Ask the Union Members Act

Ask the Union Members Act
H.R. 6142, Sponsored by Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC)

The Ask the Union Members Act seeks to amend union governance rules by requiring secret‑ballot votes on contracts and strikes, giving rank‑and‑file members more direct control over major union decisions.

Harris’s bill strengthens union democracy by ensuring that members themselves, rather than union leadership or delegates, directly authorize key union actions. This protects workers from intimidation and ensures accountability in union decision making. Authorization of a collective bargaining agreement or strike would require support of a majority of members in a secret ballot vote.

This legislation is part of a broader effort by Republicans on the House Committee on Education and Workforce to update union governance rules under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. Committee Republicans have argued that some unions have become too opaque and politically focused, and that union members deserve greater transparency and accountability about how their dues are spent and how decisions are made.

Bill Status: The Ask the Union Members Act was introduced on November 19, 2025. It was referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce, which held a hearing on the bill on December 17, 2025.

Additional Resources:

Ed Workforce Committee Bills Strengthen Worker Protections, Hold Union Leaders Accountable