Rep. Ro Khanna Inks Historic Long-Term Union Deal With Staff

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) has finalized a landmark, long-term labor agreement with his Capitol Hill staff, establishing a historic precedent for congressional workplaces.

Khanna, who backed his eight-member team during four years of negotiations, praised the newly ratified union contract as a potential blueprint for other lawmakers, expressing pride that his team secured the first binding contract in U.S. House history. Under the contract, which stays in effect into the next term, Khanna’s staff achieved higher base pay, mechanisms to adjust compensation alongside budget increases, and formal grievance procedures.

While earlier unionization attempts paved the way on Capitol Hill—such as former Rep. Andy Levin’s staff ratifying a contract in 2022 just before he left office, and Reps. Mark Pocan and Val Hoyle reaching memorandums of understanding in 2024—Khanna’s office achieved the first binding, long-term agreement for a sitting member.

Other Capitol Hill union drives launched during the 2022 organizing push have struggled with heavy workloads, high turnover, and workplace friction, including retaliation allegations. Against that backdrop, the Congressional Workers Union hailed the agreement in Khanna’s office as a historic milestone and the most significant victory yet for congressional staff organizing.