The Democratic National Committee (DNC), the party that claims to champion workers’ rights, has left its own staff out in the cold. Permanent staffers were given a single day’s notice before being unceremoniously terminated—without severance.
The DNC Staff Union took to X to air their grievances, stating, “One day’s notice, no severance—the DNC fights for workers, just not their own.”
The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife. This is the same party that campaigns on workers’ rights, union support, and economic justice. Yet when it comes to their own, the rules apparently do not apply.
According to the union’s statement, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill post-election staff reduction. These were permanent staffers who had assurances that their roles were secure post-election.
But as of Wednesday, these commitments seem to be worth about as much as a campaign promise.
By Friday, these staffers were out on the street with no severance in hand, despite the DNC enjoying a period of record-breaking fundraising.
The DNC’s Chair Jaime Harrison and Executive Director Sam Cornale have reportedly dodged any face-to-face meetings with their now-former employees.
One union member wrote, “As a union member and a DNC member, I’m pretty appalled by the treatment of staff. Layoffs with a day’s notice and no severance? This isn’t how we uphold our values. Respect for labor must begin at home. We owe staff so much better.”
The North Carolina Democratic Party Staff Union also wrote, “No severance. No communication. No respect for workers and certainly not for “Democratic values”. The DNC has blindsided employees and violated the standards we set for ourselves as Democrats. There is still time to do the right thing.”
Read the full statement from the DNC Staff Union below:
“The Democratic National Committee is facing the fallout of callous and short-sighted mismanagement by senior leadership. Starting Wednesday night, permanent employees were notified of their termination, effective Friday and with no severance pay.
DNC leadership refuses to disclose to the DNC Staff Union the full extent of these layoffs and whether additional cuts are planned.
These cuts go far beyond typical campaign turnover and impact employees who were previously told their positions would be retained after the election. Chair Jaime Harrison and Executive Director Sam Cornale refuse to address their staff face to face and have offered no explanation for how these cuts were decided.
Despite record-breaking fundraising, the DNC failed to provide any financial support to those who have tirelessly served the Democratic Party and its mission.
Unlike the Harris-Walz campaign, which provided three weeks of severance to its staff, the DNC’s senior leadership has chosen to leave loyal staff scrambling to cover rent, medical expenses, and childcare costs.
Among those now facing financial uncertainty are workers expecting new children and single parents who have dedicated their lives to our party.
Scores of experienced staff, some who have been here as many as four decades, will see their institutional knowledge vanish overnight due to this rushed mass layoff.
The individuals whose decisions throughout the campaign created this situation remain on payroll, while these workers are left with nothing.
The DNC staff is proud of the values that our party stands for. We want to make it clear, however, that the principles we champion on the national stage have been disregarded in our own workplace.
The process of regaining the trust of the American people must start with living our party’s values.
We call on leadership to align the DNC’s actions with our principles by: 1) Offering severance to every permanent employee who was laid off, and 2) Addressing your staff honestly and transparently. Only then can we begin to move forward as a party.”
One day’s notice, no severance—the DNC fights for workers, just not their own.
Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/l3S2U0Na20
— DNC Staff Union (@dncstaffunion) November 18, 2024
