Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Monday that as president he would prohibit states from passing so-called "right to work" laws, which labor rights groups say undermine unions. (Photo: Michael Vadon/Flickr/cc)
Apr 08, 2019
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday told a gathering of union machinists that as president he would keep states from undermining their rights by pushing for a federal ban on so-called "right-to-work" laws.
Calling the rules "disastrous," Sanders told the International Association of Machinists that he would call on lawmakers to pass the Workplace Democracy Act, a proposal which he has regularly introduced in Congress since 1992 and which he plans to bring to the Senate floor once again in the coming days.
Under "the most significant labor legislation introduced in very, very long time...we will end once and for all the disastrous right-to-work laws in 28 states," Sanders said to loud applause.
The senator and 2020 presidential candidate also said the law would keep companies from "ruthlessly exploiting their employees by misclassifying them as independent contractors and [denying] them overtime by calling them supervisors"--both common practices by corporations.
\u201c.@BernieSanders explains the Workplace Democracy Act, which he has been introducing since *1992* at @MachinistsUnion #IAMtranspo19\n\nOther candidates, take notice. Don't demand union members' votes without a strong labor law reform agenda.\u201d— People for Bernie (@People for Bernie) 1554744654
Under right-to-work laws, unions are barred from requiring that all workers contribute dues if they benefit from the union's contract. The laws have been aggressively pushed by Republican governors and lawmakers in recent years, with proponents claiming they protect workers from being forced to join a union.
"The reality is that federal law already makes it illegal to force someone to join a union," the AFL-CIO says. "The real purpose of right to work laws is to tilt the balance toward big corporations and further rig the system at the expense of working families. These laws make it harder for working people to form unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions."
At the machinists' association meeting in Las Vegas, Sanders also slammed recent actions by American Airlines as examples of corporate greed and how it's resulted in an increasingly weakened labor rights movement.
"Right now, American Airlines wants to slash the pay of its workers, outsource jobs, take away healthcare benefits, and abolish its defined benefit pension plan," Sanders said. "If you have enough money to buy back $15 billion of your own stocks, you damn well have enough money to pay your union workers a decent wage with good benefits. Go back to the negotiating table. Bargain in good faith. Treat your workers with the dignity and the respect they deserve."
The pro-Sanders grassroots group Bay Area for Bernie praised the senator for his strong support of union rights.
"We are in a blatant class war in the U.S. and we cannot win unless we as workers unite and unionize," the group tweeted. "Bernie knows this. And he will fight to make it happen."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday told a gathering of union machinists that as president he would keep states from undermining their rights by pushing for a federal ban on so-called "right-to-work" laws.
Calling the rules "disastrous," Sanders told the International Association of Machinists that he would call on lawmakers to pass the Workplace Democracy Act, a proposal which he has regularly introduced in Congress since 1992 and which he plans to bring to the Senate floor once again in the coming days.
Under "the most significant labor legislation introduced in very, very long time...we will end once and for all the disastrous right-to-work laws in 28 states," Sanders said to loud applause.
The senator and 2020 presidential candidate also said the law would keep companies from "ruthlessly exploiting their employees by misclassifying them as independent contractors and [denying] them overtime by calling them supervisors"--both common practices by corporations.
\u201c.@BernieSanders explains the Workplace Democracy Act, which he has been introducing since *1992* at @MachinistsUnion #IAMtranspo19\n\nOther candidates, take notice. Don't demand union members' votes without a strong labor law reform agenda.\u201d— People for Bernie (@People for Bernie) 1554744654
Under right-to-work laws, unions are barred from requiring that all workers contribute dues if they benefit from the union's contract. The laws have been aggressively pushed by Republican governors and lawmakers in recent years, with proponents claiming they protect workers from being forced to join a union.
"The reality is that federal law already makes it illegal to force someone to join a union," the AFL-CIO says. "The real purpose of right to work laws is to tilt the balance toward big corporations and further rig the system at the expense of working families. These laws make it harder for working people to form unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions."
At the machinists' association meeting in Las Vegas, Sanders also slammed recent actions by American Airlines as examples of corporate greed and how it's resulted in an increasingly weakened labor rights movement.
"Right now, American Airlines wants to slash the pay of its workers, outsource jobs, take away healthcare benefits, and abolish its defined benefit pension plan," Sanders said. "If you have enough money to buy back $15 billion of your own stocks, you damn well have enough money to pay your union workers a decent wage with good benefits. Go back to the negotiating table. Bargain in good faith. Treat your workers with the dignity and the respect they deserve."
The pro-Sanders grassroots group Bay Area for Bernie praised the senator for his strong support of union rights.
"We are in a blatant class war in the U.S. and we cannot win unless we as workers unite and unionize," the group tweeted. "Bernie knows this. And he will fight to make it happen."
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday told a gathering of union machinists that as president he would keep states from undermining their rights by pushing for a federal ban on so-called "right-to-work" laws.
Calling the rules "disastrous," Sanders told the International Association of Machinists that he would call on lawmakers to pass the Workplace Democracy Act, a proposal which he has regularly introduced in Congress since 1992 and which he plans to bring to the Senate floor once again in the coming days.
Under "the most significant labor legislation introduced in very, very long time...we will end once and for all the disastrous right-to-work laws in 28 states," Sanders said to loud applause.
The senator and 2020 presidential candidate also said the law would keep companies from "ruthlessly exploiting their employees by misclassifying them as independent contractors and [denying] them overtime by calling them supervisors"--both common practices by corporations.
\u201c.@BernieSanders explains the Workplace Democracy Act, which he has been introducing since *1992* at @MachinistsUnion #IAMtranspo19\n\nOther candidates, take notice. Don't demand union members' votes without a strong labor law reform agenda.\u201d— People for Bernie (@People for Bernie) 1554744654
Under right-to-work laws, unions are barred from requiring that all workers contribute dues if they benefit from the union's contract. The laws have been aggressively pushed by Republican governors and lawmakers in recent years, with proponents claiming they protect workers from being forced to join a union.
"The reality is that federal law already makes it illegal to force someone to join a union," the AFL-CIO says. "The real purpose of right to work laws is to tilt the balance toward big corporations and further rig the system at the expense of working families. These laws make it harder for working people to form unions and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions."
At the machinists' association meeting in Las Vegas, Sanders also slammed recent actions by American Airlines as examples of corporate greed and how it's resulted in an increasingly weakened labor rights movement.
"Right now, American Airlines wants to slash the pay of its workers, outsource jobs, take away healthcare benefits, and abolish its defined benefit pension plan," Sanders said. "If you have enough money to buy back $15 billion of your own stocks, you damn well have enough money to pay your union workers a decent wage with good benefits. Go back to the negotiating table. Bargain in good faith. Treat your workers with the dignity and the respect they deserve."
The pro-Sanders grassroots group Bay Area for Bernie praised the senator for his strong support of union rights.
"We are in a blatant class war in the U.S. and we cannot win unless we as workers unite and unionize," the group tweeted. "Bernie knows this. And he will fight to make it happen."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.