The White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment issued a report on Monday, with nearly 70 suggestions for strengthening federal workers' organizing rights.
The task force's report said that unions had been an important part of society as they "have fought for and helped win many aspects of our work lives many of us take for granted today." It added that labor unions played a significant role in the benefits that laborers enjoy now like" the 40-hour workweek and the weekend, as well as landmark programs like Medicare,"
The task force, headed by Vice President Kamala Harris, recommended in the report efforts to make sure that federal funds are not spent on campaigns against unions. According to Reuters, it also suggested that the government should provide assistance to federal employees in understanding their rights, organizing, bargaining collectively, and streamlining union access.
Good Things Coming For Workers
US Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said in an interview with Reuters that the report is expected to deliver "good things for workers in America."
According to a source familiar with the matter, Harris and Walsh met with Biden on Friday to discuss the report after holding more than two dozen meetings with stakeholders across the country.
During the discussion, Walsh said Biden and Harris discussed developing an efficient method to help report progress and follow-ups "so it's not just the paper paperwork."
In six months, he said, the task team will provide a second report containing detailed implementation progress.
Most of those measures to boost unionization are targeted at the federal government as a potential employer. The Interior Department is one of four federal departments that will allow union organizers to communicate with employees on federal property, a provision that also applies to private-sector employees who work for the government on a contract basis, per Seattle Times.
Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, composed of 57 affiliated unions and 12.5 million workers, believes that the move "could be a game-changer," as the empowered U.S. labor movement will watch closely on the ground ensure that the report gets implemented.
Biden Fulfills Promise
In September, US President Joe Biden reiterated his promise that his administration will be "the most pro-union administration in American history."
Biden reiterated his pledge to be the most pro-labor president in September. "Labor will always be welcome," he said.
Biden, who formed the task force last year, has tried to reverse Trump's rollbacks of worker rights. He also boosted the production of personal protective equipment, offered stimulus checks and tax credits, expanded unemployment compensation, avoided furloughs, and subsidized industries like tourism, airline, and rail during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, his pro-labor stance encountered substantial opposition in Congress.
The Senate has failed to advance the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which passed the House. The proposed bill would strengthen Workers' rights to organize and negotiate collectively. It would also increase the sanctions for employers who violate workers' rights. It was included in the Senate's Build Back Better Act, which was similarly blocked, per NBC News.
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