March 1, 2023 - Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a bipartisan group of U.S. Senate and House Members in introducing the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2023, comprehensive proposal to protect workers’ right to come together and bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces.

“I’m the proud daughter, cousin, and niece of union members and I’ll always stand up for organized labor,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Unions are critical to helping Nevadans access good wages and strong benefits, and it’s critical that Congress does all we can to protect the right to organize.”

Specifically, the PRO Act would:

• Establish penalties on predatory corporations that violate workers’ rights, and combat misclassification of workers as supervisors and independent contractors.
• Strengthen workers’ right to strike for basic workplace improvements, including higher wages and better working conditions.
• Create a mediation and arbitration process to ensure corporations and newly formed unions reach a first contract.
• Authorize unions and employers to negotiate agreements that allow unions to collect fair-share fees that cover the costs of representation.
• Streamline the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) procedures to secure worker freedoms and effectively prevent violations.
• Protect the integrity of union elections against coercive captive audience meetings.

The proud daughter of a Teamster, Senator Cortez Masto grew up in organized labor and has always fought for Nevada’s working families. She’s introduced the bipartisan WORKER Act to promote education and training for workers in in-demand industries, and has cosponsored the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which would guarantee the right of public employees to organize, act concertedly and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. During the pandemic, she made sure 100% of COBRA benefits were covered for furloughed and unemployed Nevadans, which was critical for union members in the Las Vegas hospitality industry.
Source: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto