Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign staff make history by unionising

Revelation comes as 77-year-old received seven stitches from cutting his head on a glass door

Senator Bernie Sanders will be running a unionised presidential campaign in the 2020 election.

In a historic move, the campaign released a statement on Friday announcing it recognises its staffers decision to unionise. This is the first time a presidential campaign from a major party has had a formally organised staff.

Mr Sanders, who is vying for the Oval Office as a democratic socialist, said he was “proud” of the move.

“We cannot just support unions with words, we must back it up with actions,” the senator from Vermont said. “On this campaign and when we are in the White House, we are going to make it easier for people to join unions, not harder.”

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, who said anyone with the position below deputy director will be eligible to join the bargaining unit, will be representing his campaign staff.

In a statement, the union said Mr Sanders’ campaign voluntarily recognised the group after 44 eligible employees signed union cards.

Contract negotiations will take place soon and the bargaining unit could be made up of nearly 1,000 members, the union said. The move is signalling other candidates, specifically those pandering to progressive voters, to take similar action.

The 2020 presidential campaign for Julián Castro, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary, said is looking to follow suit.

Mr Sanders has consistently championed labour rights, the raising of the minimum wage and unions. He came under scrutiny for his 2016 presidential campaign after reports revealed cases of alleged sexual harassment and pay disparities among staff but the union The union will work on preventing the similar mistreatment.

“We expect (unionising) will mean pay parity and transparency on the campaign, with no gender bias or harassment, and equal treatment for every worker,” United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 President Mark P. Federici told CNN in a statement, “whether they’re in Washington, D.C., Iowa, New Hampshire or anywhere else.”

It should also be noted that while Mr Sanders is the first US presidential campaign to unionise its campaign staffers, it is not the first election campaign to do so.

Representative Pramila Jayapal's campaign staffers were represented by the Campaign Workers Guild during the 2018 midterm elections. Ms Jayapal, a democrat was the first incumbent member of Congress with a formally organised staff.

Staffers for Cynthia Nixon, who unsuccessfully ran as a progressive challenger to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary, also took similar action.

Mr Sanders also made headlines this week for a small head injury after cutting his head on a glass shower door on Friday during a campaign trip in South Carolina.

The 77-year-old politician received seven stitches, but is said to be in “overall very good health.”

There has been no changes to his campaign schedule as result of the minor injury.