‘Good Jobs’ Executive Order Urges Voluntary Union Recognition by Federal Agencies
President Joe Biden on Sept. 6 signed the “Good Jobs” executive order (EO), which provides labor standards for federal agencies to prioritize, including voluntary union recognition. We’ve gathered articles on the news from SHRM and other outlets.
Prioritized Projects
Under the order, federal agencies are to prioritize projects that involve “agreements designed to facilitate first collective bargaining agreements, voluntary union recognition, and neutrality by the employer with respect to union organizing.” The new order also will support workforce development through “registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, labor-management partnerships, and partnerships with training organizations,” according to a statement from the White House.
Agencies Told to Adopt Other Practices
The executive order also calls on all federal agencies to adopt the following labor practices: equal pay and pay transparency, projects that supply workers with benefits—including child and dependent care, health insurance, paid leave, and retirement benefits—and support for workplace safety.
Pro-Union Policies
Biden signed the EO and touted its pro-union policies during a visit to Ann Arbor, Mich. Under the order’s provisions, all federal agencies are directed to adhere to a “clear list of labor standards” when awarding dollars for government-funded projects, supporting such pro-worker instruments as Project Labor Agreements and Community Benefits Agreements. The EO also directs federal agencies to look favorably upon projects that offer prevailing wage standards.
(UPI)
White House Statement
The White House issued the following statement about the executive order: “The President’s Good Jobs EO calls on agencies to adopt a series of high-road labor standards that have long been recognized to lead to both better jobs and on-time, high-quality delivery of federally funded projects. With this executive order, the Biden-Harris Administration is the first in history to specify a clear list of labor standards that all federal agencies should look to prioritize.”
Competing Bills on Labor Rights
Congressional lawmakers are considering competing bills with different views on union rights for workers. At a U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing in November 2023, Republicans favored the National Right to Work Act, which would prevent labor unions from requiring workers to pay union dues if they don’t want to belong to a union.
Meanwhile, Democrats supported the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would nullify state laws that say workers can’t be required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of the job. The PRO Act also would replace secret-ballot union elections with card-check elections and prohibit “captive-audience” meetings by employers to discuss union activity. Both bills have been introduced but have not passed the House or Senate.
(SHRM)
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