What can states do right now to protect workers’ rights? With a new administration in the White House, the battle to protect workers’ rights is shifting to the statehouse.
Donald Trump’s top surrogate, Elon Musk, is currently suing in the hopes of getting the Supreme Court to argue that the National Labor Relations Act is unconstitutional. Trump recently fired labor board member Gwynne Wilcox, leaving the Board without the necessary quorum to make decisions.
Workers are counting on Governors and State Legislatures to protect our rights to organize.
Can you send a letter to your governor today urging them to take action to protect workers?
Here are three things that states can do right now to protect workers’ rights to organize:
Allow striking workers to receive unemployment benefits (UI).
Strikes are one of the most powerful tools workers have, but they can also be an economic hardship. So far, nine states have passed legislation allowing strikers to receive UI benefits. Bottom line: UI for strikers helps workers stay on the picket line and win against corporate greed.
Ban “captive audience meetings.”
These laws prohibit bosses from forcing their employees to attend meetings where they are subjected to political, religious, or anti-union propaganda on the clock. Studies have shown that workers are less likely to win their union the more they are forced to attend anti-union meetings, which employers conduct in about 90% of union drives. So far, at least 10 states have passed laws prohibiting captive audience meetings.
Repeal “right-to-work” laws.
“Right to work” sounds nice, but the reality is that right-to-work laws weaken unions by allowing unionized workers to opt out of paying union dues while still benefiting from a union contract. States with RTW laws have lower union density and higher income inequality than states that don’t. Twenty-five states currently have RTW laws.
Use our simple tool to send a message directly to your Governor!
In solidarity,
The Labor Force