Labor unions help protect the rights of workers and ensure they have a voice in company management. In 2019, 7.1 million employees in the public sector and 7.5 million workers in the private sector - or nearly 12% of all American workers - belonged to a union. Union membership has been declining for many years due to globalization and other factors. We now have the lowest percentage of unionized workers since the 1930s. Union membership has also suffered from the enactment of “right-to-work” laws that have been passed by 28 states. Contrary to what its name implies, right-to work laws do not guarantee workers a right to work. Rather, these laws make it illegal to require employees to join a union, and allow union workers to opt out of paying union dues.

Labor advocates claim the real purpose of right to work laws is to tilt the balance toward big corporations and further rig the system at the expense of working families. These laws make it harder for working people to form unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions. Workers in states where right-to-laws have been passed are paid substantially less than in states without these laws. Advocates claim corporations routinely intimidate, harass, coerce and even fire workers who try to form unions and bargain for economic well-being, thereby contributing to the decline of our middle class.

Proposed Legislation: Reintroduction of S.567 - Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2023
Prospective Sponsor: Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT)

• I oppose reforming current labor union policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Leader John Thune (SD).
• I support expanding various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace by:
  
  1.) Revises the definitions of employee, supervisor, and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards; permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes.
  
  2.) Allowing collective bargaining agreements to require all employees represented by the bargaining unit to contribute fees to the labor organization for the cost of such representation, notwithstanding a state law to the contrary; and expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of, or discrimination against, workers who participate in strikes.
  
  3.) Making it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership and prohibits employers from entering into agreements with employees under which employees waive the right to pursue or a join collective or class-action litigation.
  
  4.) Prohibiting employers from taking adverse actions against an employee, including employees with management responsibilities, in response to that employee participating in protected activities related to the enforcement of the prohibitions against unfair labor practices (i.e., whistleblower protections). Such protected activities include:
  
  Providing information about a potential violation to an enforcement agency.
  Participating in an enforcement proceeding.
  Initiating a proceeding concerning an alleged violation or assisting in such a proceeding.
  Refusing to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believes is a violation of labor laws.
  
  5.) Addressing the procedures for union representation elections, modifying the protections against unfair labor practices that result in serious economic harm, and establishing penalties and permits injunctive relief against entities that fail to comply with National Labor Relations Board orders.
  
  And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.