The U.S. Senate approved former Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican, as U.S. secretary of labor. Backed by the Teamsters, Chavez-DeRemer won support from some Democrats as well as most Republicans.
PRO Act Co-Sponsor
While in Congress, Chavez-DeRemer was one of three House Republicans who co-sponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, a comprehensive and controversial bill that would:
- Strengthen workers’ rights to organize.
- Limit employer communication with employees during a union organizing campaign.
- Eliminate right-to-work laws protecting workers from mandatory payment of union dues.
- Expand the definition of “employee” to include many workers who are currently independent contractors.
- Expand joint employment for the purposes of collective bargaining.
Some Democratic Support
The Senate confirmed Chavez-DeRemer by a vote of 67-32, with 17 Democrats voting yes and three Republicans voting no. When asked by Republicans during her confirmation hearing whether she still supported the PRO Act, Chavez-DeRemer declined to say. Chavez-DeRemer stated that she had been a co-sponsor of the bill because she wanted to participate in discussions on significant labor issues.
She added that she supports state “right-to-work laws.” A “right-to-work” state has legislation that guarantees that no one can be forced as a condition of employment to join or pay dues or fees to a labor union.
Appealed Overtime Rule Decision
Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation follows the Trump administration’s decision to appeal a Texas district court decision blocking the Biden administration’s 2024 overtime rule — a surprise move to some.
Labor Bill Introduced
In another pro-union move by a Republican lawmaker, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has introduced a labor bill, The Faster Labor Contracts Act. The bill would prevent employers from delaying union contract negotiations — requiring talks to start within 10 days rather than being put off for months and even years. There would be a 90-day time frame to reach a contract.
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