Workers across the country from McDonald's, John Deere, Kellogg, Nabisco, Frito-Lay, and so many more companies have gone on strike within the last year as the struggle against unfair working conditions continues. From disputes over cuts to pay and benefits to fighting for greater health and safety precautions during the pandemic, essential workers have rightfully had enough.

Frontline workers deserve a safe working environment and the opportunity to organize freely around working conditions.

In March of this year, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021 (or the PRO Act). Seen by labor experts as one of the most significant worker empowerment acts since the Great Depression, the PRO Act protects the rights of workers to freely organize and unionize.

The PRO Act would:

• Allow unions to collect dues from those who opt-in and opt-out in order to cover the cost of collective bargaining and administration of the contract;
  
• Make employer interference and influence in union elections forbidden;
  
• Allow employees to cast a ballot in union organizing elections at a location away from company property;
  
• Allow newly certified unions to seek arbitration and mediation to settle impasses in negotiations, particularly for first-time contract negotiations between labor and management;
  
• Prevent an employer from using an employee's immigration status against them when determining the terms of their employment; and
  
• Establish monetary penalties for companies and executives that violate workers' rights, meaning corporate directors and other officers of the company could also be held liable.
  

Frontline workers risk their lives to serve our communities every day during a deadly pandemic. There is no better moment to enact the greatest protection for laborers since the 1930s.

Historical data shows a correlation between the decline of bargaining power within the U.S. with stagnating wages for lower-income workers. The barriers in place that prevent laborers from organizing exasperate growing economic and social inequality. Passing the PRO Act would protect workers' rights to bargain for fair pay and benefits, protect themselves from unfair labor practices and working conditions, and protect themselves from discriminatory practices within the workplace. It would also help close the door on the gender pay and racial pay gap.

Today, the best way to support striking workers is to support protections that allow them to freely organize without the fear of retaliation or disruption. Passing the PRO Act is the key to making this happen, and to protecting frontline workers.

Sign the Petition: Support striking workers. Urge the Senate to pass the PRO Act.

Participating Organizations
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA)
Civic Shout
Coalition on Human Needs
Daily Kos
The Juggernaut Project
Left Action
National Campaign for Transit Justice
Progress America
Progressive Caucus Action Fund
Progressive Reform Network
TakeItBack.Org