Yesterday -- Labor Day -- your state legislators likely talked about how much they support labor here in Massachusetts. Pro-labor legislators need to not only support unions organizing across the state but also support those organizing in the State House itself.

If you have ever interacted with your state representative's or state senator's office, you know how hard-working State House aides are. They coordinate the responses to constituent services requests, they connect people to needed agencies and services, they help draft and decipher policy, they staff community events across the district, and much, much more.

But compared to the work that they do and the talent that they have, they are underpaid, and they lack a voice at the job.

Despite the organizing work by the Massachusetts State House Employee Union, the MA Legislature has yet to voluntarily recognize the union, and many otherwise staunchly pro-labor legislators have yet to voice their support.

When State House staff are not provided fair wages, safe and healthy work conditions, or a seat at the table, we lose talent and limit who can even consider entering public service in the first place. When we don’t have all of the diverse voices of the Commonwealth at the table, we miss vital perspectives in crafting policy.

Can you write to your state legislators today to support collective bargaining rights for State House staff?

S.2014 / H.3069 (An Act relative to collective bargaining rights for legislative employees) would permit legislative staff in the House and Senate to form a union, if they want to, for the purpose of negotiating their wages, benefits, and working conditions.

To learn more about legislative staffers’ union drive, visit: https://statehouseemployeeunion.org/.