Both Democrats and Republicans mocked Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffers this week after it was revealed the workers were not happy they’d been ordered to end remote work and show up next year at the office five days a week.
Those piling on even included Neera Tanden, former President Joe Biden’s domestic policy advisor, after it was revealed that DNC Chairman Ken Martin laid down the policy to an onslaught of negative reactions during a meeting streamed out remotely to workers.
“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.”
Martin announced the new policy, to take effect in February, at a Wednesday “all-staff “meeting.
According to the New York Times:
The complaints began almost immediately — both in the room and on Zoom, where his comments were streamed to those working remotely. People who participated in the call described a flurry of thumbs-down emojis and other online expressions of discontent.
By the end of the day, the party’s union, Local 500 of the Service Employees International Union, was calling the decision “callous.”
“It was shocking to see the DNC chair disregard staff’s valid concerns on today’s team call,” the union wrote in a statement. “DNC 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, a remark the union also called “shocking.
But a left-wing non profit, the Center for New Liberalism, echoed the view on X.
“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.”
“If working from home is a must-have, you probably should look elsewhere!” the group added.
Sean Spicer, no stranger to long hours in the office as President Donald Trump’s first press secretary during his first term, also weighed in on X, writing:
“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. The D.N.C. Ordered Workers Back to the Office. Its Union Isn’t Pleased.”
Working remotely became widely accepted during the Covid epidemic, but many companies ended the practice more than two years ago. Under the threat of being fired, federal employees were also ordered back to the office by President Donald Trump when he began his second term.
Martin reportedly told staffers that the move was necessary to ensure they would not miss out on decisions made in-person ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. It would also prevent information from being inaccessible away from the office.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the author of the New York Times best seller House of Secrets and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more
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