Keystone Today

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) has recently expressed his support for a bill that aims to protect the right of employees to form unions.

House Resolution 842, Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021 (the PRO Act), seeks to improve a variety of labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and negotiate collectively in the workplace.

"Unions built the middle class and made it possible for workers to support their families with a single job," Casey tweeted Feb. 12. "But after decades of attacks from powerful interests, union membership is at historic lows. Millions rely on multiple jobs to make ends meet. We — they — need the PRO Act now."

The bill, if passed, would amend the definitions of "employee," "supervisor" and "employer" in an effort to effort to expand the range of people covered by fair labor guidelines.

HR 842 also contains provisions empowering labor organizations to promote union members' involvement in strikes organized by workers sponsored by a different labor organization. The bill would also prevent employers from collecting signatures that waive workers' rights to establish unions.

The bill includes provisions that provide additional safeguards for whistleblower activities. These activities include disclosing suspected violations to enforcement agencies, collaborating with enforcement agencies, initiating or assisting in an enforcement proceeding.

Whistleblowers would also be protected if they refuse to engage in an activity that they suspect violates labor laws.

Other provisions of the bill include election methods for union representation that enable employees to vote in union elections remotely by phone or online.

This legislation also improves safeguards against labor violations that cause substantial economic harm, provides fines and authorizes injunctive recourse against organizations that violate National Labor Relations Board decisions.

The bill, which was filed on Feb. 4 of last year and passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 9, 2021, has been submitted to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.