From press release from Office of the Attorney General of Illinois, 8/10/21:

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CALLS ON SENATE TO PASS THE PRO ACT AND STAND UP FOR WORKING AMERICANS

Chicago — Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 17 attorneys general, today called on the U.S. Senate to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021 (PRO Act). The PRO Act strengthens and modernizes the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which enshrines workers’ fundamental rights to organize, unionize and bargain collectively.

In the face of globalization, rapid technological change, rising income inequality, race and gender wage gaps, and a pandemic-fueled recession, the PRO Act honors this country’s long-standing commitment to treating workers fairly and respecting the dignity of work. In today’s letter, Raoul and the coalition highlight the urgent need to pass the PRO Act and urge the Senate to seize this historic opportunity to improve the lives of America’s working families.

“Now more than ever, American workers deserve the right to collectively bargain for higher wages, stronger benefits and safer workplaces.

“I encourage Congress to pass the PRO Act to protect the rights of workers to form unions and advocate for safe working conditions and benefits for themselves and their families.”

Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General, 8/10/21

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When the NLRA was enacted in 1935, it was broadly intended to promote workers’ rights to unionize and bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions. Between the late 1940s and the 1970s, union membership skyrocketed, and the median household income rose in lockstep with increased productivity – both growing more than 100%. In the face of a rapidly changing marketplace, employers have found ways to evade the purpose of the NLRA over time. Today, just 12% of American workers are represented by a union – down from 27% in 1979. This decline in union membership has contributed significantly to a historic rise in income inequality. Despite climbing labor productivity, median earnings have barely increased over the past four decades.

The PRO Act is composed of commonsense reforms to the NLRA designed to curb abusive practices that employers use to prevent workers from unionizing and to restore the law’s original purpose of encouraging unionization and worker protections. For example, the act would override “right-to-work” laws and allow employers and unions to agree on “fair share” fees from non-members covered under a collective bargaining agreement. Fair share fees would cover the cost of collective bargaining and administering the agreement.

The PRO Act also would give workers more freedom to organize without employer interference. For example, it would prohibit employers from requiring workers to attend anti-union meetings and would allow workers to cast votes in union elections away from their employer’s premises. The act would also clarify the definition of an employee, preventing employers from misclassifying workers as independent contractors to deprive them of their rights. Moreover, employers would be required to pay civil penalties for violations of the NLRA and compensatory damages for workers, regardless of immigration status.

Protecting workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain is a key component to empowering workers against exploitative employers and reducing economic inequality. Compared to their non-union counterparts, union members earn 10% to 15% higher wages, experience less wage theft, are less reliant on public benefits, and are more likely to have employer-sponsored benefits like health insurance, paid sick days, and pensions. Similarly, the PRO Act would provide critical protections for workers of color. Workers of color have suffered the worst effects of rising income inequality in recent decades and a disproportionate burden from the pandemic-driven recession. For example, Black and Latina women have lost jobs at a rate three times higher than that of white men during the pandemic.

Raoul and the coalition urge the Senate to pass the PRO Act, which will help restore the ability of the nation’s workers to organize and bargain collectively for better pay and improved working conditions.

Joining Raoul in sending the letter are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

Attorney General Raoul encourages workers who have experienced workplace discrimination to contact his office’s Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or by visiting the Attorney General’s website.

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A copy of the actual letter signed by the 17 attorneys general can be viewed here.

Here’s a copy of an actual letter signed by 14 attorneys general in opposition to the PRO Act from early April.

From the desk of John Lopez: This letter from 16 states’ attorneys general, plus the district attorney for the District of Columbia, is the latest publicity stunt from proponents of the PRO Act. While it comes as little surprise Illinois’ AG Raoul would participate, coming on the heels of union “action” weeks, plus blatant push polls trying to fool Senators into believing there’s broad support for the PRO Act, Raoul using official letterhead opposed to his political letterhead is disconcerting.

But the count remains in the U.S. Senate, only 47 of the 50 Majority Senate Democrats cosponsor the PRO Act, and Chuck Schumer made it clear 4 1/2 months ago, he needs 50 cosponsors. The 3 Democrat holdouts are:

• Mark Kelly (AZ)
• Kyrsten Sinema (AZ)
• Mark Warner (VA)

But the best response with the combined attorneys general endorsement came from Freelancers USA co-director, New Jersey-based freelancer Kim Kavin, in a tweet late Tuesday afternoon:

“Only 17?

“Does that mean 33 AGs turned him [California Attorney General Rob Bonta, ringleader of the publicity stunt] down?

“Maybe the majority had the common sense to look at the wreckage of California’s AB5–and the fact that it created zero new unions–and realize that federalizing AB5’s rotten core with the PRO Act would be disastrous.”

Kim Kavin, tweet reply to Rob Bonta, 8/10/21

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For reference, given AG Raoul’s statement about minorities impacted negatively by current law, sharing the article from McHenry County Blog last September on California civil rights leaders opposing the ABC test of AB5 law, contained within the PRO Act.

Sharing the recent Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee article from last month’s committee hearing on July 22 published on McHenry County Blog.

UPDATE 8/11/21: A copy of the April 2nd letter from 14 attorneys general opposing the PRO Act added above, right after link to yesterday’s proponents’ letter (apologies for missing the April letter, must have been too busy covering local elections and missed it).