1 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: In this episode of Newtsworld. The Employee Rights Act of 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five is legislation that seeks to strengthen and 3 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: protect the rights of American workers while ensuring fairness and 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: accountability in the workplace. This bill represents the Republican vision 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: for the American workforce, promoting opportunity, protecting workers' rights and privacy, 6 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: and creating a strong foundation for innovation and growth. The 7 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: bill is introduced on Wednesday in the Senate by Senator 8 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: Tim Scott of South Carolina, with companion legislation introduced in 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 1: the House by Congressman Rick Allen of Georgia. Here to 10 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: discuss the Employee Rights Act, I am really pleased to 11 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: welcome my guest, Vincent Bernuccio, President of the Institute for 12 00:00:45,840 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: the American Worker. Benny, you've said the Employee Rights Act 13 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: is about empowering workers and improving unions. What's wrong with 14 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: the current system and what has changed that makes reforms 15 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: so necessary today? 16 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 2: Well, labor law across the country is incredibly outdated. You 17 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 2: were talking about laws that were written in the Industrial 18 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 2: Revolution that is essentially created for that nineteen thirties economy. 19 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 2: The last time labor law was amended was really in 20 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 2: the fifties and the sixties. So the Employee Rights Act 21 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: is the most comprehensive labor legislation that is pro worker. 22 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: Is there, like you said, mister speaker, and once again 23 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 2: thank you for having me on to empower both workers. 24 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: Allow them to work how they want, with who they want, 25 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: and choose how to support their family. And there's also 26 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: things that will help improve unions by making them more 27 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: accountable of those workers. 28 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: What actually is wrong with the current system. 29 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 2: Are multiple things. So right now unions can organize workers 30 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 2: without a secret ballot election. You have the Labor Board, 31 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 2: the National Labor Relations Board that administers union elections and 32 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: enforces labor law for most private sector workers, that can 33 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 2: actually allow an election by secret ballot and then pull 34 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: the rug out from underworkers and say, well, the employer 35 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: may have done something wrong, so we're just going to 36 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: toss that election out the window and recognize the union anyway, 37 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: even if the employees voted against it. From administration to administration, 38 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 2: you see different definitions of people that could work for 39 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 2: themselves versus an employee. Same thing with small businesses, SEB contractors, 40 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: franchise businesses that work with other businesses, from administration and administration. 41 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: You see this ping pong of who is considered an 42 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 2: employer and who employees actually wan for. Happy to get 43 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 2: into all of those details, some of the worst things 44 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: we saw under the Biden administration, going back to standards 45 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: that let union organizers and people representing unions actually do 46 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: just vile harassment of workers and allow them to be 47 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: protected by labor law. So that's just a smattering of 48 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 2: the issues that the Employee Rights Ack protects and addresses, 49 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: as well as protecting the privacy and the political ideals 50 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: of individual workers. And happy to get into all this, 51 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 2: I know, it's kind of a schmorgasboard of good ideas. 52 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: Really excited to chat with you about it. 53 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: It's fascinating because, as you know, union membership has declined 54 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: from twenty percent of workers in nineteen eighty three just 55 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: about nine point nine percent, about ten percent today. That's 56 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: a fifty percent reduction. Why do you think union membership 57 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: rates have declined and how does that affect the current workforce? 58 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 2: Well, labor law is severely outdated and the union business 59 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 2: model is mirroring that. You know, if we went back 60 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: to the nineteen thirties, unions would be in great shape 61 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 2: because they have that one size fits all bargaining. They're 62 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 2: basically created to have that adversarial relationship with employers. I 63 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 2: think they're essentially selling this product that most modern workers 64 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 2: do not want. I've done studies on this very issue 65 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 2: that show that if unions adapted, they gave up the 66 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 2: government granted crutches, they acted like professional service organizations that 67 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 2: were completely voluntary that if employees wanted to join and 68 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 2: get the representation they could, If employers wanted to use them, 69 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: essentially as an HR arm, they could, and unions could 70 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: choose to work with who they want. If they did that, 71 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,679 Speaker 2: if they embraced kind of a modern workforce professional service 72 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: association model, they could thrive. But unfortunately, with things like 73 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, with things that 74 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 2: unfortunate people like Senator Hawley are advancing in the Senate, 75 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 2: like the Faster Labor Contracts Act and some of the 76 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 2: other things with his framework that I know will probably 77 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 2: chat about, they're unfortunately doubling down on the outdated, failed 78 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 2: models of the past, and it's preventing them from growing 79 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: and expanding and contributing to that decline. 