WASHINGTON, DC – PA U.S. Sen. John Fetterman joined with two other U.S. senators to introduce the Food Secure Strikers Act of 2023, legislation which would allow striking workers to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits. The introduction of the bill comes as several high-profile strikes are currently taking place in PA and across the country. Currently, striking workers and their households are excluded from SNAP eligibility and cannot receive SNAP benefits unless they were previously eligible before the strike. The measure would also protect public sector workers who are fired for striking from being “considered to have voluntarily quit” for eligibility purposes; and clarify that any income-eligible household can receive SNAP benefits regardless if a member of that household is involved in a strike. The proposal received endorsement from numerous unions and anti-hunger organizations, including the Teamsters, National Education Association, Communications Workers of America, and Hunger-Free America.
SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN