Rep. Andrews’ Legislation Restores a Worker’s Right to Organize and Collectively Bargain

As chairman of the HELP Subcommittee, I have introduced legislation along with Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) to restore the freedom to organize and collectively bargain to millions of workers stripped of these rights due to several National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions.  Day after day, middle class families are struggling to make ends meets as their real incomes decline and the costs of basic necessities increase.  A major contributor to this middle class squeeze is the decline in workers’ freedom to join together and collectively bargain for better wages and benefits.  Organized workers earn more, have greater access to health care benefits, and are more likely to have guaranteed pensions than unorganized workers.  When workers get their fair share, the economy benefits and the middle class grows stronger. 

Yet the freedom to organize and collectively bargain has been under severe assault in recent decades, thanks to a weak federal labor law in dire need of reform.  It has also been rolled back by a number of misguided decisions by the NLRB in the last few years.  These decisions have resulted in millions of workers being completely stripped of their freedom to organize. The Reimpowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction Tradeworkers (RESPECT) Act will restore that freedom by addressing a series of decisions that undermine the original intent of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and that fly in the face of common sense. 

The RESPECT Act does nothing more than clarify the law to ensure it is not misinterpreted or undermined on a fundamental question of coverage.  All workers, including skilled and professional workers, have the right to organize.  I urge all of my colleagues to stand with me as we fight to return these fundamental protections to millions workers who deserve the chance to win livable wages, fair benefits, decent working conditions, and a brighter future for their families.

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