Elizabeth Warren acknowledged Thursday that her presidential campaign staff had unionized, meaning that she will not contest the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2320 claim, announced two days ago, to become the workers’ exclusive representative.
Warren joins a trend of among Democratic campaigns unionizing that began in March, when Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., became the first major party candidate to have an organized staff.
“My campaign has submitted their support to join @IBEW 2320. Every worker who wants to join a union, bargain collectively, & make their voice heard should have a chance to do so. The labor movement has long fought for the dignity of working people, & we’re proud to be part of it,” Warren tweeted Thursday.
My campaign has submitted their support to join @IBEW 2320. Every worker who wants to join a union, bargain collectively, & make their voice heard should have a chance to do so. The labor movement has long fought for the dignity of working people, & we’re proud to be part of it.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) June 6, 2019
Steve Soule, business manager for IBEW Local 2320, based in Manchester, N.H., told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that the campaign had accepted its bid to represent the staff. The campaign refused to comment on the claim to news outlets for two days. Soule said Thursday that the campaign did not alert the union that it was making the announcement.
Warren’s is the fourth Democratic presidential campaign to unionize. In addition to Sanders’ staff becoming members of the United Food and Commercial Workers in March, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said in April that his staff would become members of the members of the Teamsters union and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro’s staff unionized in May, joining the Campaign Workers Guild.
It is an unprecedented situation. Presidential campaigns have previously been seen as a poor fit for unions. The campaigns are temporary, lasting about two years at the most, and are notoriously demanding, high-pressure affairs in which staffers are expected to work long, irregular hours. Several unions have decided in the current election cycle that that situation should change and have started seeking out the workers.
“We began the process about two months ago to engage with them and to encourage them to become members,” Soule said. “Once we had a simple majority [signed up], we approached the Warren campaign and received recognition.”
Soule said that he will be looking out for the workers’ interests, not the campaign’s. “It is important to make a clear distinction that my role is to be an advocate and representative for the workers who work for the Elizabeth Warren campaign. I in no way represent the campaign itself,” he said.
