We organized our workplace and you can too!
It’s been a great Labor Week, discussing some of our favorite labor wins in NY-14 and across the country. Before we wrap up, we wanted to share the story of how Team AOC unionized, and how you can too!
In 2020, it was announced that Alexandria’s campaign staff (that’s us!) reached a deal to unionize with the Campaign Workers Guild, ratifying a contract that included overtime pay above 40 hrs/week (unheard of for campaigns!), paid parental leave, childcare resources, unlimited sick leave, salary caps for managers, and protections for immigrant and transgender workers (plus more!).
Alexandria put it best: “Workers’ rights are the cornerstone of an economy that puts humanity first. I’ve lived without health insurance or dignity in the workplace, and I applaud the work our team has done to raise the bar for all workers.”
Organizing a workplace can be daunting, but our bargaining committee kept at it, knowing their contract could inspire other campaigns and workers everywhere (yes, even you!) to fight for their own protections.
And you don’t have to do it alone. We’ve put together a comprehensive Guide to Workplace Organizing so you’ll have all the tools you need to get started — including printable exercises, spreadsheets, and conversation guidelines to start mapping your workplace relationships. Organizing is all about coming together to address issues common to you and your coworkers, and we want to make it easy for you to initiate that process.
We hope you’ve had a fruitful and inspiring Labor Week, and we wish you success and strength on the road to building union power!
In solidarity,
Team AOC
