Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which addresses America’s rising economic inequality by strengthening federal laws that protect workers’ right to join a union. Following the passage, Navin Nayak, president and executive director at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, released the following statement:
The PRO Act is an important step in allowing workers to use their voices by protecting their right to join a union. It introduces significant and enforceable penalties for employers who violate workers’ rights, expands collective bargaining rights, and closes workarounds that companies use to exploit their employees. It would also strengthen workers’ access to fair union elections and ensure that employers respect election results.
Unions are shown to increase wages, strengthen worker benefits, reduce income inequality, and increase worker voice in democracy. For generations, union membership has allowed workers to join the middle class and stay there. Strengthening workers’ rights through legislation like the PRO Act is essential to building a strong, equitable, long-lasting recovery.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected].