FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Matt Dorsey
(202) 550-6987
March 1, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) calls on Congress to pass H.R. 20, the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), which strengthens workers’ rights to unionize and collectively bargain over workplace policies.
“Working families in this country have been under attack for decades, leading to stagnated wages and the weakening of rights for the American worker” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “However, workers across the nation have seen that joining a union delivers higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces. It is no secret why union approval is rapidly increasing among the American public.”
The PRO Act will address multiple issues by expanding the enforcement powers of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), in addition to reinforcing protections for workers that engage in collective action. In addition to imposing fines on employers and management offices who violate the law, the bill would also give workers the opportunity to bring their case to federal court. The PRO Act would override state “right to work” laws, which are designed to give more power to management at the expense of workers, and have had the effect of lowering wages and eroding pensions and health care coverage in states where they have been adopted.
“All working people need and deserve the collective power of a union,” continued Erwin. “This is the first step in guaranteeing basic respect and dignity while on the job. Congress must pass the PRO Act and replace severely outdated labor laws that provide little protections for the rights of workers. This bill not only safeguards worker organizing and collective bargaining, it also strengthens the very roots of democracy in America.”