Bill paves way for more inclusive, worker-centered economy
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet joined a group of their colleagues to introduce the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, legislation that includes broad provisions to strengthen workers’ rights and help working Americans negotiate better salaries, benefits, and working conditions.
If passed, the PRO Act would enforce penalties for employers who violate workers’ rights and close loopholes that allow employers to prevent workers from joining unions. The bill also bolsters protections for workers who exercise their right to organize.
“American workers are the backbone of our economy. But too often, businesses ignore their value,” said Hickenlooper. “This bill will protect workers’ right to unionize and allow our unions to protect the American worker.”
“Too many Coloradans feel left out of our economy, which works really well for the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations, but does not support working people and their families,” said Bennet. “Strong unions are key to building an economy that when it grows, it grows for everyone. We need to pass the PRO Act to ensure workers have the freedom to unionize and attain more economic opportunity for themselves and their families.”
Large corporations and the wealthy continue to capture the rewards of a growing economy while working families and middle-class Americans are left behind. From 1979 to 2020, annual wages for the bottom 90 percent of households increased just 26 percent, while average incomes for the wealthiest 1 percent increased more than 160 percent. Senator Hickenlooper’s bill helps to correct this egregious power differential by bolstering the negotiating power of American workers.
Full text of the bill can be found HERE.
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