80 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 1: If you think back to the great era of union 81 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: representation and how many people belong to unions, And about 82 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: a fifth of the country was in the union at 83 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: the peak of the nineteen fifties. So the question I've 84 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: got is what happened? And yet it happened in the 85 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: private sector, not the public sector. And as I understand it, 86 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: union membership on public sector workers is about thirty two percent, 87 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: basically a third. Well, among private sector workers it's dropped 88 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: to about six percent, so you're about five times as 89 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: likely to have a union membership in a public sector job. 90 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,359 Speaker 1: What happened and why is are that huge difference? 91 00:05:57,880 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 2: You're right, it's about a third of the public sector 92 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: is around six percent five point nine in the private sector. Historically, 93 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 2: that is where unions really focus their energy on organizing. Also, 94 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 2: you see businesses that have to compete, they have to 95 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 2: compete overseas, they have to compete with other states, and 96 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 2: they cannot simply say, well, we're just gonna raise the 97 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 2: price of our products to pay for union agreements. That 98 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: is a lot different in the public sector. It's not 99 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 2: like the government of Chicago can just say, hey, we're 100 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: going to go down to Tennessee because it's a right 101 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 2: to work stake, So essentially they had taxpayers footing the bill. 102 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 2: There wasn't that competition. They had that monopoly, and that's 103 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 2: why you really saw some of these exorbitant union contracts 104 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 2: in the public sector, and you saw an increase. Now 105 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 2: that is not the case today it is about thirty 106 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: two percent, but that is down from the high and 107 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: as you see things like the Janis versus Appsme case 108 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 2: from several years ago that essentially brought right to work 109 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 2: to the entire public sector. And mister speakers, you know, 110 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: right to work simply means the union can't get a 111 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,799 Speaker 2: worker fired for not paying them. You saw workers start 112 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,559 Speaker 2: leaving those unions in droves well, whether because they didn't 113 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: think the union was doing a good job or because 114 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 2: you see a lot of public sector unions, especially like 115 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: the teachers' unions, just doubling down on far left politics 116 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 2: that some other membership just simply doesn't agree with. 117 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: You have said, and it was an article that you 118 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: and Representive Rick Allen wrote called how to Empower Workers 119 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: and Improve Unions, And in that you wrote, Congress also 120 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: needs to modernize federal law to empower workers and improve 121 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: labor unions to deliver a twenty first century economy that 122 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: benefits the working class. Why do you think the Employee 123 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: Rights Act is the best step forward to accomplish this? 124 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 2: Absolutely because it has many of those provisions that we 125 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: were just talking about. It protects worker's right to a 126 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 2: secret ballot. So there's a process called card check where 127 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 2: unions can go. It's an open petition process. It can 128 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: lead to intimidation, it can lead to coercion. At best, 129 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 2: there's just deception there because workers don't hear both sides 130 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: of what unionization would mean. So the first thing we 131 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: would do is protect the secret ballot for workers, let 132 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 2: them make an informed, private choice on if they want 133 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 2: a union to come in and represent them. It also 134 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 2: allows workers to fully opt out of union representation right now, 135 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 2: even in right to work states where unions can't force 136 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: workers to pay fees to them, even if they're not 137 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 2: a member, they're still stuck under the union contract whether 138 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: they want to be or not. Worker's choice would allow 139 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: workers to fully opt out not just of paying the union, 140 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 2: but of union representation and act like the almost ninety 141 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 2: percent of the rest of the economy that is not 142 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: represented by a union. It protects workers privacy right now, unfortunately, 143 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 2: if a union petitions an employer, the employer has to 144 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 2: give all sorts of personal information to the union. Workers' 145 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: home addresses, personal cell phones, personal email. What the Employee 146 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 2: Rights AFT would do is it would allow those workers 147 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 2: to say, you know, I just want them to have 148 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 2: my email. I don't want them to have my home address, 149 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: and it would prevent the employer from having to give 150 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 2: all of that personal information. Now, if an employee wanted 151 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: the union to have that information and be contacted, they're 152 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: more than welcome to. But it's not like the current 153 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 2: situation where even if the employee doesn't want it, the 154 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 2: union is forced to get it. Going to your question 155 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 2: on the modernization, it allows legal clarity for independent workers. 