White House report calls for bold action to boost unions

The following is from the AFL-CIO:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 8, 2022) — The White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment released its first report Monday that called for bold action to expand workers’ freedom to form unions. The task force, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh (LIUNA) as vice chair, recommended the Biden administration take action in the following areas:

● Ensuring workers know our organizing and bargaining rights.
● Establishing a resource center on unions and collective bargaining.
● Protecting workers who organize from illegal retaliation.
● Exposing employers’ use of anti-union consultants.
● Addressing equity across underserved communities.
● Sharing the positive impact unions have on all workers and the U.S. economy.

President Biden established this task force last year as a key part of his administration’s efforts to promote worker organizing and collective bargaining across the country.

“The Biden–Harris administration delivered another victory for working people today with the release of the first report from the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “This unprecedented report recognizes the critical role that unions play in creating a fairer economy. By taking steps to give more workers the right to organize and bargain collectively, the administration is once again demonstrating that it is committed to using its power to support unions.”

“Now, Congress must do its part,” she added. “In order to fully empower workers, it is time to pass both the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which will ensure that every worker who wants to join a union may freely do so. We are committed to working with the administration to implement these recommendations, and we look forward to the task force’s next report in six months.”

In particular, the report highlights the important role the federal government can play as an employer by granting union organizers greater access to speak to federal workers about the benefits of joining a union and ensuring certain departments don’t contract anti-union consultants. AFGE National President Everett Kelley (not pictured) said, “AFGE looks forward to working with the administration to carry out these recommendations and working with Congress to pass the PRO Act and other reforms that would enhance protections for the millions of American workers who want union representation but have been thwarted in that effort.”

Click here to read more about the report and how the Department of Labor will be implementing its recommendations.