HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement regarding the passage of the “PRO Act” by the U.S. House of Representatives:
“The ‘PRO Act’ that unfortunately passed the U.S. House is a radical piece of legislation that would upend decades of established labor law, significantly stacking the deck in favor of unions. This bill also clearly exposes the schism between unions and workers. Make no mistake, this legislation is anti-worker. It weakens workers’ rights by undermining the right to a private ballot during union elections; forces employers to turn over to unions their workers’ personal contact information – including cell phone numbers and home addresses – even if an employee objects; and prevents workers from decertifying a union they grow to oppose.
“Additionally, this bill will encourage unfair lawsuits, stifle employers’ right to communicate with their workforce during union elections and force an unrealistic standard for hiring independent contractors that will also hurt free-lancers and gig workers. A recent survey by the National Association of Manufacturers found that 97 percent of respondents said the ‘PRO Act’ would negatively impact operations and damage relationships with workers.
“House passage of this bill is simply one more blow to a business community already struggling and will further hinder the nation’s economic recovery. We urge the Senate to oppose this misguided legislation.”