Closing summary
We’re closing down this liveblog here after another lively, dare we say frenetic day in US politics. For developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict please turn to our main blog here. Please join us again tomorrow.
Here’s where the day went:
- Joe Biden promised to “ratchet up the pain” on Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, as he announced a new round of sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
- The US attorney general, Merrick Garland, joined a growing number of Biden administration officials and Democratic politicians, including the commerce secretary, Gina Raimondo, and two congressmen, in testing positive for Covid-19.
- Earlier, Garland hosted a justice department press conference announcing conspiracy charges for one Russian oligarch and the seizure of another’s mega-yacht plus millions of dollars in assets.
- The US supreme court reinstated, for now, a Donald Trump-era rule denying states’ rights to enforce clean water regulations.
- Defense officials confirmed that members of the Ukraine military were being trained in the US on the operation of lethal drones.
They work in the halls of power, some for decades, serving lunch to the building’s 100 senators and brewing coffee for over-caffeinated staffers.
Today, they are picketing outside the US Capitol, calling on the senators they have served during a pandemic and during an insurrection to help find a solution that would avert massive layoffs.
Senate cafeteria workers are ON THE MOVE! Today, they're organizing a picket line outside the Capitol to demonstrate against layoffs and to call on Senators to support their fight for a fair first contract. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/YZZPERRhxi
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) April 6, 2022
Eighty one senate food service workers have been notified that their jobs were at risk, according to UNITE HERE Local 23, which represents them.
Talks are reportedly under way among lawmakers to legislate a fix, at least in the short-term. Ahead of the demonstration, several pro-union, Democratic senators met with workers to show their support, including Bernie Sanders, Catherine Cortez-Masto and Sherrod Brown.
Thank you Senator @BernieSanders for supporting Senate cafeteria workers fighting to protect their jobs and to ensure that their jobs are good jobs! pic.twitter.com/pKRpicxvS8
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) April 6, 2022
The workers are not employed by the legislative branch, but by the contractor Restaurant Associates.
After several unsuccessful attempts to organize, a majority of workers agreed to unionize last year, citing years of low wages, poor benefits and a lack of job security. According to the union, only 18% of workers are enrolled in health insurance through the company because it is unaffordable at their current wage scale.
Negotiations with Restaurant Associates are ongoing.
