They will need to work harder rather than work less.
Liberal Capitol Hill staffers withdrew a short-lived request for a 32-hour work week on Friday after their “tone-deaf” request the day before drew bipartisan ridicule.
The Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) asked congressional leaders on Thursday to adopt a rotating schedule that would allow staffers to log fewer hours when lawmakers are away from Washington, D.C., and working in their districts.
The group now admits their message missed the mark.
“The Congressional Progressive Staff Association hereby withdraws its recent letter to congressional leadership regarding a rotating 32-hour work week,” a statement from the CPSA said.
“The letter fails to make clear two things: First, that progressive congressional staff are committed to serving the American people no matter how many hours it takes to get the job done. Second, that there are well-known, long-standing issues in the workplace that deserve Congress’s immediate attention if it wants to effectively serve the people.” .
There are countless ways Congress can address these issues. Right now, a 32-hour workweek for employees won't be one of them.
The association, which has about 1,500 members, said in its initial letter that employees are forced to “work long hours with a level of rigor that regularly leads to exhaustion” when Congress is in session, and suggested that a 32-hour rotation could ease the stress of the work. This burden.
“If implemented, offices are unlikely to see a decline in overall productivity,” the group emphasized.
“The intense nature of these roles often leads employees to seek new jobs earlier than they would in a more sustainable and predictable working environment. This is a bad outcome for both the office and employees,” the CPSA added.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers, as well as current and former Capitol Hill staffers on both sides of the aisle, have criticized the demand for less work.
“Trump threatens to deport millions of people and you want to work less???? Are you trying to make it easier for him??” Geneva Fuentes, a staffer for Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), wrote in X.
Erin Perrine, a former staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), recalled one particularly stressful “all-night” situation and suggested that those who do not want to provide that level of work for taxpayers should find other work.
“This is life on the hill. More than you know. And that's a privilege. If you can't do it, don't,” she wrote on X.
Democratic pollster John Anzalone claimed that the ADA's rhetoric was “deaf and insulting to real people and the voters they represent.”
“In politics and government, you work hard for the common good,” he said in a tweet.
Even far-left Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) described the requirement for a child protection law in the United States as a “terrible idea.”
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) suggested that entrepreneur Elon Musk's government efficiency department take a look at progressive employees.
“Progressives should sign up. Easy place to cut 20%+ @elonmusk,” he posted on X.
“If progressive hillbillies worked 0 hours a week, they would probably do more to help Democrats win than anything else they could do,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) quipped.
The CPSA noted that its members remain “ready to continue the urgent mission of serving our presidents' constituents and promoting causes that put the working class first.”
“CPSA looks forward to continuing to support employees in their efforts to address these critical issues in the workplace,” the group’s statement concluded.
