andy Levin, who initially called for a union of congressional staffers.

"Congressional staff need unions now!" Mr Levin wrote in a tweet. "Congress couldn't run without them and I'm committed to support their voice at work."

Mr Levin is a member of the Education and Labour Committee.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez backed the call in her own tweet.

"On Capitol Hill, interns are often unpaid, many staffers don't make a living wage, and lack of work protections can pave the way for unhealthy environments," she wrote. "@RepAndyLevin is right – sounds like a perfect place for a union."

The questions over congressional worker salaries was part of a broader debate stirred by an Instagram account called "Dear White Staffers," which discusses the lack of diversity among staffers and the low wages paid to those who do work on Capitol Hill.

Reporters asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the account and the issues raised on its feed. She said that she would support staffers forming unions.

"Like all Americans, our tireless Congressional staff have the right to organize their workplace and join together in a union. If and when staffers choose to exercise that right, they would have Speaker Pelosi's full support," Ms Pelosi's spokesman said in a statement to Insider.

RollCall highlighted a report done by Issue One, a "cross-partisan" group advocacy for transparency in politics, which showed that about 1 in 8 staffers do not make a living wage.

According to the analysis, low wages are most prevalent among staff assistants, who are generally the most junior staffers in congressional offices. Nearly 1,200 staffers made less than $42,610 – MIT's definition of a living wage for an adult without children living in Washington DC.

Around 13 per cent of Washington DC-based congressional staffers were also making less than the MIT-defined standard.

Issue One’s founder and CEO Nick Penniman discussed the group's findings in a statement issued alongside the report.

“Congressional staff are the heartbeat of our legislative branch who work tirelessly on behalf of the American people. Yet too many are forced to take on side gigs or leave Congress for higher-paying lobbying positions just so they can pay their bills,” he said in a statement. “If we want a robust and capable Congress that is able to meet the needs of all Americans, it’s time to implement better pay for junior staffers.”

The group said better starting pay for staffers was not just a benefit for the staff, but for the US in general. It argues that higher starting salaries would allow for individuals who otherwise could not survive in the capital on the low wages to enter the ranks of congressional staffers. The group argues that a salary flood would also help open doors to people of colour interested in joining the congressional work force.

“Greater pay is necessary to retain staff of color in top roles, where key legislative policy is crafted,” Issue One says in the report. “At the same time, a focus must be placed on increasing pay and reducing barriers for entry-level staff of color as well.”

The report noted that many staffers have to take on second or third jobs and share housing with other low paid staffers.