Merkley, Wyden Get Behind Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues to reintroduce the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time after President Trump’s recent executive order?ended collective bargaining?for over a million federal workers.
“As the son of a union mechanic, I know unions?make a difference in standing up for workers and their families by ensuring they?have a safe workplace and good pay?for their work,” Merkley said. “While the Trump Administration threatens the rights of America’s public sector workers to organize and receive fair treatment in the workplace, we’re pushing to make sure these workers receive just treatment and fair pay for a hard day’s work.”?
“The right to organize and bargain collectively for better pay and benefits stands out as a hallmark achievement for American unions, and public sector workers deserve the same opportunity to advocate for those rights in Oregon and nationwide,” Wyden said. “This legislation is especially timely given the latest chapter of Donald Trump’s long history of assaulting worker rights from both the White House and before that from his penthouse.”
The?Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act?would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.
Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide collective bargaining standard for public sector workers, including specifically the ability to
- Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees;
- Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment;
- Access dispute resolution mechanisms;
- Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues;
- Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid;
- Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and
- File suit in court to enforce their labor rights.?
Senators Merkley and Wyden also joined Senate Democratic colleagues in a letter urging President Trump to rescind his recent executive order terminating collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies, calling the action a sweeping and unjustified intervention that threatens the stability, fairness, and effectiveness of the federal workforce.?
The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is led by U.S. Senator Mazie K Hirono (D-HI). In addition to Merkley and Wyden, this legislation is cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The full text of the legislation is available?here.
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