156 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: So right now, from administration administration to who's an employee 157 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 2: is amorphous. Biden administration wasn't exactly what California did, but 158 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 2: essentially they wanted to do what California did, making most 159 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 2: people entrepreneurs working for themselves. Defin migned as an employee. 160 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 2: The Employee Rights Act would take Representative Kevin Kylie's Modern 161 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: Worker Empowerment Act and make it much easier for people 162 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: to work for themselves. It would protect small business owner's 163 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 2: ability to own a franchise or be a subcontractor without 164 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 2: saying that their employees are jointly employed with others. It 165 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: would make sure that only workers legally authorized to work 166 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 2: in the United States are voting for union contracts and 167 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 2: for unions to come in. And it would also make 168 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 2: sure that unions which have this duty of fair representation 169 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 2: to all employees are fairly representing all employees and not 170 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 2: including DEI in collective bargaining agreements. We talked about the 171 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: protection from harassing language, which unfortunately, because of the Biden NLRB, 172 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 2: was allowed. It would also close a loophole that allows 173 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 2: unions to be exempt from RICO statutes. It would also 174 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 2: allow workers to have an opt in as opposed to 175 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: opt out and supporting union politics, and a few other 176 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: provisions as well. So I know that's a lot, but 177 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 2: once again, that is why the Employee Rights Act is 178 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 2: the most comprehensive bill labor, free market, pro worker labor 179 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 2: legislation of the Congress, and I applaud Representative Allen and 180 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: now Senator Tim Scott, who just introduced the bill the 181 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 2: companion of legislation on the Senate side this Wednesday. 182 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: He notes the Cord of Open Secrets that from twenty 183 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 1: twenty three to twenty twenty four, public sector union packs 184 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: donated twelve point five million to Democrats and one point 185 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: six million to Republicans. Although my guess is that the 186 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: actual vote, which we're much more narrow than that, So 187 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: you have a lot of money going from Republicans to 188 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: subsidized Democrats. How does your act affect the compulsory use 189 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: of my money to support candidates I'm opposed to? 190 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 2: Sure, So let's back up. So the Employee Rights Act 191 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 2: changes federal labor law, and federal labor law really only 192 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 2: affects workers in the private sector, So we're talking about 193 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 2: most private sector workers that aren't working for railroads and airlines. 194 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 2: That's the vast majority of the private sector, but that's 195 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: who the Employee Rights Act protects. Public sector employees are 196 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 2: governed by state labor law, and each state has different 197 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: labor law. But obviously the public sector labor law most 198 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 2: states base it off of the federal law, so we 199 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 2: may see copycat legislation at a state level for things 200 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 2: that do affect public employees. But going back to your question, 201 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 2: and let's just bring it back to the private sector. 202 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 2: What the Employee Rights Act does is it has a 203 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 2: annual opt in So for anything that is not collective bargaining, 204 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 2: and this is for right to work states non right 205 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,839 Speaker 2: to work states, unions have to say, well, we want 206 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 2: to spend your money on ex politics, and you have 207 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 2: to opt into that. And workers get that opportunity on 208 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 2: a yearly basis to make the decision whether or not 209 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 2: they want to support their union's politics and if they 210 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 2: want that money, if they're given to the union, are 211 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 2: taken out of their paycheck. So that's one of the 212 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 2: great provisions that really puts workers in the driver's seat 213 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 2: when it comes to union politics in the Employee Rights Act. 214 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: Well of these are surprised me, I think is that 215 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: your bill would provide for a secret ballot in union elections. 216 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: I mean, you sort of think that's kind of a 217 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: basic American right to have a secret ballot. To what 218 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: extent of the union leadership use having an open ballot 219 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: to control the choices of their members. 220 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 2: So we've studies on this and Senator Scott and Representative 221 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 2: Allen's bill. Unfortunately, there are example after example of intimidation 222 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 2: and coercion. I've testified before Congress on this, as the 223 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 2: NLRB said, and over zealous union organizer coming to somebody's 224 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 2: house and saying, you know, I'll slash your tires or 225 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 2: you know, the union knows come to your house if 226 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: you don't sign this card. The cards themselves are problematic. 