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Pro-Worker Legislation

Pro-Worker Legislation

Current Bills Proposed in the 112th Congress:

National Right-to-Work-Act S.504 (A bill to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities)

Amends the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to repeal those provisions that permit employers, pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement that is a union security agreement, to require employees to join a union as a condition of employment.

Read more on National Right-to-Work-Act here

Jobs Protection Act S. 964/H.R. 1976

A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the applicability of such Act with respect to States that have right to work laws in effect.

Read more on Job Protection Act here

Davis-Bacon Repeal Act H.R. 746

Repeals the Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates that all laborers working on federally-financed or federally-assisted contracts for construction, alteration, and repair of public buildings or public works be paid the local standard wage rate.

Read more on Davis-Bacon Repeal Act here

State and Local Law Enforcement Hatch Act Reform Act of 2011 H.R. 498

State and Local Law Enforcement Hatch Act Reform Act of 2011 – Amends the Hatch Act to: (1) allow state and local law enforcement officers to be candidates for the office of sheriff; and (2) allow sheriffs to engage in campaign activities by attending or speaking at political campaign rallies or events, holding or sponsoring political fundraisers, or appearing on political advertisements.

Establishes a limitation period of six months after the later of the date of the alleged violation or the date of enactment of this Act for presenting charges against a law enforcement officer for Hatch Act violations.

Read more on Hatch Act Reform here

Federal Employee Accountability Act of 2011 H.R. 122

Federal Employee Accountability Act of 2011- Repeals provisions: (1) authorizing a federal employee representing an exclusive representative in the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement official time for such purpose during the time such employee otherwise would be in a duty status; and (2) requiring the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to determine whether any employee participating for, or on behalf of, a labor organization in any phase of proceedings before it shall be authorized official time for that purpose.

Read more on the Federal Accountability Act of 2011 here

Opposing Bailout of State/Local Government Employee Pension Funds H.Res 23

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal Government should not bail out State and local government employee pension plans or other plans that provide post-employment benefits to State and local government retirees.

Read more on the Opposing Bailout of State/Local Government Employee Pension Funds here

Secret Ballot Protection Act S. 217/H.R. 972

A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to ensure the right of employees to a secret ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

Read more about the Secret Ballot Protection Act here

Public Employee Pension Transparency Act H.R. 567/S.347

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to deny tax benefits relating to bonds issued by a state or political subdivision during any period in which such state or political subdivision is noncompliant with specified reporting requirements for state or local government employee pension benefit plans.

Read more about the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act here

Restoring Democracy in the Workplace Act H.R. 548

Restoring Democracy in the Workplace Act would invalidate this rule, thereby restoring the legislative authority of Congress to determine union representation procedures, as intended through the Railway Labor Act.

To read more about the Restoring Democracy in the Workplace Act here

State and Local Government Bailout Prohibition Act S. 184

The State and Local Government Bailout Prohibition Act bill prohibits taxpayer bailouts of fiscally irresponsible State and local governments.

To read more about State and Local Government Bailout Prohibition Act here

Government Neutrality in Contracting Act H.R. 735

Directs the head of any federal agency that awards or obligates funds for any construction contract, or that awards grants, provides financial assistance, or enters into cooperative agreements for construction projects, to ensure that bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents do not: (1) require or prohibit a bidder, offer or, contractor, or subcontractor from entering into, or adhering to, agreements with a labor organization, with respect to that construction project or another related construction project; or (2) otherwise discriminate against or give preference to such a party because it did or did not become a signatory or otherwise adhere to such an agreement. Allows exemptions to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve national security. Allows additional exemptions for certain projects. Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement this Act with respect to the applicable federal contracts.

To read more about the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act here

FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act

The Wicker Amendment would prohibit TSA employees from unionizing with full collective bargaining rights.

To read more about the Wicker Amendment here

Freedom from Government Competition Act S. 785

A bill to require that the Federal Government procure from the private sector the goods and services necessary for the operations and management of certain Government agencies, and for other purposes.

Read more about the Freedom from Government Competition Act here

To Amend the National Labor Relations Act H.R. 2118 (relating to the authority to enjoin State laws preempted by or conflict with such Act)

NLRB would retain authority to sue individuals and companies, enforce or defend its orders, and appear in federal appeals courts.  This bill strikes NLRB’s ability to sue a state on the grounds that a sovereign state action conflicted with the NLRA.  This proposed legislation in no way prohibits the federal government from enforcing federal law over conflicting state laws.

Read more about To Amend the National Labor Relations Act here

Truth in Employment Act H.R. 2153

H.R. 2153 amends Section 8(a) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 158(a)), nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring an employer to employ any person who seeks or has sought employment with the employer in furtherance of other employment or agency status.

Read more about Truth in Employment Act here

The Empower Employee Act H.R. 2145/S.1143

To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that agencies may not deduct labor organization dues from the pay of Federal employees, and for other purposes.

Read more about The Empower Employee Act here

Postal Reform Act H.R. 2309

To restore the financial solvency of the United States Postal Service and to ensure the efficient and affordable nationwide delivery of mail.

