Rep. Wild Exchange with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Protecting Workers' Right to Organize

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) questioned AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in the House Education and Labor Committee on the need to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act -- comprehensive legislation to strengthen protections for workers' right to organize a union and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions. The PRO Act would empower millions of Americans to stand together and ensure hardworking people are getting their fair share of economic growth.

"Every worker has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. That's the fundamental promise of the labor movement but those rights have been challenged over the years and too many people are facing repercussions, or worse -- losing their jobs just for trying to organize for better pay or fair treatment. We are overdue for leveling the playing field by protecting the right to organize and holding employers accountable for the mistreatment of the workers their businesses are built on," Wild said. "That's why I am a proud cosponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and will see to it that this bill becomes law."

Specifically, the PRO Act would:

Establish penalties on predatory corporations that violate workers' rights, and combat misclassification of workers as supervisors and independent contractors.
Strengthen workers' right to strike for basic workplace improvements, including higher wages and better working conditions.
Create a mediation and arbitration process to ensure corporations and newly formed unions reach a first contract.
Authorize unions and employers to negotiate agreements that allow unions to collect fair-share fees that cover the costs of representation.
Streamline the National Labor Relation Board's (NLRB) procedures to secure worker freedoms and effectively prevent violations.
Protect the integrity of union elections against coercive captive audience meetings.

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