Bernie Sanders' New Bill Would Wipe Out Union-Busting 'Right-to-Work' Laws [View all]

[Hassin Bin Sober]

https://rewire.news/article/2018/05/15/bernie-sanders-new-bill-wipe-union-busting-right-work-laws/

Bernie Sanders’ New Bill Would Wipe Out Union-Busting ‘Right-to-Work’ Laws

The Workplace Democracy Act would roll back the legislative campaign against forming labor unions, which close the gender wage gap and give a marked economic boost to Black and Hispanic workers.

Anti-union legislation—which has negative effects on worker wages, income, and health-care access—would be banned under a bill introduced last week by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
The Workplace Democracy Act, proposed by Sanders in the U.S. Senate and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) in the U.S. House of Representatives, would end so-called right-to-work laws passed by state legislatures as a way to weaken labor unions and attract businesses to states where workers can’t demand livable wages. The pro-union bill comes as teachers unions across the United States stage walkouts to demand decent wages, benefits, and working conditions after a decade of economic austerity policy that has decimated investment in public education.

“Right-to-work” laws have become law in a majority of states, driving down wages, expanding the gender wage gap, and leading to more people working low-wage jobs. States with “right-to-work” laws—which allow workers to benefit from labor union gains without paying monthly dues—have higher poverty rates and lower average pay than states where collective bargaining is not under attack, according to the AFL-CIO. These laws have become commonplace even in states with strong labor union traditions, like Wisconsin and Illinois.

“Republicans like President Trump and [Wisconsin] Governor [Scott] Walker continue to crack down on unions and push a special interest, corporate-driven agenda that makes it harder for middle class families to get ahead,” Pocan said in a statement. “And while they stack the deck against the American worker, unions are fighting to expand economic opportunity and strengthen the middle class.”