Posts tagged legislation
Labor Unions Are Chipping Away at Worker Freedoms One Bill at a Time
October 14, 2025 // The so-called Faster Labor Contracts Act is one of the first steps in this new tactical departure. The legislation would force employers to begin bargaining with a new union in just ten days. If the two parties don’t reach an agreement in 90 days, the government forces mediation. One month after that, the matter goes to binding arbitration, meaning an outside arbitrator will dictate wages, benefits, and workplace rules for years to come. That’s not worker freedom. It’s top-down federal control. Americans recognize proposals like this for what they are: a Washington power grab. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey released just two weeks ago found that 90% of voters oppose government-mandated union contracts without worker approval.
Proposed review to modernize federal workers’ pay shot down by unions, Sen. Curtis says
October 14, 2025 // Despite having support leading up to the vote, the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union in the country, sent a message to senators opposing the amendment — which Curtis said prompted many of his Democratic colleagues to taper off. The group argued the amendment would “open up the federal pay system” to systemic audits and reviews by the Trump administration, which it says would be “devastating for federal workers.” Rather than ensuring higher pay, the AFGE claimed the Trump administration would use it to justify pay cuts or even freeze some spending altogether.
Senator Tim Scott Reintroduces the Employee Rights Act to Empower American Workers
October 8, 2025 // “The Employee Rights Act is the most comprehensive labor legislation of this Congress, from protecting the secret ballot and unionization elections, to safeguarding workers from harassment and protecting their privacy, to putting workers in control of their own destiny. It truly puts the American worker first. We applaud Senator Scott for his steadfast leadership and support of worker freedom,” said F. Vincent Vernuccio, President of the Institute for the American Worker. This legislation was cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
A Senate bill seeks to restore collective bargaining for a huge swath of federal workers
September 22, 2025 // Warner was quick to point out what union representation for federal workers does not do. “Let’s be clear, a federal union doesn’t have the ability to strike, or negotiate pay or benefits,” Warner said. But, he said, union representation for federal workers is designed to prevent discrimination and unlawful firings, as well as offer protections for whistleblowers.
Andrews joins Labor Caucus to announce new unemployment legislation
September 21, 2025 // “Everything from adjusting the way that the unemployment rates are garnishments and the minimum percentages that are taken off, all the way down to how we classify workers,” Andrews said. The bill from Andrews would implement the “ABC Test” at the Unemployment Insurance Agency. The test is used in states like California to better determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.
A quiet victory: Trump rule protecting federal workers survives Biden’s presidency
July 13, 2025 // Despite the Biden administration’s commitment to promoting unions, our arguments must have carried the day, as President Trump was re-inaugerated in January 2025 without the FLRA taking any further action and the pro-worker rule from his first term still in place. As a result, federal employees today continue to have more control over their paychecks and there’s one less item on the new administration’s to-do list.
Editorial: Unionizing Uber and Lyft drivers may speed up their robotic replacement
July 2, 2025 // Here’s the issue for drivers. Labor talks are playing out as Uber and its competitors are investing heavily in driverless vehicles, just like Tesla. Uber isn’t hiding that future. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi even told The Wall Street Journal this year he expects AVs to gradually overtake human drivers.
Sen. Hawley Introduces Bill to Raise Minimum Wage to $15
June 10, 2025 // Some business advocacy groups still oppose minimum rate hikes, including Hawley's proposed bill. "This proposal would more than double the minimum wage and slash over 800,000 jobs," Rebekah Paxton, research director at the Employment Policies Institute, said in a statement to The Hill. "An overwhelming majority of economists agree that drastic minimum wage hikes cut employment, limit opportunities for workers and shutter businesses."
CT Lawmakers Find the Line Between Governing and Union Organizing — and Cross It
May 19, 2025 // Standing alongside Sen. Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) and Rep. Nick Gauthier (D–Waterford), and Sen. MD Rahman (D-Manchester), Sen. Kushner made it crystal clear where her priorities lie — not in brokering solutions, but in prolonging standoffs. “We’ve been fighting for Senate Bill 8,” she told the crowd, referring to her legislation. She framed it to protect workers — but in reality, it’s designed to help unions hold the line longer by forcing employers to bankroll the strikes being waged against them. Describing the bill as a response to a supposedly broken federal labor system, she even falsely claiming that “we don’t even have a Federal Labor Board” — using that to justify why Connecticut needs to “do everything” to support strikers, including paying them not to work.
Two Freedom Foundation-Backed Bills Pass Arkansas State Legislature, Await Governor’s Signature
April 15, 2025 // HB1724 will work to improve local schools and strengthen communities rather than allowing union influence to control the election cycle, and SB402 will protect Arkansas educators and public employees from high-pressure union organizing activities during the school day. Both bills represent a critical implementation of new boundaries, which will encourage responsible taxpayer spending and a more accountable system for unions to abide by, preventing the left-wing union agenda from continuing to be inappropriately pushed into Arkansas schools.