Author: Pass the PRO Act

Funding boost will help avert staffing crisis and bolster corporate oversight to strengthen worker protections amid historic union wave at companies like Starbucks, Amazon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Worker Power Coalition, a labor alliance with 24 million workers, praised the new omnibus spending bill just released by Congress, for boosting funding for the  National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). WPC leaders have been calling for the funding increase for months, most recently in a digital ad campaign targeting Congress and press conference last week with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other lawmakers. Worker Power Coalition leaders welcomed the $25 million increase to the NLRB budget – the first funding boost in nearly 10 years – and called it long overdue after a funding freeze devastated the agency’s ability to do its job and enforce labor laws broken by giant corporations. 

As Starbucks and Amazon union campaigns have sparked a national wave of worker activism with new union elections up 58 percent in just the first half of 2022, the NLRB’s staff who oversee union elections and investigate abuses has been slashed by 30% since 2010 and 50% since 2002. And with CEOs spending $340 million a year on union-busting tactics to intimidate and silence workers seeking to form unions, the NLRB funding freeze has made it impossible for the agency to do its job and enforce full accountability for employers engaged in illegal suppression of worker rights.

CWA Secretary-Treasurer and Worker Power Coalition Co-Chair Sara Steffens; “Congress is finally ending the funding freeze for the National Labor Relations Board. As someone who was fired for union organizing, I know firsthand how dangerous it is to leave union-busting CEOs unchecked. Whether it’s Starbucks workers in Memphis, an Amazon warehouse worker in New York, or a Verizon retail worker in Seattle, far too many workers are being fired for exercising their right to form a union. With this urgently-needed budget boost, the NLRB can continue to enforce the law when corporations try to stop workers from joining together to improve their working conditions. We will continue to fight until the NLRB has the resources and changes to our labor laws it needs to truly hold billionaire CEOs accountable when they violate their workers’ rights. We urge lawmakers to swiftly pass this budget bill.”

IUPAT General President and Worker Power Coalition Co-Chair Jimmy Williams: “Today’s funding boost for the NLRB is long overdue. Workers across the construction industry report widespread harassment, intimidation, and bullying from bosses when they try to simply exercise their rights at work as guaranteed by law. For too long, the NLRB’s underfunding resulted in workers facing delays in getting a union vote or receiving justice for illegal retaliation or termination by employers. This is a critical step and we urge lawmakers to rush this budget to President Biden’s desk, and to recognize that much more must still be done to respond to this crisis and protect workers’ rights.”

BACKGROUND

The NLRB funding boost in the omnibus comes just days after Worker Power Coalition leaders called for action in a press conference with U.S. Reps. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), and Andy Levin (MI-09). As part of its national campaign to end the funding freeze for the NLRB, the Worker Power Coalition also launched a ten-day digital ad campaign targeting Congressional lawmakers on Facebook, Google, and Instagram.

Americans strongly back the right of workers to form a union, with a new 2022 poll showing 71 percent support labor unions, and a strong majority of workers support organizing a union at their own workplace, including 46 percent of Republicans.

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The Worker Power Coalition represents 24 million workers across the country and unites labor unions, grassroots organizations, businesses, worker advocates, think tanks, environmental activists, and more with the goal of strengthening labor laws, including passing the PRO Act to empower workers, strengthen their workplace protections, and increase their ability to use their voices collectively. Learn more at PassThePROAct.Org.

87% of young voters in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin more likely to back pro-worker candidates

New poll shows Democratic support for workers’ rights is a key component in midterm over-performance; more action could expand electorate with younger voters

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a new Senate battleground states poll released today, 87% of young voters under 40 say that a top issue motivating them to vote is support for workers’ rights – and the new data shows that this voting bloc is fueling the ongoing surge of Democratic over-performance in this fall’s most hotly-contested Senate races.

A new poll by Hart Research found that Democratic candidates have an overall lead in Senate battleground races, but their advantage is provided entirely by a 28-point lead amongst young voters. The poll was commissioned by the Worker Power Coalition and the Communications Workers of America. The Worker Power Coalition is the largest U.S. labor-progressive alliance in the country, representing 24 million workers. 

With worker rights emerging as one of the most energizing 2022 issues activating young voters – a key demographic whose turnout traditionally has faltered during non-Presidential election cycles – labor rights are a critical piece of a Democratic path to victory in November.

