Historic Victory for Working People

Washington, D.C. (March 10, 2021) – Terry O’Sullivan, General President of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – made the following statement today on passage of H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act:

LIUNA commends Speaker Pelosi and Ed and Labor Chairman Scott for their leadership in passing the PRO Act, which marks a historic moment for working men and women who have been struggling for far too long for recognition of their fundamental union rights, civil rights, and human rights on the job. Unions built the middle class, and with this vote a major step forward was taken in protecting workers' rights to negotiate for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions.

 

The PRO Act will also expand the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to ensure that workers and unions have real, enforceable protections under the law. The NLRA needs better remedies for workers and real penalties for employers who break the law. H.R. 842 will authorize the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to impose penalties of up to $50,000 for unfair labor practices.

 

This legislation allows workers to exercise their First Amendment rights to free speech, strengthens workers’ representational rights and will help prevent the practice of misclassification of employees as independent contractors which employers use to escape their responsibilities. The PRO Act would give workers the power and freedom to decide for themselves if union representation is right for them. Importantly, the PRO Act would push back on so-called right to work laws, which harm unions and our members, by allowing unions to recover fair share fees for the costs of collective bargaining and representation.

 

LIUNA urges the Senate to support working families by passing the PRO Act.

 

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