227 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 2: You could have a big font come to this pizza party, 228 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: sign up here, ors, enter this raffle or what have you, 229 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 2: and then a little six point font on the bottom, 230 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 2: I hereby authorize the union to represent me. So unions 231 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: can actually go to employers and if they get fifty 232 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 2: percent plus one of those cards, say you must recognize us. 233 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 2: And they can also bring all these sorts of intimidation 234 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 2: tactics and anti PR campaigns to pressure employers to give 235 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 2: in and recognize the union. So the Employee Rights Act 236 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 2: would simply say we're gonna do away with the card 237 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 2: check process. And the way that unions would come in 238 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 2: and organize is, you know, they would still get the cards, 239 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 2: they would petition the NRB, but then workers would be 240 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: guaranteed that secret ballot election and would have the time 241 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 2: first to make that decision. So it's not just signing 242 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 2: a card when somebody presents it in front of you, 243 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 2: and you don't have time to reflect on what you're doing. 244 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 2: But also, just like we vote for president, just like 245 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 2: we vote for governor, for congress, for state legislature, have 246 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: the ability to vote in a private voting booth without 247 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 2: anybody looking over your shoulders. So it is a great 248 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 2: step forward in protecting employees' right to choose who represents them. 249 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: If unions can come in and basically insist on a 250 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: public vote, why have they not organized more of the country. 251 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: I mean, it seems to me it's very heavily rigged 252 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: in their favor. 253 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 2: You could say it's not exactly a public vote, it's 254 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 2: simply a card signed, so there's never actually a vote. 255 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: And that comes back to that deception of oh, I 256 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 2: just want to sign up for more information or for 257 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 2: this pizza party, and they don't lo and behold. The 258 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 2: union says, well, we're going to use this card to 259 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 2: organize you. So you know, we've seen card check campaigns 260 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 2: where workers just they don't get enough cards signed. You know, 261 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 2: you have good employers that want to say we want 262 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 2: to protect our employees right to a secret ballot, and 263 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 2: this is something that the protecting the right to organize 264 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 2: Act several years ago, the Employee Free Choice Act, and 265 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: the NLRB is trying to do away with now they're 266 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 2: doing away with it in the pro act. And what 267 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 2: the Biden NLRB did not in the most obvious way. 268 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 2: They still say, hey, you can have an election, And 269 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 2: what I would say is are doing is actually worse 270 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 2: because then once again they can take the rugout from 271 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 2: under those workers and say, even if you have an election, 272 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 2: the employer did something wrong. So what we're going to 273 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 2: do is we're going to toss out that election and 274 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 2: we're going to recognize the union via cards. So it 275 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 2: really is insidious. But the Employee Rights Act, that's one 276 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 2: of the first key provisions is stopping that and making 277 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 2: sure that employees right to it, that private vote is protected. 278 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: When you look at your bill, employee right sacked. There 279 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 1: was a survey done and something like an overwhelming majority 280 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: I think sixty seven percent supported the right to a 281 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: supervised secret ballot on deciding whether to join the union. Interestingly, 282 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: seventy two percent even more among union households. And when 283 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 1: you ask whether employee's been right to work, states who 284 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: opt out of union representation should be free to negotiate contracts, wages, 285 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: and working conditions directly with their employee. Sixty eight percent supported, 286 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 1: including sixty eight percent in the union householding. Seems to 287 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: say that your bill has pretty solid national support. 288 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 2: It really does. And the individual provisions in the bill, 289 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 2: whether it's the employee rights ACKed individual provisions or the 290 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 2: standalone legislation that was used to create this great omnibus legislation, 291 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 2: it has vast support. And you just talked about the 292 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 2: Worker's Choice polling where about sixty eight percent of total 293 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 2: households and union households support it. This is actually something 294 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 2: that the union rank and file have been consistently told 295 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 2: is an issue with right to work and why they 296 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 2: can't have right to work. So essentially, unions claim what 297 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 2: they call the free rider issue. I like to call 298 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 2: it the force writer issue, but essentially, oh, with right 299 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 2: to work, we can't force workers to pay us, but 300 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 2: they still get the same benefits of the contract. What 301 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: worker's choice does. It says, oh, you don't want to 302 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 2: represent workers that are not paying you. Unions in right 303 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: to work states where they're not forced to pay, then 304 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 2: you don't have to and workers can represent themselves. So 305 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 2: for all the times that they go and they rail 306 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 2: against these right to work laws. This is giving unions 307 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 2: actually exactly what they're asking for now. At the end 308 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 2: of the day, they would much rather have the monopoly, 309 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 2: and they would rather force workers to pay than give 310 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 2: up that monopoly. But it's essentially addressing that main issue. 