Young voter turnout was key to Democratic victories in the 2018 and 2020 elections, but this age group is less likely than voters over 40 to participate this year. Senate Democratic candidates are mounting surprisingly strong challenges in GOP-held seats in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina and Florida and leading with razor-thin margins in Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona. Polling results indicate that candidates could drive up the youth vote further by embracing the landmark labor legislation, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, and focusing on lifting workers’ wages.

“As Democrats face a highly competitive 2022 election map for the Senate and House, this poll demonstrates that candidates can mobilize young voters by helping to lift workers’ wages and protect their rights,” said Guy Molyneux, Hart Research partner and senior pollster. “Young voter support for the PRO Act labor reform bill is off the charts at 85%. Even among Trump 2020 voters  and conservative voters, support for labor reform is significant. With battleground Senate races a toss-up among voters over 40, this poll should be encouraging for Democrats that energizing young voters by leading on worker rights would be a game-changer this November.”

The poll found that 87% of voters under 40 ranked worker rights as one of the top issues that will motivate them to vote for Democrats in November, alongside other popular galvanizing issues such as abortion rights, climate change, and student debt.

The polling comes as Starbucks and Amazon union campaigns have sparked a national wave of worker activism and put a spotlight on the high consequences of illegal union-busting by multi-billion dollar corporations, illustrating how Democratic engagement on the issue could be the key to their party retaining or expanding control of the Senate.

“There’s a clear message in this poll,” said Jimmy Williams, General President of IUPAT. “Young workers want the protections they’d get from the PRO Act. If we want to drive young voter turnout in November, Congress needs to show action on legislation important to young voters.” 

The poll, conducted by Hart Research, surveyed 1,502 likely voters – including 822 young voters aged 18-39 – in the 2022 battleground states of Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The survey has a credibility interval (which is similar to a margin of error) of +/-3.0% for all voters, and +/-3.5% for young voters.

The survey shows that support for the PRO Act cuts across party lines even in the tightest toss-up races in the country – a sign that a fall vote on the popular legislation could provide much-needed headwinds for vulnerable Democrats in swing states and districts. 

Young workers are driving a trend of historically high support for unions, with Gallup recently reporting 71% of Americans support labor unions, the highest level in nearly 60 years. 

“Now more than ever, young workers see unions as their best shot at higher wages and better working conditions, but until we pass the Protecting the Right To Organize Act, they are up against employers who are retaliating with impunity,” said Communications Workers of America Secretary-Treasurer Sara Steffens. “If young workers are going to turn out and vote for Democrats, they need evidence beyond just words of support that candidates are on their side. A Senate vote to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act will prove that Democrats mean what they say when it comes to workers rights.” 

Background: 

Today’s new Worker Power Coalition 2022 battleground states poll highlights a wide range of key findings on young voters less than two months before the midterm election: 

Democrats hold narrow lead across 2022 battleground states, but voters under 40 are key to their lead

• Across the surveyed states, Democratic candidates lead 48%-42% in Senate races
• The Democratic lead is fueled by a 28-point lead among voters under 40; GOP candidates hold a narrow 3-point edge among voters over 40 
• Despite the Democratic lead, there is a 9-point Republican advantage among Party ID
• 89% of young voters say they are likely to vote in the 2022 midterm election

Worker rights are an issue key to galvanizing turnout from voters under 40 in 2022 

• 87% of young voters say they are more likely to support a Congressional candidate who supports strong legal protections for workers’ rights 
• 77% of young voters prefer a pro-union candidate over an anti-union candidate

Young voter turnout could be shored up more by action from Senate on the PRO Act labor reform legislation in Congress

• 69% of voters across all age groups support the PRO Act labor reform bill
• 85% of young voters support the PRO Act, which would: 
  • protect workers’ right to speak out about low wages, unsafe conditions, or other problems in the workplace, without intimidation or retaliation from their employer. It would also strengthen workers’ ability to form a union in their workplace to negotiate for better pay and benefits, safety protections, schedules, and other conditions
• 64% of young voters say if a Democrat supports the PRO Act, they are more likely to vote for them over a Republican who opposes the PRO Act
• After hearing about Democrats who support the PRO Act:
  • Young voter trust in Democrats’ on worker rights surged to 63%, up from 54%
  • Young voter trust in Democrats’ on ensuring wages and salaries keep up with the cost of living surged to 57%, up from 49% 

