Washington, D.C. – Following the Trump administration’s unprecedented attacks on workers’ rights, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Nationwide Right to Unionize Act.
This legislation that would support the right to unionize by invalidating “right-to-work” laws meant to weaken unions’ ability to organize workers. Since January, the second Trump administration has illegally stripped federal workers of their right to unionize,
To date, twenty-eight states have enacted “right-to-work” laws that make it more difficult for workers to form unions to fight for higher wages and better working conditions. The result of these laws has been a 5% decrease in unionization and a decrease in average wages for all full-time workers of about $11,000 a year. This according to a report released by Representative Sherman’s office.
“Building a strong economy means empowering workers, not silencing them with ‘right-to-work’ laws that strip them of their power and weaken unions,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues to threaten our economy by attacking our workers, we’re stepping up to defend workers’ rights to negotiate better benefits and wages.”
“‘Right-to-work’ really means ‘right-to-work-for-less.’ These laws are designed to weaken unions and drive down wages,” said Congressman Sherman. “In the name of economic competition, one state after another has adopted these anti-worker statutes, triggering a race to the bottom. That’s why I am once again joining forces with Senator Warren to put forward the Nationwide Right to Unionize Act, which repeals these anti-union laws. I’ve introduced this measure every session of Congress since 2008 because the need to stand up for America’s workers has never gone away. Senator Warren has been a fearless advocate for working people her entire career, and I’m proud to partner with her to fight back against attacks on labor and rebuild the middle class.”
