Scott, DeFazio Denounce New Legislation That Attacks Working Families
WASHINGTON – Congressmen Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Peter DeFazio (OR-04), the Ranking Members of the Committees on Education and the Workforce and Transportation and Infrastructure, respectively, issued the following statement after the introduction of H.R. 785, the so-called National Right to Work Act. These committees have jurisdiction over the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act.
“This legislation clearly has one purpose: to undermine the capacity of unions to protect workers and defund them. This bill is a direct attack on workers and their families, by weakening unions’ ability to collectively bargain and negotiate for good wages and benefits. Studies show that diminishing unions leads to lower wages and salaries for union and non-union workers alike. This is why wages are lower in so-called right to work (RTW) states than those that are not, costing families up to thousands of dollars each year.
“Under federal law, no one can be forced to join a union as a condition of employment, and the Supreme Court has made clear that workers cannot be forced to pay dues that are used for political purposes. The RTW bill is a backdoor attempt at bankrupting labor unions, forcing them to provide services for people who do not pay dues.
“Contrary to proponents’ rhetoric, so-called RTW laws do not have anything to do with the right to have a job or be provided employment. And while states are permitted to pass such anti-union legislation, this radical bill would create an unfunded federal mandate that overrides a state’s wishes by requiring private labor organizations to support free riders without limitation. This bill is nothing more than a gift to anti-worker special interests.”
Press Contact
Kiara Pesante, 202-226-0853 (Scott)
Jen Gilbreath, 202-225-4472 (DeFazio)
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