Young Voters on Unions and Worker Rights

• 82% of young voters support workers negotiating as a group with their employer over pay, benefits, and working conditions 
• 80% of young voters approve of labor unions
• 78% of young voters are more likely to support a Democrat who wants to strengthen protections for workers who speak out about low wages, unsafe conditions, or other concerns on the job from retaliation by their employer
• 71% of young voters are more likely to support a Democrat who wants to increase penalties on companies that illegally fire employees for union activity
• 70% of young voters support the 2022 surge in workers unionizing 
• 68% of young voters would strongly support a Democrat who says workers should not be punished for coming together to speak up for their rights
• 65% of young voters are more likely to support a Democrat who wants to end tax breaks that companies receive for expenses related to union-busting

Republicans Lose Youth Vote on Worker Rights

• 62% of young voters are less likely to support a Republican who wants to allow employers to retaliate against workers who speak out about low wages, unsafe conditions, or other concerns on the job
• 62% of young voters are less likely to support a Republican who opposes protections for workers who speak out about low wages, unsafe conditions, or other concerns on the job from retaliation by their employer

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The Worker Power Coalition represents 24 million workers across the country and unites labor unions, grassroots organizations, businesses, worker advocates, think tanks, environmental activists, and more with the goal of strengthening labor laws, including passing the PRO Act to empower workers, strengthen their workplace protections, and increase their ability to use their voices collectively. Learn more at PassThePROAct.Org.

Advocates representing 24 million workers nationwide slam legislation just introduced that would permanently misclassify millions of app based workers: “Dangerous and designed to deny fair pay and protections”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America’s largest labor and progressive coalition representing 24 million workers slammed new federal legislation just introduced and backed by Uber and Lyft. The coalition warned the so-called “Worker Flexibility and Choice Act” is an anti-worker proposal intended to further endanger already vulnerable gig economy workers, calling it an attempt by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D TX-28) and multibillion dollar corporations to bring Silicon Valley’s union-busting playbook to the federal stage.

The Worker Power Coalition, which represents 40 labor and social justice organizations including app-based worker advocacy group Rideshare Drivers United, warns the proposal would permanently codify the misclassification of workers across the gig industry – a move intended to ensure rideshare drivers and delivery workers are denied basic labor protections like health insurance and sick time while continuing to receive poverty pay on the front lines of the pandemic. 

“Uber and Lyft poured $200 million into Prop 22 in California to take away our rights to unemployment benefits, workplace safety and sick time. All during a global pandemic. Now they’re trying to do it federally,” said Nicole Moore, a part-time Lyft driver and the President of Rideshare Drivers United. “Legalizing the misclassification of app-based workers would deny hundreds of thousands of workers essential workplace protections, and amount to billions of dollars in corporate handouts to a multi-billion dollar industry.”

Although Uber and Lyft have claimed the bill is bipartisan, the only Democrat backing it is Rep. Henry Cuellar, the only Democrat in the House to vote against the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and an infamously anti-worker lawmaker who was nearly thrown out of office after being forced into primary run-off.

“The latest attack on working people by Rep. Cuellar is proof positive that elections matter,” says International Union of Painters and Allied Trades President Jimmy Williams. “Rep. Cuellar voted against the PRO Act, which would fix worker misclassification, to side with billionaire executives in Silicon Valley over his constituents. Uber and Lyft are spending hundreds of millions of dollars at the state and national levels to try to ensure they don’t have to play by the same rules as every other employer. The House has acted: now, the time has never been more urgent for the Senate to hold a vote for the passage of the PRO Act.”

The PRO Act would hold mega corporations like Uber and Lyft accountable for illegally retaliating against workers speaking out about their workplace issues, and allow them to be classified as full employees and to unionize for better pay and job safety. For national labor unions, the PRO Act has emerged as a key litmus test for the 2022 midterms amid rampant union-busting by Starbucks and Amazon, which has highlighted America’s broken labor laws. The bipartisan PRO Act eliminates worker misclassification widespread in the gig economy and ensures protections for freelancers.

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The Worker Power Coalition represents 24 million workers across the country and unites labor unions, grassroots organizations, businesses, worker advocates, think tanks, environmental activists, and more with the goal of strengthening labor laws, including passing the PRO Act to empower workers, strengthen their workplace protections, and increase their ability to use their voices collectively.