(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Guild at Local Progress walked out for 24 hours this week in response to management’s refusal to engage in reciprocal movement at the bargaining table.

The Union-represented Workers employed at Local Progress perform work that involves partnering with Elected Officials to mobilize political champions for progressive change.

The Guild’s contract expired more than 200 days ago.

Since bargaining began in February, Guild Members have worked to turn Staff priorities into responsive proposals, making difficult compromises along the way and reaching tentative agreements on several articles.

The Guild has presented three comprehensive counter packages offering different combinations of wage increases and concessions on management priorities, including a no-Strike, no-lockout provision. 

But management has repeatedly declined to match that movement.

After 16 hours of bargaining in the week of August 31st, management responded with counters that reversed previously communicated positions and declared its positions “fixed and final.”

Its latest counter-proposal offered wage increases below the Guild’s previous package, would weaken paid time off protections and would give management more discretion to deny leave.

Management has also reopened questions that were previously agreed upon around working hours while tying those changes to wages.

In addition, Management has stopped meeting during work hours, a break from the ground rules both sides have followed since February, and when the Guild offered nine hours of bargaining time, management agreed to only one.

“Local Progress is only as strong as the Staff who do the work behind it,” the Guild said. “A contract that keeps people here and pays them fairly is the minimum we should expect from a political home that champions Worker Rights.”

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Guild-Provided Photo.