Dive Brief:
The House of Representatives approved the Protecting the Right to Organize Act late Tuesday night, on a 225-206 vote that saw five Republicans joining Democrats in favor. The PRO Act would amend aspects of the National Labor Relations Act and grant workers more benefits and rights, while changing how unions and employers collectively bargain.
Employer groups, including Associated Builders and Contractors and the Associated General Contractors of America, have long opposed the measure and ones similar to it. “The broader impact of the PRO Act, should it be enacted, is a new era of labor unrest that will stifle future economic activity and job growth, AGC CEO Stephen Sandherr said in a statement shared with Construction Dive.
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On Thursday, Democratic lawmakers reintroduced the PRO Act, the sweeping labor rights bill that was passed by the House of Representatives last year. Construction groups representing workers, unions and employers alike say they are watching intently to see how the bill, or parts of it, would affect the industry if it becomes law.
By redefining “employees” and “employers” in revisions to the National Labor Relations Act, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act grants benefits to workers previously classified as independent contractors. Additionally, the way in which unions and employers collectively bargain and agree could be altered in states where unions have little to no say in the employee-employer relationship.