Read more about Postal Reform Act here

Tribal Sovereignty Bill H.R. 2335

To clarify the rights of Indians and Indian tribes on Indian lands under the National Labor Relations Act.

Read more about Tribal Sovereignty Bill here

To Amend Title 5, Annual Official Time Report H.R. 2066

To amend title 5, United States Code, to require that the Office of Personnel Management submit an annual report to Congress relating to the use of official time by Federal employees.

Read more about H.R. 2066 here

Reducing the Size of the Federal Government Through Attrition Act of 2011 H.R. 2114

To reduce the size of the Federal workforce by 10% by 2015 through attrition, and for other purposes.

Read more about H.R. 2114 here

State Right to Vote Act H.R. 1047

To amend the National Labor Relations Act to protect State requirements for a secret ballot election of labor organizations.

Read more about State Right to Vote Act here

TSA Employee Freedom Act H.R. 2507/TSA Efficiency and Flexibility Act S. 1353

To exclude employees of the Transportation Security Administration from the collective bargaining rights of Federal employees and provide employment rights and an employee engagement mechanism for passenger and property screeners.

Read more about TSA Employee Freedom Act here

Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act H.R. 2587

To prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from ordering any employer to close, relocate, or transfer employment under any circumstance.

Read More about Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act here

Fair Representation in Elections Act S. 1425

A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to ensure fairness in election procedures with respect to collective bargaining representatives.

Read more about Fair Representation in Elections Act here

Employee Rights Act S. 1507

A bill to provide protections from workers with respect to their right to select or refrain from selecting representation by a labor organization.

Read more about Employee Rights Act here

Employee Workplace Freedom Act H.R. 2833

To repeal the rule requiring employers to post notices relating to the National Labor Relations Act.

Read more about Employee Workplace Freedom Act here

Employer Free Choice Act H.R. 2854

To repeal the rule relating to the notification of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Read more about Employee Free Choice Act here

Protecting American Jobs Act H.R. 2978

To amend the National Labor Relations Act to modify the authority of the National Labor Relations Board with respect to rulemaking, issuance of complaints, and authority over unfair labor practices.

Read more about Protecting American Jobs Act here

Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act H.R. 3094

To amend the National Labor Relations Act with respect to representation hearings and the timing of elections of labor organizations under that Act.

Read more about Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act here

National Labor Relations Reorganization Act H.R. 2926

To abolish the National Labor Relations Board and to transfer its enforcement authority to the Department of Justice and its oversight of elections to the Office of Labor-Management Standards of the Department of Labor.

Read more about National Labor Relations Reorganization Act here

2012 Labor, Health and Human Services Funding Bill

The legislation includes funding for programs within the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and other related agencies.

Read more about House Appropriation Bill here

Representation Fairness Restoration Act S. 1843

A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to provide for appropriate designation of collective bargaining units.

Read more about Representation Fairness Restoration Act here

Past Bills and Model legislation not yet introduced in the 112th

Paycheck Protection Act

Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act to make it unlawful, except with the separate, prior, written, voluntary authorization of each individual, for: (1) national banks or corporations to collect or assess its stockholders or employees any dues, initiation fee, or other payment as a condition of employment if any part of such dues, fee, or payment will be used for political activities in which the national bank or corporation is engaged; and (2) labor organizations to collect from or assess its members or nonmembers any dues, fee, or other payment if any part of such dues, fee, or payment will be used for political activities. States that an authorization shall remain in effect until revoked and may be revoked at any time.

Read more about the Paycheck Protection Act here

RAISE Act

Rewarding Achievement and Incentivizing Successful Employees Act amends the National Labor Relations Act to declare that neither its prohibition against interference by an employer with employees’ right to bargain collectively, nor the terms of a collective bargaining agreement entered into between employees and an employer after enactment of this Act, shall prohibit an employer from paying an employee higher wages, pay, or other compensation than the agreement provides for.

Read more about the RAISE Act here

Truth in Employment Act

Truth in Employment Act of 2009 amends the National Labor Relations Act to provide that nothing in specified prohibitions against unfair labor practices by employers shall be construed as requiring an employer to employ any person who seeks or has sought employment with the employer in furtherance of other employment or agency status.

Read more about the Truth in Employment Act here

Freedom from Union Violence Act

Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2009 – Amends the Hobbs Act to authorize imposition of a fine of up to $100,000, 20 years imprisonment, or both for: (1) obstructing, delaying, or affecting commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by robbery or extortion (or attempting or conspiring to do so); and (2) threatening physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to interfere with commerce by threats or violence. Makes provisions regarding any such interference inapplicable to conduct that: (1) is incidental to otherwise peaceful picketing during the course of a labor dispute; (2) consists solely of minor bodily injury, or minor damage to property, or threat or fear of such minor injury or damage; and (3) is not part of a pattern of violent conduct or of coordinated violent activity. Subjects such conduct to prosecution only by the appropriate state and local authorities.

Read more about the Freedom from Union Violence Act here