Posts tagged OSHA
Republicans Should Beware the Big Labor Snake
July 31, 2024 // If presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris wins in November, organized labor will tighten its grip on American workers. In 2020, Ms. Harris ran on banning right-to-work provisions, codifying “card check” union election theft and sectoral bargaining. If Ms. Harris imposes her radical agenda, organized labor will likely expand its tentacles into new frontiers, such as pharmacists and ride-hailing companies. Republicans should understand that the best way to win over union workers is by doubling down on Mr. Trump’s worker freedom agenda. Tax cuts and deregulation spur economic growth and job creation, a rising tide that lifts all boats. Right-to-work laws ensure that American workers are not forced to pay dues to a union boss to put food on the table. Strong protections for independent contracting allow Americans to make a living by being their own boss.
Commentary: What Does a Likely Harris-Trump Matchup Mean for Labor?
July 25, 2024 // Those in organized labor who publicly support Harris see her as likely to advance Biden’s agenda. The Biden-Harris administration also tapped outspoken pro-worker former officials from California to lead the U.S. Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, tasked with protecting workers.
Read Amazon’s response to Senator Bernie Sanders’ misleading ‘interim report’ on workplace safety
July 17, 2024 // Senator Sanders’ interim report is wrong on the facts and builds a misleading narrative. Our employees’ safety is and always will be our top priority at Amazon.
OP-ED: GOP convention is no place for union leaders
July 15, 2024 // Most of these justices have been appointed by the same Republicans who will be at this convention. This court just overturned the decades-old Chevron decision, paving the way for corporate challenges to rules adopted by administrative agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Labor Relations Board, the Environmental Protection Agency and others responsible for protection of the environment and workers’ safety and rights. That ruling will open the door for judges who have corporate backgrounds and biases to substitute their opinions for the expertise of these government agencies. It will allow employers to bring meritless but endless lawsuits, effectively tying up the agencies’ efforts to prevent union-busting and the weakening of safety rules and environmental protections. Is O’Brien going to confront Donald Trump and his Republican Party for continuing to support right-to-work legislation across the country? Republican governors in red states have openly and publicly opposed the unionization drives at Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz, going as far as to threaten to withhold state subsidies if employees exercise their democratic and legally protected right to vote by secret ballot to form a union.
Commentary: Pushing Back on Deference
June 20, 2024 // Limiting Chevron may also enhance regulatory certainty. Currently, an agency’s reasonable interpretation of a statute can shift from one administration to another. Requiring Congress to be more explicit and shifting statutory interpretation from agencies back to the courts will alleviate that uncertainty. Reversing or modifying Chevron will be key to restraining the ever-expanding administrative state. Even in health care, regulatory priorities should be set by Congress, not bureaucrats. And courts, not agencies, should be the ultimate interpreters of statutes.
Businesses blast new Biden rule allowing union reps to inspect job sites
May 23, 2024 // The National Federation of Independent Businesses, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, are helping lead the charge against the new “walkaround” rule, which takes effect May 31 of this year. “Small businesses want to create a safe work environment for their employees, and they understand the necessity of reasonable mandates and inspections to this end,” Beth Milito, executive director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center, said in a statement. “But the final rule issued by OSHA goes beyond ‘reasonable’. This rule will allow unlimited third-party individuals to initiate and then join an inspection of a private workplace under the guise of representing the employees. Not only does this violate a small business owner’s private property rights, it will not advance worker safety. It only makes small businesses susceptible to harassment from competitors, union representatives, and other parties intending to cause harm.”
Opinion: Congress should reject the Democrats’ workplace micromanagement bill
May 14, 2024 // On May 2, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) rolled out the Warehouse Worker Protection Act with Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, legislation that enacts a host of new government mandates on workplaces. Like the failed “Protecting the Right to Organize Act,” its end goal is to force more American workers into unions. The bill targets companies that use so-called “quotas,” framing attempts by employers to evaluate employee performance as inherently anti-worker. Despite the scary narratives progressives peddle, tracking employee performance is a common business practice, and employers use these metrics to ensure employees are operating safely and efficiently.
COMMENTARY: Julie Su Subpoenaed Again After Failure to Comply with House Committee
May 9, 2024 // Julie Su has shown a flagrant disregard for congressional oversight. She already made clear that she does not believe Congress’s advice and consent is necessary for her to serve indefinitely as Acting Secretary, having sat in the position for over a year despite being rejected by the Senate. Now Su has shown repeatedly that she does not care about Congress’s power to request department records and hold the executive branch accountable for its actions.
OSHA tries to walk union officials into workplaces
April 9, 2024 // This change is something that unions have long pushed for. OSHA’s official notice for the rulemaking includes numerous statements submitted by unions arguing they should be able to accompany federal inspectors. For example: “The United Steelworkers Union (USW) noted that it has brought in technical experts to serve as designated employee representatives in OSHA inspections.” Not coincidentally, gaining direct access to worksites where management might otherwise try to bar them is a classic union organizing tactic. Granted, OSHA’s new rule would require a worker to invite the union in. That isn’t likely to be a great hurdle for unions thanks to the practice of “salting.” That’s when a union has an organizer covertly apply for an open position at a worksite for the express purpose of organizing.
Foxx on DOL’s Final Walkaround Rule and Brazen Big Labor Infiltration of OSHA
April 1, 2024 // "This rule has absolutely nothing to do with keeping workers safe. Rather it weaponizes OSHA inspections—harming workers’ safety while also increasing employers’ costs. This isn’t surprising given this administration’s zeal for regulatory overreach. "What’s worse, under this rule unionizing efforts and other activist campaigns are put ahead of safety efforts. So much for OSHA’s vital mission of protecting the health and safety of the nation’s workers. It appears the Biden administration’s only concern is propping up Big Labor’s agenda. Mr. President, workers and job creators hear your message loud and clear."