Progressive congressional staffers withdrew their 32-hour week proposal just one day after receiving widespread backlash from both sides of the aisle about the plan.
“This letter didn't make two things clear. First, progressive Congressional staff members are committed to serving the American people, no matter how long it takes them to get the job done. ,” the Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) said. said in a press release on Friday.. “Second, there are well-known long-standing workplace issues that deserve immediate attention from Congress if it wants to effectively serve the public.”
Staffers on Thursday floated the idea of shortening the work week, arguing that shorter hours would benefit the work being done at the Capitol. In a letter to House and Senate leaders on Thursday, the group said their proposals would “improve worker satisfaction and increase staff retention” and serve as a model for sustainable working across the country. said.
According to the plan, the reduced workweek would apply to Washington-based employees if their supervisor is off-duty or has a job in the district. For district employees, this will mean they will be active at the Capitol when lawmakers are in session.
“There are myriad ways Congress could address these issues, and at this time 32-hour work weeks for staff would not be one of them,” the group said Friday. “We stand ready to continue our urgent mission to serve our bosses’ constituents and advance causes that put working-class people first.”
“CPSA looks forward to continuing to support staff efforts to address these important workplace issues,” the group added.
The proposal to shorten the work week was quickly criticized by other officials and lawmakers.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) slammed the idea, writing that as a former employee, “I worked 100 hours a week and loved my job.”
“There were times when we would go on all night to defeat really bad bills,” he said. I wrote it on Thursday Social Platform X. “I would like to do it again. Grow.”
Criticism also came from Democratic lawmakers, with Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York asking why progressive staffers hadn't called for a “zero workweek.”
“What do blue-collar Americans think about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour work week?” he says. wrote on social media.
