March 9, 2021, the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, H.R. 842, which PMPA expected but has opposed for many years. This labor wish-list bill contains a number of provisions aimed at increasing national union membership such as abolishing Right-to-Work laws, enacted in 28 states, and compelling workers to pay union dues regardless of their desires to join a union. It also eliminates the right to a secret ballot in union elections and institutes a “card check” system which would force workers to vote in front of union organizers. Finally, the bill requires employers to provide personal information of their employees to union organizers, including home addresses and phone numbers, a substantial infringement of workers’ rights to privacy. The bill passed the House on a 255-206 vote, mainly along party lines, with only one Democrat voting against the bill and five Republicans joining Democrats in voting yes. The PRO Act now heads to the Senate where there is there is currently little chance of passage, as it lacks the 60 votes needed under current Senate rules.
