senate Concurrent Resolution No.8
Senator Nesbitt offered the following concurrent resolution:
Whereas, H.R. 842 of 2021 and S. 420 of 2021, both known as the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, have recently been introduced in the Congress of the United States. These bills would amend the National Labor Relations Act to expand the influence of unions, limit the autonomy of workers, and infringe on the rights of employers; and
Whereas, The PRO Act would limit worker autonomy by eliminating state right-to-work protections. Right-to-work laws are an important way to hold unions accountable and protect workers who do not wish to join. The PRO Act would eliminate these protections in 27 states, including Michigan, and force workers to pay union dues against their wishes; and
Whereas, The PRO Act would corrupt the union elections process. The act would eliminate secret ballot elections and expose employees to threats, intimidation, and coercion by union officials. Further, the act would deny employers a role in the process, preventing workers from accessing full information about the benefits and costs of unionization; and
Whereas, The PRO Act would upset the balance between workers and employers by prohibiting employers from replacing striking workers and leaving employers little choice but to accept union demands. This could lead to an increase in strikes and unrealistic union demands that increase prices and threaten the long-term viability of businesses; and
Whereas, The PRO Act would hurt franchisors and small businesses by broadening the federal government’s “joint employer” standard. By holding joint employers equally liable for employment violations, the act will increase the risks for large businesses who franchise or contract with smaller companies. The American Action Forum estimates that this could lead to as much as $33 billion in lost output from the franchise business sector; and
Whereas, The PRO Act would forcibly reclassify many independent contractors as employees, taking away their flexibility and autonomy. This would also hurt businesses of all sizes across industries that rely on independent contractors, injecting uncertainty into their business plans and burdening them with significant costs; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we oppose policies that restrict the autonomy of workers and employers and memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to support and defend the rights and freedoms of workers and employers; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.