Murray helped author and introduce the PRO Act in the 116th Congreso
Murray: “Reintroducing the PRO Act is more important now than ever. This is about making sure we are not just pushing back—but also pushing forward, charting a positive vision for workers, and daring Republicans to make their actions match their words.”
***VIDEO AQUÍ***
Washington DC - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to reintroduce the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, comprehensive legislation to protect workers’ right to come together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. Joining Senator Murray at the press conference for the bill reintroduction today were Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, NY-08), House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), HELP Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), House Education Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D, VA-03), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-01), and union worker Kieran Cuadras.
Large corporations and the wealthy continue to capture the rewards of a growing economy while working families and middle-class Americans are left behind. From 1979 to 2023, annual wages for the bottom 90 percent of households increased just 44 percent, while average incomes for the wealthiest one percent increased more than 180 percent. Unions are critical to increasing wages and creating a strong economy that rewards hardworking people. Through the power of bargaining, the typical union worker earns 16 percent more than the typical non-union worker. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 70 percent of Americans approve of labor unions—near record highs. But despite growing support for unions, billionaire- and special interest-funded attacks on workers’ unions and labor laws have eroded union density and made it harder for workers to organize. The share of American workers who are union members has fallen from roughly one in three workers in 1956 to a new low of 9.9 percent in 2024. The Ley PRO restores fairness to the economy by strengthening the federal law that protects workers’ right to join a union and bargain for higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces.
“Right now, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are attacking workers, including mass firing people by the tens of thousands, left and right, regardless of how important that work is,” dijo el senador Murray. “Reintroducing the PRO Act is more important now than ever. This is about making sure we are not just pushing back—but also pushing forward: charting a positive vision for workers, and daring Republicans to make their actions match their words. Who do you stand with—the billionaires like Elon Musk and Donald Trump—whose favorite two words are ‘you’re fired?’ Or, do you stand with hard working American women and men. People who just want fair pay, decent treatment, and a government that works to make their lives better, not worse? That should not be too much to ask! I’m going to keep fighting, come hell or high water, to make it easier for workers to join together and fight for the better pay and working conditions they deserve.”
El Ley PRO protects the basic right to join a union and:
- Holds employers accountable for violating workers’ rights by authorizing meaningful penalties, facilitating initial collective bargaining agreements, and closing loopholes that allow employers to misclassify their employees as supervisors and independent contractors.
- Empowers workers to exercise their right to organize by strengthening support for workers who suffer retaliation for exercising their rights, protecting workers’ right to support secondary boycotts, ensuring workers’ unions can collect “fair share” fees, and authorizing a private right of action for violation of workers’ rights.
- Secures free, fair, and safe union elections by preventing employers from interfering in union elections, prohibiting captive audience meetings, and requiring employers to be transparent with their workers.
El Ley PRO is supported by: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Communications Workers of America (CWA), Department of Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), National Nurses United (NNU), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO (TWU), United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), and United Steelworkers (USW).
Throughout her career, Senator Murray has championed workers’ rights and fought to protect their right to join and form a union in order to stand together and demand better pay, benefits, and working conditions. Senator Murray first introduced the Ley PRO en el 116th Congress and she also leads the Ley de Prevención del Robo de Salarios y Recuperación de Salarios, comprehensive legislation to put hard-earned wages back in workers’ pockets and crack down on employers who unfairly withhold wages from their employees. Murray also introduced the CHILD Labor Act last Congress, new legislation to protect children from exploitative child labor practices and hold the companies and individuals who take advantage of them accountable. Among many other pieces of pro-worker legislation, Murray also leads the Ley de equidad del cheque de pago to combat wage discrimination and help close the wage gap, and has helped lead the fight for paid family and medical leave since she first joined Congress.
El texto completo de la Ley PRO es AQUÍ.
Una hoja informativa sobre el Ley PRO es AQUÍ.
Un resumen sección por sección de la Ley PRO es AQUÍ.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered at today’s press conference, are below and video is AQUÍ:
“The difference in values between Democrats and Republicans, the difference in who we are fighting for, could not be more clear, or more stark.
“Right now, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are attacking workers—including mass firing people by tens of thousands, left and right—regardless of how important their work is or the skill and pride with which they are doing it.
“In fact, he fired NLRB Member Gwynne Wilcox—leaving workers in limbo simply due to President Trump’s unprecedented and illegal firing!
“Meanwhile, I want you to know, Democrats are fighting for workers—we’re fighting to protect those who are being attacked by Trump and Musk and fighting to empower workers across our country to better advocate for themselves and wield their rights at this pivotal moment.
“That is why reintroducing the PRO Act is more important now than ever. This is about making sure that we are not just pushing back—but also pushing forward, charting a positive vision for workers, and daring Republicans to make their actions match their words.
“Who do you stand with—the billionaires like Elon Musk and Donald Trump—whose favorite two words are ‘You’re fired?’
“Or do you stand with hard working American women and men—people who just want fair pay, decent treatment, and a government that actually works to make their lives better, not worse? That should not be too much to ask!
“I’m very proud to be a leader of this bill, and I want you to know, I will keep fighting—come hell or high water—to make it easier for workers to join together and fight for the better pay and working conditions they deserve. Thank you.”
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