WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today joined low-wage contract workers from the United States Capitol and other federal buildings who are welcoming Pope Francis to the U.S. by striking for a living wage and the right to join a union.

“In my view, when we talk about morality and when we talk about justice we have to understand that there is no justice when so few have so much, while so many have so little,” Sanders said. “The time has come for President Obama and the U.S. Senate to end this injustice by requiring all contract workers to be paid at least $15 an hour with the right to form a union. The time has come to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.”

Sanders joined the workers during a prayer service where faith leaders called on Congress to take action to raise wages and protect working families. Earlier this year, Sanders led a letter with 17 other senators urging President Obama to issue an executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers to $15 an hour and make it easier for workers to join a union. Sanders introduced legislation in July to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. In August, Sanders co-signed a letter with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) calling on the Senate to significantly increase wages and benefits for all of its contract workers.