311 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 2: And then same thing with the secret ballot. You're seeing 312 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 2: seventy two percent support a union households and the rights 313 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 2: of privacy and having their private information shared. You see 314 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 2: eighty percent of union households agree. That's even greater than 315 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 2: the seventy six percent of households. And when you talk 316 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 2: about those independent contractor provisions, those joint employer provisions and others, 317 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 2: all of those are in the high seventies, some in 318 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 2: the high sixties or even pushing over eighty percent. All 319 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 2: the provisions of the Employee Rights Act pull extraordinarily well, 320 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 2: not just with households but also with union households. 321 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: How much do you think in that sense that the 322 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: union household of today is significantly different, say, from a 323 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:00,640 Speaker 1: union household in nineteen fifty five. 324 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,360 Speaker 2: We are seeing differences. Obviously, as you said, there are 325 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 2: fewer union households because there are fewer union members. And 326 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 2: once again, I think a big reason for that is 327 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:16,360 Speaker 2: because unions have that thirties, forties, fifties business model that 328 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 2: does not translate into the flexibility that modern workers want. 329 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:26,400 Speaker 2: You are seeing, you know, similar industries, except for, as 330 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: you pointed out, the growth of the public sector, and 331 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 2: there really wasn't public sector bargaining in the forties. It 332 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 2: really wasn't until you know, the fifties sixties that first 333 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 2: there were federal executive orders and Wisconsin allowing public employees 334 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 2: to bargain, and then it really expanded out. So if 335 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 2: you're talking about the atypical union household, you know, used 336 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 2: to think an auto worker or a truck driver. Now 337 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 2: really it's a government bureaucrat. 338 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: Does this bill apply to the federal employee unions or 339 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: should there be a parallel bill to apply to the 340 00:20:58,040 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: federal employee unions? 341 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 2: Definitely should, it does not. Once again, this is for 342 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 2: workers in the private sector. If you want to get 343 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,479 Speaker 2: really deep in the weeds, it's under the National Labor 344 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:11,919 Speaker 2: Relations Act. Employees the NLRA that is basically everybody but 345 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 2: railroad and airline workers. There's other provisions that touch on 346 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 2: like the Fair Labor Standards Act, and some other legislation, 347 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 2: but for the most part we are talking about workers 348 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 2: in the private sector that are not railroad or airline employees. 349 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: I'm trying to remember, is the NLRA in nineteen thirties 350 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: will originally it is. 351 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 2: It was amended in nineteen forty seven by taped partly 352 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 2: that allowed states to opt into write to work and 353 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 2: several other provisions, and then a couple decades later it 354 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,440 Speaker 2: was the Labor Management Relation and Disclosure Act the LAMORDA 355 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 2: that brought more transparency to unions. 356 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: But in many ways we're so operating under a system 357 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 1: whose structure reflections the industrial behavior of the late nineteen thirties. 358 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 2: You are absolutely correct, not just the law, but also 359 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: what the law enables and the union business model. And 360 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 2: once again going back to the issues with why private 361 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,440 Speaker 2: sector unions and Franklin unions in general are declining, it's 362 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 2: because their business model is corresponding with that law and 363 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 2: is based in the Industrial Revolution the nineteen thirties, workers 364 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 2: working in factories, less skilled, more interchangeable than the modern 365 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 2: dynamic workforce of today that wants the flexibility, that wants 366 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 2: to be rewarded for how hard they work, and wants 367 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 2: to be treated as individuals instead of these one size 368 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 2: fits all bargaining arrangements. 369 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:44,360 Speaker 1: When you take the individual components of the bill, support 370 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: goes as high as eighty one percent in union households. 371 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: For some of the provisions. What's the opposition, Why is 372 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:52,360 Speaker 1: it going to be hard to move this bill? What's 373 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: the opposition? Oh? 374 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 2: Well, you see most Democrats just say, well, hey, you know, 375 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 2: we'd rather see the Proact that is essentially the opposite 376 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 2: of most of the provisions of this bill. They have 377 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 2: those attacks on the secret ballot where it's not exactly 378 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 2: card check, but essentially they can toss out secret ballot elections. 