More than 150 TWU members lobbied Capitol Hill on May 5.
The ‘lobby day’ activity was designed to build support for federal legislation that would benefit TWU members and their families – including a bill that would allow all overtime earners to pay less in federal income taxes.
Teams of TWU members and officers from locals across the country went through the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate office buildings for scheduled meetings as part of this year’s three-day Political Education Conference. They were armed with talking points highlighting the merits of the “No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act.” The legislation would extend eligibility for a new federal tax exemption pertaining to overtime income to an additional 3 million workers, including more than 100,000 TWU members.
“This is a top priority for us,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said. “We are laser-focused on the economic security of our members, and this legislation would save working families thousands of dollars a year.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill that Congress passed last year included a provision exempting hourly workers from paying federal income taxes on a portion of their overtime earnings: up to $12,500 for single filers and up to $25,000 for married couples filing jointly. This could mean up to $6,000 in savings. The portion of overtime earnings exempt from taxes is the premium: the “extra” half that is added to the base hourly rate. For someone with a base hourly rate of $30, the premium for one hour OT would be $15.
But the bill was poorly drafted. It relied on an outdated federal definition of overtime dating back to 1938. While most hourly workers qualify, the flawed language in the BBB excludes scores of workers in the airline, railroad, trucking, and delivery industries from eligibility for the benefit.
“It’s extremely important that we talk to members of Congress and their staff, here in Washington and in their home districts,” TWU International Executive Vice President Alex Garcia said. “This is why we need a strong COPE program with TWU members contributing and participating – so we can bring about changes that will improve their lives.”
Congress members need to be educated and prodded, International Secretary-Treasurer Jerome Lafragola said.
“The only way you can get anyone to do anything in politics is to advocate on your behalf. Basically, you’re educating elected officials on the issues that affect you and your daily work life and advocating for or against a certain action.”
