Protecting the Right to Organize with the PRO Act

Leslie is joined by United Steelworkers (USW) President, Tom Conway.

The two discuss Protecting the Right to Organize, via the PRO Act (P.R.O. = Protect the Right to Organize).

Here are some important points that Tom and Leslie brought up when analyzing the need for the PRO Act, and how it would help.

The PRO Act, which received its final markup by the House Committee on Education and Labor last month, is a pathway to power for workers:

- It helps tip the balance of power away from CEOs by strengthening labor laws

- The defects of the current law can be clearly seen inthe case of Kumho Tire,a Korean company that has operations in Macon, Ga. as workers there tried to organize

- Workers trying to join the USW were subjected to anti-union videos put on repeat in the break rooms and threats of plant closure

- Kumho then fired the lead organizer and suspended pregnant worker, Victoria Whipple

- Kumho spend $500,000 on an anti-union campaign

- Kumho also racked up more than 30 'unfair labor practice' charges

The PRO Act would:

- Establish stronger and swifter remedies to stop employers from breaking the law

- Make companies recognize contractors as part of the collective bargaining process so they can no longer continue to whittle down Union membership by subcontracting

- Force an employer to reach a first contract in a timely manner with a newly organized group of workers. (No more dragging out first contracts!)

- Reverse so-called 'Right to Work,' regardless of state laws(!)

- Prohibit employers from forcing employees to attend anti-union meetings

There’s no dispute, workers in unions fare better than their non-union counterparts:

- Average union weekly earnings are significantly higher than non-union earnings

- On average, union members also have better benefits and more retirement security than their non-union counterparts

- Strengthening workers’ rights is essential to reducing economic inequality

The website for the USW is www.USW.org. Their handle on both Twitter and Instagram is @steelworkers.
The USW urges passage of the PRO Act. To help promote passage of the Pro Act, please post about it on social media using the hashtag #ProActNow.

Tom Conway was elected by the International Executive Board to succeed retiring International President Leo W. Gerard as leader of the United Steelworkers (USW), the largest industrial union in North America, effective July 15, 2019.

Previously, Conway served as International Vice President, a position he held since March 1, 2005, and was re-elected to four separate times.

During his 14-year tenure as International Vice President, Conway became the union’s most experienced contract negotiator in steel, aluminum, oil and other major industries where USW members work, often directing bargaining during crises.

You can read Tom's weekly blog at www.usw.org/blog.