March 4, 2021 - The National Association of Manufacturers alerted members that the U.S. House of Representatives may bypass the committee process and take up H.R. 842 next week. The bill is called the "Protecting the Right to Organize Act" or PRO Act and makes sweeping changes to labor law that are of concern to Missouri employers.
The PRO Act makes more than 30 such changes, including:
Eliminating the secret ballot in union elections;
Federal pre-emption of state Right to Work laws, affecting 28 states;
Limiting the use of independent contractors;
Allowing unions access to private employee data; and,
Reinstating multiple Obama-era labor policies, including the joint-employer standard, persuader rule and ambush election rule.
In a letter jointly signed by many groups, including Associated Industries of Missouri, the NAM made the following statement regarding the bill:
"The PRO Act is a misguided attempt to fundamentally restructure American workplaces and would infringe on workers’ rights to a secret ballot, workplace democracy and personal privacy. This bill is being considered during an unprecedented global pandemic, in which manufacturing workers are supplying Americans with the medicine, protective equipment and goods necessary to defeat COVID-19. If the PRO Act were to pass, critical supply chains used to manufacture and transport the COVID-19 vaccine, PPE, ventilation equipment and food would be threatened and susceptible to disruptions."
This bill would affect ALL employers and is not limited to manufacturers.
Employers wanting to take action may do so by following this link: EMPLOYERS CLICK HERE
If your employees would like to engage on this effort, they may use this link: EMPLOYEES CLICK HERE
Your action may make a difference, so please take a moment to follow the links and let your elected representatives know your thoughts on this issue. We will keep you posted.