Dozens of Democratic staffers in the Washington Legislature staged a “sickness” on Wednesday after a bill that would have allowed them to unionize did not advance.

KUOW reports that the work stoppage put majority Democrats in the Legislature — who are usually union advocates — in the awkward position of having to explain why they weren’t allowing their own employees to form a union.

“Any type of collective bargaining bill that we have tends to be very complex and every job is very complex, so you have to make sure you work out the details to make it really work,” said the president of House Laurie Jinkins said at a press conference Wednesday.

Jinkins said she was confident that with a few more revisions, the bill could pass the Legislative Assembly next year.

She also said she supports the employees’ right to hold a protest, noting it’s one of the few legal ways for them to express their feelings. By law, legislative staff members are not allowed to lobby for or against legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig also expressed support for the idea of ​​unionizing legislative staff and their silent protest on Wednesday.

“I understand their concern, I am in favor of the solution. I support their action today,” Billig said.

An estimated 80 to 100 or more Democratic staffers, including legislative aides who work directly for state lawmakers, participated in the work stoppage.

The bill, HB 1806, would have authorized legislative branch employees to bargain collectively on issues such as wages, hours of work and terms and conditions of employment.

The measure passed through two committees, but was never presented to the House floor for a vote before a key deadline Tuesday.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), nonpartisan legislative staff in Maine have a long history of working under collective bargaining agreements. In addition, NCSL said at least some legislative staffers in New York, Rhode Island and Vermont have union rights.