379 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:16,959 Speaker 2: It's the making employees across the country, similar to what 380 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 2: we saw in California with the attacks on independent contracting. 381 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 2: They have a different definition of who is an employer 382 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 2: and attacks on subcontractors, small business franchise owners saying that 383 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: their employees are actually the employees of a distant corporation. 384 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 2: There are other provisions within the Proact essentially the opposite 385 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 2: of what we're seeing here in the Employee Rights Act 386 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 2: and what you see with Democrats and unfortunately with one 387 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 2: or two Republican senators like Josh Hawley that's what they 388 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 2: are embracing. 389 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,440 Speaker 1: Why do you think people like Hally, who otherwise will 390 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: be a pretty normal Republican but on a couple of diseases, 391 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: is he sort of ends up on the other team. 392 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: Why do you think that is? 393 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 2: Just on Wednesday there was a hearing where he invited 394 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 2: Teaches President Sean O'Brien to speak and then back and forth. 395 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 2: He has his Faster Labor Contracts Act that would allow 396 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 2: government bureaucrats to appoint an arbitration panel that would literally 397 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 2: write the first contract between a union and an employer 398 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 2: if they didn't come to an agreement in a vastly 399 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 2: truncated time period. And this would cut out worker voice 400 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 2: that would not have the ability to vote on these contracts, 401 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 2: and it could essentially write for the foreseeable future, because 402 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 2: subsequent contracts would be based off this first contract over 403 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 2: every aspect of the worker's job site and how they 404 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 2: would work. So it is incredibly troubling, and unfortunately, I 405 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 2: think Center Hawley is guided on that. 406 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,719 Speaker 1: Somebody told me on tom that there's some amazing percent 407 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 1: of workers who work under contracts the date back so 408 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: far that they never had a chance to vote yes 409 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: or no. It was just part of the job environment 410 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: that they sign up for. Is that a significant problem? 411 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 2: So we actually had another study on this. Once again, 412 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 2: all of this is on our website. I the number 413 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 2: four AW dot org, IFAW dot org, and yeah, we 414 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 2: crunched those numbers of union elections and it turns out that, 415 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,719 Speaker 2: once again we're talking to the private sector here, almost 416 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 2: ninety five percent of unionized employees never had the chance 417 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 2: to vote on their union, whether the union was voted 418 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 2: generations ago and they were simply handed a union card 419 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 2: when they took the job, or whether the union's organized 420 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 2: via car check. But putting those two issues together, almost 421 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 2: ninety five percent of workers in the private sector that 422 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 2: or unionized never had the ability to vote on the 423 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,160 Speaker 2: union at the workplace. And it's also very similar provisions 424 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 2: in the public sector as well. In fact, when I 425 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 2: was doing work with the Mackinaws Center in Michigan, we 426 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:16,880 Speaker 2: crunched these numbers and we found minuscule amounts in some cases, 427 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 2: zero percentage of employees had the ability to vote. And 428 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,680 Speaker 2: let's say it's a teachers' union in the top ten 429 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 2: school districts in Michigan. I didn't want to just say zero. 430 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 2: So then I said, statistically speaking, this was several years ago. 431 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 2: How many teachers were even alive when the union organized, 432 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 2: and was less than a third or even alive when 433 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 2: the union organized. So you're not even talking about your parents' union, 434 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:47,679 Speaker 2: You're talking about your grandparents union. So workers should have 435 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 2: this ability on a periodic basis to vote for the 436 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 2: union at the workplace or at a very minimum. Representative 437 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 2: Bob Ander has another bill that's not including the employee 438 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 2: Right sech but that were at least a quorum of 439 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 2: workers to vote for a union in a secret ballot 440 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 2: election before they can be organized. 441 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:11,199 Speaker 1: Amazing though, if the Employee Right Back passes, how do 442 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 1: you think it'll change the relationship between workers, employers, and 443 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: unions over the next decade. 444 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 2: I think it would improve it once again. It would 445 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: have unions representing workers that voted for them, that weren't 446 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 2: either pressured in via car check or allowed to be 447 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 2: organized after a no vote and the unions came in. 448 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 2: It would make unions more responsive to the workers' political 449 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 2: leanings as opposed to just taking them for granted and 450 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 2: really not giving workers a say in how an union 451 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 2: spend money on politics. It would make unions represent all 452 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 2: workers as opposed to including DEI provisions in collective bargaining agreements. 