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Kaptur supports “A Better Deal” agenda to ensure workers’ rights are protected and strengthened

November 1, 2017

Agenda would give unions and workers more power to negotiate better pay and punish predatory corporations

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Dean of the Ohio Delegation, today announced her strong support for the House and Senate Democrats "A Better Deal" Agenda for workers. Today, U.S. House and Senate Democrats stood with labor leaders and unveiled one of the critical tenets of their economic agenda, "A Better Deal." Specifically, Democrats proposed a plan to safeguard workers' freedom to negotiate with employers, penalize companies that violate workers' rights, protect unions and workers' abilities to strike, and more.

"On the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump promised workers across Ohio and our Industrial Heartland that he would fight for them, well Mr. President, here is your chance," said Kaptur. "This agenda takes a strong step to help workers get a leg up in an economy that is too often rigged in favor of major corporations and greedy Wall Street investors."

"My mother was a union organizer and if it weren't for the stability and benefits her union provided, I am not sure I would be here today. In Ohio, campaigns have pushed so-called ‘Right-to-work' laws, so I know first-hand the special interest forces that try to undermine our workers," Kaptur continued. "Protecting workers is priority number one."

Senate and House Democrats today stood alongside Richard Trumka, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSME), Lily Eskelsen Garcia, President of the National Education Association (NEA), and Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) to propose the plan.

The plan would give American workers a better deal on collective bargaining and negotiating with their employers. Specifically, the Better Deal for American workers proposal would:

  • Strengthen 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 mandatory mediation and arbitration process to ensure corporations and newly formed unions reach a first contract.
  • Ban state laws that undermine worker freedoms to join together and negotiate.
  • Provide millions of public employees with the freedom to join a union and collectively bargain with their employers.
  • Streamline the National Labor Relation Board's (NLRB) procedures to secure worker freedoms and effectively prevent violations.
  • Protect the integrity of union elections against coercive captive audience meetings.
  • Use federal purchasing power and policy to help expand opportunities to negotiate.

Read these full Better Deal for American workers plan here.