March 9, 2018
Staff on Illinois Attorney General Race Unionize with Campaign Workers Guild
CHICAGO, Il. — The Campaign Workers Guild on Friday announced its first collective bargaining agreement in Illinois, bringing their number of contracts up to seven. The contract was ratified by campaign staff for Citizens for Renato, the campaign of Renato Mariotti, a candidate for attorney general in the Illinois Democratic primary. The first collective bargaining agreement ratified by campaign workers in Illinois, this step shows that the movement amongst campaign workers to form unions is growing stronger across the country.
“Campaign workers working on races at all levels of our political system, from local races, to federal races, to statewide races, are standing up for respect on the job and power at work,” said Emma LaBounty, a member of the Executive Council of the Campaign Workers Guild. “A resident of Illinois myself, I’ve seen campaign workers across the state express so much excitement in the weeks since our movement has gone public. Through the ratification of our first contract in Illinois, campaign workers are showing that they are serious about asking Illinois candidates to practice what they preach by supporting their staff’s collective bargaining rights and negotiating a fair contract.”
“Our campaign made the unanimous decision to unionize because we wanted to be a part of this important moment in history and stand in solidarity with the Campaign Workers Guild’s movement to protect the rights of campaign workers and organizers nationwide,” said Mary Difino, Deputy Field Director. “As a unit, we are proud to join other campaigns across the country in pressuring candidates to set a precedent and practice our Democratic values of fair and equitable labor starting right in their own offices.”
The Campaign Workers Guild is a new independent national union representing non-management workers on electoral and issue-based campaigns.
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