453 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 2: It would increase the quorum in work sites by making 454 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 2: sure unions aren't able to exploit a loophole that allows 455 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 2: them to have just really vile harassment racial sexual harassment 456 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 2: of their colleagues, but as long as it's in further 457 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 2: inance of a union objective, The National Labor Relations Board 458 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 2: says it's okay. It would also make sure unions aren't 459 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:22,159 Speaker 2: exploring the other loophole to the Rico Statute and allowing 460 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 2: union violence in the furtherance of those union objectives. So 461 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 2: it would increase the quorum, it would increase worker voice, 462 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 2: it would increase worker safety as well as making sure 463 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 2: that unions are representing all workers equally. 464 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 1: Those will be enormous changes. But I'm curious, because I 465 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: know how busy you are and how wide ranging you are. 466 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: What other things are you beginning to work on in 467 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,000 Speaker 1: terms of reforms that you think are needed. 468 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 2: Oh, it just talked about Representative Anders Bill, that is 469 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 2: the Worker Enfranchisement Act that would require a quorum of 470 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 2: workers to vote before a union could organize. Representative Owens 471 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 2: has the Salt Act. One way is that union organize 472 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 2: is by having union organizers literally lie to employers saying 473 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 2: they want to work for them, but they're really just 474 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 2: taking a job to organize the workers. In some cases 475 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 2: not even tell their coworkers that they're a union organizer. 476 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 2: As we've seen some Starbucks workers say they feel like 477 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 2: they were duped into the union because they didn't realize 478 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 2: this was actually a union organizer. Making sure they're disclosed. 479 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 2: So if a company hires someone to talk to employees 480 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 2: for against unionization, that has to be disclosed to the 481 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 2: Department of Labor. So should a union hiring someone to 482 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 2: get a job and talk to employees. It's simply parody 483 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 2: and that's Representative Owen's sl TEC. The Trump administration on 484 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 2: the regulatory Agenda says that they will be addressing the 485 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,960 Speaker 2: independent contractor isshoe. You know, we hope we see something 486 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: very similar to the first Trumpet administration's definition of who 487 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 2: is an employee in allowing workers that to work for 488 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 2: themselves if they satisfy what was deemed the entrepreneur real 489 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 2: opportunity test, similar to the provisions of the Employee Rights Act. 490 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 2: We're seeing there's join employer regulations on the long term 491 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 2: agenda that hopefully will come down either from the Department 492 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: of Labor or when the National Labor Relations Board has 493 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 2: a quorum when the Senate votes to confirm President Trump's nominees. 494 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 2: So those are just a few examples of what we're 495 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 2: looking at for the private sector, and then that's not 496 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 2: even getting into some of the federal employee issues that 497 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 2: we're looking at, both in Congress and through the administration. 498 00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: I have to say that the Institute for the American 499 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: Worker is doing very important work and that we're very 500 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: grateful for your leadership and your willingness to do all this. 501 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: So I want you to know that we're going to 502 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: continue to pay attention and hopefully you'll come back and 503 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: brief us as things developed. I really appreciate you taking 504 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: the time to be with us and the fact that 505 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: we have a chance to stay in truction. Our listeners 506 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: can find out more about what you do at the 507 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: Institute for the American Worker by visiting your website at 508 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,479 Speaker 1: i AW dot org, which we'll also have on our 509 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: show page. So thank you, Benny very much for being 510 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: with us. 511 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 2: Speaker, Thank you as always for having me on. Look 512 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 2: forward to Bean again. 513 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest Vincent for Nuccio. You can 514 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,560 Speaker 1: learn more about the Institute for the American Worker on 515 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: our show page at newsworld dot com. Newsworld is produced 516 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: by Ginglishtree sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is Guarnsey Sloan. 517 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for the show 518 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: What's created by Steve Penley. Special thanks to the team 519 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 1: at Ginglishtree sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope 520 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: you'll go to Apple Podcast and both rate us with 521 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 1: five stars and give us a review so all this 522 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: can learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners of 523 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: newts World can sign up for my three free weekly 524 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: columns at Gingrishtree sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm new Gingrich. 525 00:31:54,560 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 1: This is Newtsworld.