Days after Senate janitors and cafeteria workers
walked out to protest low wages, and after one janitor's homelessness made news, Democratic senators
wrote to the committee in charge of congressional buildings and services:
... we urge you to provide a preference in the contracting process to contractors that provide a living wage, fair healthcare and other benefits, and that give employees a voice in their workplace. Employees working full time on taxpayer-funded contracts should not have to rely on federal benefits like food assistance and medical care to provide for their families.
President Obama’s Executive Order requires government contractors to pay employees $10.10 per hour. Assuming a full-time schedule with no earned vacation or sick days, a worker could earn about $21,000 annually.
With the cost of living in the Washington DC metropolitan area among the highest in the United States, the Rules Committee should build on this minimum wage by requiring contractors doing business with the U.S. Senate to be model employers who treat their employees fairly. People who work full time should be able to support themselves and their families.
Contractors should not be allowed to keep food and restaurant services prices low for Senators, Senate staff and visitors to the Senate while failing to pay their workers a living wage.
Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin (IL), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Sherrod Brown (OH), Barbara Boxer (CA), Bob Casey (PA), Ed Markey (MA), Cory Booker (NJ), and Mark Warner (VA) signed the letter, joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).