SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — Former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro’s presidential campaign is now a union camp.

The Democrat’s campaign said in a statement Thursday the staff signed up with the Campaign Workers Guild, which the Julian for the Future campaign management recognized.

“From the first days of his exploratory committee, in December 2018, Secretary Castro committed to supporting his campaign staff in efforts to unionize,” said campaign manager Maya Rupert. “Unions are essential protections for workers, including campaign workers, and the teams of people who work to elect out leaders should do so with the protections of union organizing. Our campaign is extremely proud to be the first presidential campaign to take this step with the Campaign Workers Guild, and we look forward to bargaining in good faith.”

“The Campaign Workers Guild is thrilled to represent the workers on Julián for the Future,” union executive council member Sarah Willenbrink-Sahin said in the campaign statement. “We share a devout commitment to true, sustainable, progressive change in our industry and our country. We look forward to meeting with management at the bargaining table and making the policies we believe should be standard a reality for Castro workers.”

One of his staffers in the statement lauded the move, inferring that bargaining with a union is one of many ways to protect campaign workers.

“He was the first candidate to pledge to pay interns $15/hour, the first to put together a staff manual with a strong sexual harassment policy, and he was the first to support his staff forming a union to ensure the employees of his campaign are not left behind in advancing his vision for the future of our nation,” Sawyer Hackett, a campaign spokesman, said glowingly. “I’m proud to announce that our campaign has availed ourself of that support and formed a recognized union with the Campaign Workers Guild.”

More about: