Education and the Workforce Committee Passes Legislation Co-Authored by Rokita to Protect the Rights of Employees, Employers

Press Release

Today the Committee on Education and the Workforce held a markup on H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, legislation co-authored by Representative Todd Rokita, which prevents the National Labor Relations Board from undermining the rights of employees and employers:

"The NLRB's efforts to rewrite the rulebook governing union elections will restrict an employer's right to communicate with their employees and undermine employees' right to make an informed decision on whether or not to form a union. This legislation in no way limits employees' ability to form a union, but it does ensure they have the opportunity to cast an informed vote by secret ballot, a principle fundamental to our system and a democratic workplace.

The NLRB's efforts to stack the deck in favor of labor have nothing to do with employee rights and everything to do with paying back union bosses allied with the Obama administration, even if employees suffer and jobs are lost in the process," Rokita said.

The NLRB's proposed rule changes would provide employers just seven days to obtain legal counsel and prepare a case for the NLRB pre-election hearing on the formation of a union. These rule changes would also only give workers 10 days to consider whether or not to form a union. Additionally, they would limit an employer's ability to communicate with employees while requiring employers to provide union organizers with extensive personal contact information for all employees, resulting in the possibility of intimidation and harassment.

H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, would guarantee workers the ability to make a fully informed decision by requiring at least 35 days notice before a union election is held, giving workers the ability to consider both sides of the debate. It also maintains traditional requirements on the type of employee contact information employers must provide to union organizers.

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