PRO Act

PRO Act
U.S. Government · Public domain · source
Short title	PRO Act
Long title	Protecting the Right to Organize Act
Enacted by	United States Congress
Related legislation	National Labor Relations Act, Fair Labor Standards Act

PRO Act is a proposed legislation in the United States that aims to expand labor rights and strengthen trade unions, as supported by AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The bill is endorsed by Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris, and is opposed by National Retail Federation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and National Federation of Independent Business. The PRO Act is also backed by American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, and Communications Workers of America, and has been compared to the Wagner Act and Taft-Hartley Act.

Introduction

The PRO Act is designed to address issues related to collective bargaining, strikes, and union elections, as outlined in the National Labor Relations Board and Federal Labor Relations Authority. The legislation is intended to promote fair labor practices and protect the rights of workers in the United States, as advocated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The PRO Act has been influenced by the New Deal policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society programs of Lyndon B. Johnson, and has been compared to the Employee Free Choice Act and Card Check.

Background

The PRO Act is a response to the declining union membership rates in the United States, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Pew Research Center. The legislation is also a reaction to the Janus v. AFSCME decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, which limited the ability of public sector unions to collect agency fees from non-union members, as argued by Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Neil Gorsuch. The PRO Act has been supported by Democratic Party leaders, including Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and has been opposed by Republican Party leaders, including Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, and Lindsey Graham.

Provisions

The PRO Act includes several key provisions, such as the establishment of card check procedures for union recognition, the prohibition of right-to-work laws, and the expansion of joint employer liability, as defined by the National Labor Relations Act and Fair Labor Standards Act. The legislation also includes provisions related to strikes and lockouts, as well as the protection of worker rights during bankruptcy proceedings, as governed by the Bankruptcy Code and Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. The PRO Act has been influenced by the Labor Management Relations Act and Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, and has been compared to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.

Legislative_history

The PRO Act was first introduced in the United States House of Representatives by Bobby Scott and in the United States Senate by Murray Cantwell, with the support of Patty Murray, Sherrod Brown, and Elizabeth Warren. The legislation has been endorsed by American Civil Liberties Union, Human Rights Campaign, and National Organization for Women, and has been opposed by National Association of Manufacturers, Business Roundtable, and American Legislative Exchange Council. The PRO Act has been compared to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, and has been influenced by the Social Security Act and Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

Impact_and_reception

The PRO Act has been praised by labor unions and worker advocacy groups, including AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union, and National Employment Law Project, as well as Economic Policy Institute and Center for American Progress. The legislation has also been supported by Democratic Party leaders, including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg, and has been opposed by Republican Party leaders, including Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and Ted Cruz. The PRO Act has been compared to the Fair Labor Standards Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act, and has been influenced by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

Criticisms_and_controversies

The PRO Act has been criticized by business groups and Republican Party leaders, including U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, and Americans for Prosperity, as well as Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute. The legislation has been opposed by Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and Ted Cruz, and has been criticized by The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and National Review. The PRO Act has been compared to the Wagner Act and Taft-Hartley Act, and has been influenced by the Landrum-Griffin Act and Labor Management Relations Act. The legislation has also been supported by International Labor Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and European Trade Union Confederation, and has been praised by Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, and Justin Trudeau. Category:United States labor law