DNC staffers ruthlessly mocked for fuming over remote work reversal: ‘Get yourselves together’
This week, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) faced backlash from its employees after Chairman Ken Martin announced a new directive mandating that staff return to the office five days a week, effectively ending the remote work policy that had been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic. The union representing DNC employees described the decision as “callous,” especially given the challenging economic landscape shaped by the previous Trump administration. During a staff-wide call, reactions were immediate and negative, with employees expressing their discontent through a barrage of thumbs-down emojis. Martin’s response to the dissent was stark: he suggested that those unhappy with the new policy should seek employment elsewhere. This sentiment was echoed by Neera Tanden, a prominent Democratic strategist, who emphasized that if staff believe democracy is at stake, then working in the office should be a manageable expectation.
The controversy has sparked a wider debate within the Democratic Party, with various voices weighing in on the necessity of in-person work in political campaigns. Commentators like Florida-based strategist Steve Schale argued for a more rigorous requirement for DNC employees, advocating that candidates should have prior experience on battleground campaigns where flexibility in work hours is not an option. Meanwhile, Republicans seized the opportunity to mock the DNC staffers, with former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer and GOP strategist Matt Gorman highlighting the absurdity of staffers being upset about returning to the office amid pressing political challenges. This episode not only highlights the internal struggles within the Democratic Party but also raises broader questions about work culture and expectations in political organizations, particularly as they gear up for the 2024 elections.
As the DNC navigates this tumultuous situation, the staff union is contemplating its options in response to the new policy. They previously ratified a collective bargaining agreement that reaffirmed a commitment to hybrid work arrangements, stipulating that any full return to in-person work would require a 60-day notice. This recent directive has ignited discussions about the future of work in political contexts, especially as other progressive groups have proposed innovative workweek structures, such as a rotating 32-hour workweek for congressional staffers. However, such proposals have met with skepticism, with some lawmakers questioning the feasibility and appropriateness of such requests in a rapidly changing economic environment. The DNC’s decision and the subsequent reactions underscore the ongoing tension between traditional work expectations and the evolving landscape of workplace flexibility in the political sphere.
Democratic National Committee employees were mercilessly mocked this week after news came out that staffers were very unhappy with a recent directive from
DNC Chairman Ken Martin
to end remote work for employees who will now be required to show up to the office five days a week.
Leadership of the union representing DNC employees put out a statement following news of the new directive, describing it as “callous.” Reports from those on the staff-wide call also described an immediate flurry of thumbs-down emojis and other signs of anger upon news of the new requirement.
“It was shocking to see the DNC chair disregard staff’s valid concerns on today’s team call,” they wrote. “D.N.C. staff worked extremely hard to support historic wins for Democrats up and down the ballot last Tuesday, and this change feels especially callous considering the current
economic conditions
created by the Trump administration.” Martin reportedly told employees that if they don’t like the new policy, they should go find a job elsewhere.
And Martin wasn’t the only Democrat who had some harsh and pointed words for the Democratic Party staffers. Neera Tanden, former President Joe Biden’s domestic policy advisor, had a similar message for DNC staffers, suggesting there were many eager folks waiting in line who would likely be more than willing to go into the office.
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“If you think democracy is on the line – working in the office is not a big ask,” Tanden wrote in a post on X. “And there are plenty of other people willing to step up. Get yourselves together people.”
A left-wing group, the Center for New Liberalism, echoed the view that the staffers “should look elsewhere” if working from home is a “must-have.”
“When you accept a job on a campaign, or with an org like the DNC, DCCC, etc, your single purpose is to win the election. It is a demanding job that requires long hours & sacrifices,” the group wrote on X. “The other part of this is that I suspect [work from home] staff are probably losing opportunities for themselves by not being in the office. Campaigns require a lot of personal sacrifice, but the people who are good at their job and work to make themselves noticed in the office usually tend to go on to do big things!”
One Florida-based Democratic strategist, Steve Schale, who led
Barack Obama’s
statewide efforts in Florida in 2008 and returned to help his campaign in 2012, said the DNC should implement a “requirement” to ensure those who want to work at the DNC really have what it takes.
“There should be a requirement that to work at the DNC that you’ve done at least two cycles on an actual battleground campaign, where terms like flex hours & hybrid work don’t exist,” Schale wrote on X.
6 HOUSE DEMOCRATS EXPLAIN BREAKING WITH PARTY TO END SHUTDOWN
Meanwhile,
Republicans
did not spare the opportunity to slam Democratic Party staffers as well.
“You can’t make this up — the DNC union is pissed that the Chairman is calling staff back into the office 5 days a week,” former Trump White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said after learning of the anger. GOP strategist, Matt Gorman, quipped that the image of DNC staffers logging onto a Zoom call in their pajamas amid all the chaos of Biden’s re-election “is hilarious.”
“The best part is that they still get two full months before they actually have to get out of bed 5 days week,” GOP national press secretary Kiersten Pels said. “Is this a political committee or a daycare?”
Martin reportedly told his employees that the work-from-home policy the DNC implemented during COVID was never meant to be permanent, describing it as a “Band-Aid” that has long needed to be ripped off. He did say that remote work would still be allowed on a case-by-case basis, however.
The staffer’s union said it is considering all options in terms of challenging the measure. The group previously ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the DNC over the summer that “reaffirms its commitment to making hybrid work available,” but also includes language that allows for a full return to in-person working as long as there is a 60-day notice period, according to The New York Times.
Earlier this year, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association sent a letter to top House and Senate leaders proposing a rotating 32-hour work week for
congressional staffers,
arguing it would be a more “sustainable approach to work on a national level.”
The proposal was widely mocked, however.
“Why not be bold and ask for a 0-hour workweek?” quipped Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., at the time. “I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek.”
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
