Senators Warren and Sherman Introduce Nationwide Right to Unionize Act to Repeal "Right-to-Work" Laws

Strategic Insights -

Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) have reintroduced the Nationwide Right to Unionize Act, legislation that would support the right to unionize by invalidating "right-to-work" laws. The move comes as the Trump administration continues to threaten workers' rights, having illegally stripped federal workers of their right to unionize since January. The bill aims to counter the effects of the 28 states that have enacted "right-to-work" laws, which have resulted in a 5% decrease in unionization rates and a decrease in average wages for all full-time workers of about $11,000 a year.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Nationwide Right to Unionize Act would repeal "right-to-work" laws that ban union security and "fair share" agreements, allowing workers to negotiate better wages and working conditions.
  • The bill has been reintroduced by Senators Warren and Sherman every Congress since 2017, with the 2020 version being called the Nationwide Right to Unionize Act.
  • The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, and others, as well as Representatives Stephen Lynch, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and others.
  • The bill has received support from 20 advocacy and expert organizations, including the AFL-CIO, SEIU, and the Economic Policy Institute.
  • A similar proposal is included in the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which the lawmakers have co-sponsored and would protect American workers' right to organize and negotiate for better wages and working conditions.

Statistics:

  • 28 states have enacted "right-to-work" laws that make it more difficult for workers to form unions to fight for higher wages and better working conditions.
  • Since January, the Trump administration has illegally stripped federal workers of their right to unionize, attempted to gut the federal labor oversight board, and refused to defend an expansion of overtime protections in court.
  • The result of "right-to-work" laws has been a 5% decrease in unionization rates and a decrease in average wages for all full-time workers of about $11,000 a year.

Sources:

  • [Source 1: Senator Elizabeth Warren's news release, September 5, 2022] https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/as-trump-administration-illegally-slashes-worker-protections-warren-sherman-fight-to-ban-laws-that-threaten-workers-right-to-unionize-for-better-wages-and-working-conditions